Communication is the most essential activity in every business. Every Marketer struggles to find the right words that can turn a prospect into a customer in no-time. But overusing buzzwords threatens the potential of the person and puts him in a compromising situation.

Here are 10 examples along with alternatives that you can use in place of these:

1. Work Smarter, Not Harder

Really? How can one work smarter? This actually doesn’t make any sense. Tell this to anyone and see if you aren’t met with an annoyed expression!

Alternative: “Work with greater efficiency.”

2. Think Outside The Box

This has become a common term used by people which ideally means to think differently.

Alternative: “Contemplate the unconventional alternatives.”

3. Raising The Bar

This term is generally used to command to increase the standard to an undefined level that is higher than the existing level and is completely imaginary.

Alternative: “Raise your standards.”

4. At the End of the Day

Whenever I hear somebody say this term, I get an urge to say “it’s night”.

Alternative: “What’s important is…”. What follows this phrase is much more understandable than the buzzword!

5. Give 110 Percent

This statement implies that the speaker has no knowledge about maths because one can only give 100 percent! And why just 10 percent more and not double?

Alternative: “Put in your best efforts.”

6. Synergy

This term is often hated by a majority of people mainly because they don’t know what this term means! Well, it actually means a mixed effect.

Alternative: “Mixed effect.”

7. Touch Base

Where do such phrases even come from? This phrase is used to hint communication or as an alternative to arranging for a meeting.

Alternative: “Let’s discuss.”

8. Paradigm Shift

People using this phrase are just trying to exaggerate what is shifting or trying to sound clever.

Alternative: “It is a massive change.”

9. Best Practice

This phrase is used by leaders to present the smarter way of doing something such that it appears to be more clinical and measured than it actually is.

Alternative: “What’s proved to be the best.”

10. Core Competency

Seriously? Why make it sound so complicated and burdensome when it can be explained using simpler words?

Alternative: “Pivotal strength.”

11. Stepping Back

This is used by people who want to prove themselves as the most strategic and tactic oriented than others.

Alternative: Putting forward a different perspective

These buzzwords will portray you as someone you are not, giving business advice identical to that of a billboard.
So, why not stop using these buzzwords before someone else gives you a knock on your head?
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