We love words at Red Mallard. In fact, we’re a bit obsessed. From catchy headlines to recounting success stories, we’re in the business of content marketing to provide readers with relevant, informative and engaging content.
But they aren’t looking for fluff. No one has time for that. So we keep things short. Honor your time, get the point across, and make our stories easy to read. Are you doing the same for your customers?
One way to streamline your writing is by cutting out redundant phrases. It’s a simple step, but a good place to start. Here’s a list of phrases that make us squirm. We bet you’d be surprised how often they slip.
- Absolutely certain. If you are certain your product will improve productivity at a company then you are already without doubt. “Absolutely” can be removed.
- Close proximity. Look up the word proximity. It means nearness. Can it get any closer? Nope. Remove “close” next time and speak about the new home for sale with proximity to local freeways.
- End result. The result is the end. It can’t get anymore final.
- Free gift. What’s a gift if you have to pay for it? Drop free and assume all gifts are inherently free.
- Extra bonus. A bonus is already extra.
- Exact same. “Same” is sufficient. “Exact” is superfluous.
- Plan ahead: You can’t plan for the past. Planning implies the future. Remove “ahead” when you plan for the next quarterly meeting.
- Unexpected Surprise: Unless you snooped around for a present, a surprise will always be unexpected. Remove “unexpected” in your writing.
These are a few of a much longer list. Be wise in the words you choose. The impact of your message will benefit.
Does your content marketing need a refresh? Call Red Mallard to learn how we can support your businesses in telling quality stories.
