How can I avoid using too much industry specific language in my email copy?

Understanding Your Audience

The first step in avoiding too much industry-specific language is to thoroughly understand your audience. Knowing who you're communicating with helps you tailor your message to their level of familiarity with your industry. If your email list comprises mainly industry insiders, some level of jargon might be acceptable or even expected. However, if your audience includes individuals who are not as familiar with your field, it's crucial to simplify your language.

How to Do It:

• Segment Your Audience: If possible, segment your email list based on the recipients’ familiarity with your industry. This allows you to adjust the level of technical language depending on who you’re addressing.
• Create Customer Personas: Develop detailed personas for your target audience, focusing on their knowledge level, interests, and pain points. This will help you understand how much technical language is appropriate.

Simplify Your Language

Simplifying your language doesn’t mean dumbing down your content. Instead, it means making your message clear and concise. Use plain language that conveys your point effectively without unnecessary complexity.

How to Do It:

• Use Common Words: Replace jargon with common words or phrases. For example, instead of saying “utilize,” say “use.” Instead of “synergy,” say “working together.”
• Explain Technical Terms: If you must use a technical term, briefly explain it in simple terms. This ensures that even those unfamiliar with the jargon can follow along.
• Use Analogies and Examples: Analogies and examples can be incredibly effective in explaining complex concepts. By relating new information to something your audience already understands, you make it easier for them to grasp.

Focus on Benefits, Not Features

One common mistake in email copy is focusing too much on the features of a product or service, often described in industry-specific terms. Instead, shift your focus to the benefits. How will your product or service solve the reader’s problem or improve their life? By focusing on the benefits, you naturally move away from jargon and towards language that resonates with a broader audience.

How to Do It:

• Identify the Core Benefit: What’s the primary advantage your product or service offers? Lead with this in your copy, using straightforward language.
• Translate Features into Benefits: For every feature you want to highlight, ask yourself, “What’s in it for the reader?” Then, explain that benefit in simple terms.

Use a Conversational Tone

A conversational tone is more engaging and relatable than a formal, jargon-heavy style. Writing as if you’re speaking directly to the reader can help you avoid the pitfalls of industry-specific language. It also makes your emails more personable and easier to read.

How to Do It:

• Write Like You Speak: Imagine you’re explaining your message to a friend who isn’t in your industry. How would you phrase things? This mindset can help you simplify your language naturally.
• Ask Questions: Rhetorical questions can make your copy feel more interactive and less formal. For example, “Are you tired of spending too much time on [task]?” invites the reader to think about their own experience in a relatable way.

Test Your Email Copy

Before sending out your email, it’s important to test your copy to ensure it resonates with your audience. A/B testing, where you send out two versions of an email with slight variations, can provide valuable insights into what language works best.

How to Do It:

• Test Different Levels of Technical Language: Create two versions of your email—one with more technical language and one with simplified language. Compare the results to see which version performs better.
• Gather Feedback: If you have access to a diverse group of colleagues or friends, ask them to read your email and provide feedback. Do they understand your message? Is there any part of the email that’s confusing?

Avoid Overloading with Information

It’s easy to fall into the trap of including too much information in an attempt to fully explain your product or service. However, this can lead to an email that’s dense with industry-specific language. Instead, focus on the key points you need to communicate, and save the detailed explanations for follow-up emails or other content formats.

How to Do It:

• Prioritize Key Messages: Identify the most important points you need to convey and focus on those. If there’s additional information that’s relevant but not crucial, consider including it in a separate document or follow-up email.
• Use Bulleted Lists: Bulleted lists can help break down information into digestible chunks. They also allow you to present key points clearly without overwhelming the reader with too much text.

Use Tools and Resources

Several tools and resources can help you identify and reduce industry-specific language in your email copy. These tools can provide suggestions for simpler alternatives to jargon and help you maintain a clear, accessible tone.

How to Do It:

• Readability Checkers: Use tools like Hemingway App or Grammarly to check the readability of your email. These tools can highlight complex sentences, difficult words, and jargon, offering suggestions for simplification.
• Thesaurus: A thesaurus can be a valuable resource for finding simpler synonyms for technical terms.

Engage with Your Audience

Encouraging your audience to engage with your email not only makes your content more interactive but also provides you with insights into how well they understand your message. If your audience is confused by certain terms or concepts, they’re more likely to ask questions, giving you the opportunity to clarify.

How to Do It:

• Include a Call to Action: Encourage your readers to reply with questions or comments. For example, “Not sure what [term] means? Reply to this email, and we’ll clarify!”
• Monitor Responses: Pay attention to the types of questions or feedback you receive. If multiple people are asking for clarification on the same points, that’s a sign you may need to simplify your language in future emails.

Continuously Improve Your Email Copy

Improving your email copy is an ongoing process. Continuously review and refine your approach based on feedback, testing, and changing audience needs. As you gain more experience, you’ll become more adept at finding the right balance between industry-specific language and accessibility.

How to Do It:

• Review Past Emails: Regularly review past emails to identify any patterns in the language you use. Are there certain terms or phrases that could be simplified? Are there areas where you’ve received feedback that the language was too complex?
• Stay Updated on Audience Preferences: Your audience’s familiarity with your industry may change over time. Stay updated on their preferences and adjust your language accordingly.
• Learn from Others: Look at email copy from other companies or industries, particularly those known for clear, effective communication. Analyze how they avoid jargon while still conveying their message.

Avoiding too much industry-specific language in your email copy is crucial for ensuring that your message is accessible and engaging to a broad audience. By understanding your audience, simplifying your language, focusing on benefits, using a conversational tone, testing your copy, and continuously improving, you can create email content that resonates with all readers, regardless of their industry knowledge.

FAQs

1. Why is it important to avoid using too much industry-specific language in email copy?

Using too much industry-specific language, or jargon, can alienate readers who are not familiar with the terms. This can lead to confusion and reduce the effectiveness of your communication. By using clear, simple language, you make your message more accessible to a broader audience, which can increase engagement and response rates.

2. How can I determine the right amount of industry-specific language to use?

Understanding your audience is key. If your recipients are industry insiders, some jargon may be appropriate. However, if your audience is more diverse, it's better to minimize technical language. Consider segmenting your email list based on familiarity with the industry or developing customer personas to tailor your language accordingly.

3. What are some tips for simplifying my language in email copy?

• Use Common Words: Replace jargon with common, everyday language.
• Explain Technical Terms: If you need to use a technical term, provide a brief explanation.
• Use Analogies and Examples: Relate complex concepts to something familiar to your audience.
• Write Like You Speak: Adopt a conversational tone to make your message more relatable.

4. How can I focus on benefits instead of features in my email copy?

Shift your focus from describing the technical aspects of your product or service to explaining how it benefits the reader. For every feature you highlight, ask yourself, "What's in it for the reader?" and then explain that benefit in straightforward language.

5. What are some tools I can use to reduce jargon in my email copy?

Tools like Hemingway App and Grammarly can help you identify complex sentences and jargon in your email copy. They offer suggestions for simpler alternatives, making your content clearer and more accessible. Additionally, a thesaurus can be helpful for finding simpler synonyms for technical terms.

6. How can I test whether my email copy is free of excessive jargon?

A/B testing is a great way to determine if your audience responds better to emails with less jargon. Create two versions of your email—one with more technical language and one with simpler language—and compare the results. You can also gather feedback from colleagues or friends to ensure your message is clear.

7. What should I do if I receive feedback that my email copy is too complex?

If you receive feedback that your email is too complex, take it as an opportunity to revise your language. Simplify your wording, reduce jargon, and focus on making your message as clear and concise as possible. Continuous improvement is key to effective communication.

8. How can I make my email copy more engaging?

Using a conversational tone can make your email copy more engaging. Write as if you're speaking directly to the reader, ask rhetorical questions, and encourage interaction by including calls to action, such as asking the reader to reply with questions or comments.

9. Why should I focus on key messages instead of including too much information?

Including too much information can overwhelm your readers and lead to an email that’s dense with industry-specific language. Focus on the most important points you need to convey. If additional information is necessary, consider using bulleted lists or providing it in follow-up emails or supplementary materials.

10. How can I continuously improve my email copy?

Regularly review past emails to identify areas for improvement. Stay updated on your audience's preferences, and be open to feedback. Learning from others, especially companies known for clear communication, can also provide valuable insights. Continuous refinement based on testing and feedback will help you create more effective email copy over time.

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