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As a copywriter, I've seen my fair share of marketing copy buzzwords that need to be banished to the deepest depths of the internet. Remember the '90s when adding "cyber" made everything cool? Both humans and AI bots are guilty of overusing today’s buzzwords, and it’s time we called them out.
Let’s dive in.
- Elevate // Supercharge // Unlock - These verbs are often used as a crutch that both LLMs and marketers can’t resist. Let’s retire these filler words already.
- Democratize / Revolutionary - Unless you’re plotting to overthrow a government (which I hope you're not), just focus on solving a specific pain point. You don't need to start a coup to make tens of millions in MRR.
- Game-changer - So much hype, so little substance. Just tell us what your product is already.
- Synergy / Paradigm Shift - Corporate buzzword bingo, anyone? Does anyone actually know what these mean? I know I don't, and at this point, I'm too afraid to ask.
- Delve - Who says this outside of ChatGPT? Seriously, I need answers.
- Dynamic - The ultimate placeholder word. It's like the “um” of business jargon.
- User-friendly - Isn’t this the bare minimum for software? It's like bragging that your restaurant serves food.
- Award-Winning - So is this because you were voted “best place to work,” paid $XX to win one of the awards that are for sale, or because you were voted best workplace coffee? Did you pay for this award, or is it legit? It’s like those “As Seen On TV” gadgets. It is not always what they seem.
What marketing words or phrases would you add to this list? Hit reply and let me know.
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🚀 5 interesting things I read this month
- 💰 Did you know that woman-owned businesses are less likely to sell, and when they do exit, it is for less than their male founder counterparts? That's just one of many findings in this Exit Gap Report.
- 🤯 We’ve come to accept that adults are stressed because they work so much. But what if it’s the other way round: we work so much because we’re stressed. Work is a distraction from ourselves. This is one of many lines that stand out from an essay from one B2B SaaS founder who sold their stake in what looked like a dream business on paper.
- 🔥 Here is why you should be sincere rather than serious. Yet in life, we often gravitate towards the reverse. This essay is a must-read.
- 🤨 If I can't manage myself, how can I effectively manage others? Or, why better humans make better leaders?
- 🧠 One study found that severe burnout can permanently rewire your brain.
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🎙️ On The Remote Work Tribe Podcast
- SEO isn't dying, but it is evolving. On this podcast episode, I geek out with Bernard Huang, founder of Clearscope, about the future of SEO. I also chatted a lot about content positioning and why it is one of the most underrated factors.
- Confession: When I need fresh ideas, I step outside the marketing bubble. One of my favorite places to learn is by studying successful creators. That's why I was super excited to sit down with Ben Taylor, more commonly known as Pleasant Green, on YouTube. Ben is the real deal. He has been running his YouTube channel for over 7 years and has over 1.1 million subscribers. I dive into his process for brainstorming new video ideas, How he handles production, including what he does himself and what he delegates, tips on giving feedback, and the strategies for picking the perfect titles and thumbnails on YouTube.
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🤣 Just for fun
- 💿 This is an incredibly niche reference, but remember that brief period in the late '90s when we were all into Indigenous chants set to New Age Beats? Or, in my case, startled awake at 3 a.m. to the Pure Moods CD commercial when I fell asleep watching cartoons. It turns out this nostalgic CD is the perfect vibe for deep focus music. The best part—you can listen to it for free in this Spotify playlist.
- 🧱 The sheer dedication of some Swifties. Also, how on Earth did she clean this up?
- 🎤 The world would be a better place if we normalized stoplight concerts. Agree?
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💪 Enjoy this newsletter
Here are a few more things you might find interesting.
- Content Strategy: Are you looking for help scaling your content marketing strategy? I have a decade of experience working mainly with early and mid-stage software companies on both strategy and execution.
- Copywriting: Need an experienced copywriter who can write both copy and content that converts? Check out my process for writing landing pages, email drip campaigns, newsletters, narrative blog posts, case studies, whitepapers, and industry reports.
- Conversion Troubleshooting: I've channeled my curiosity and storytelling into a superpower for my clients, helping them spot and grab more leads and opportunities from their websites. After years of fine-tuning, I've turned this into a done-for-you service.
- Consulting Call with Jessica: Whether you are looking for strategic guidance about leading a remote-first marketing team, a content marketing strategy consultation, actionable advice for how to hire, vet, and manage writers, or just want to dive deeper into AI, I'm here to help. Bonus: it is free (for now).
- The Remote Work Tribe Podcast: Learn how best-in-class remote-first and hybrid founder and marketers lead their teams. New episodes go live twice a month.
As always, if you have any feedback or any reading recs, hit reply and let me know. The only thing I love more than reading is getting thoughtful recommendations for what I should read next.
Cheers,
- Jessica and The Remote Work Tribe Team
P.S. If you're enjoying this newsletter, I'd love it if you shared it with a friend (or three). You can send them here to sign up.
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