You get to hear sales pitches from lots of marketing vendors. These folks call, e-mail, and even knock on our doors. They sell everything imaginable, and they claim it’ll all help us get more clients.

I’m sure some of these people have something of value. But it’s mostly crap. Deep in your heart, you know it’s crap, but we desperately want it to work, so some of us get tempted. Some of us buy what they’re selling.

Is it crap?

I’d suggest you make that decision, at least in part, based upon the words the salespeople use. Their language will clue you into whether they’re really invested in our market, our practices, our clients, and our success.

Listen to the words. Do they use real words, or do they use buzzwords?

Real words include clients, cases, practices, prospective clients, income, etc.

Buzzwords include leads, content, brand, identity, pain points, thought leader, agile, infographic, value proposition, amplify, stack, etc.

Of course, I use some of these buzzwords. I plead guilty. You may have used some too.

But, if you’re serious about spending money on marketing, then avoid the people who rely on buzzwords.

Buzzwords make crap harder to identify. Go with the salesperson who explains it in plain language. Go with the salesperson who makes sense and isn’t attempting to baffle you with bullshit. Go with the salesperson who makes the most sense, not the one who obfuscates, distracts, and confuses. It’s mostly crap, and the less crap used to sell it, the better.