What three "key words" to define a start-up do you think are over-used?
We are working on branding a new start-up. We continue to circle around the same collection of descriptive words? What words are a turn-off, over-used, or never spike your interest when you see them associated with at start-up?
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Jun 1, 2014
I do not have a key words but got a good story.
In a sales meeting post the RFX stage few short listed companies came in. I guess in total 4 of them. While 3 of the large firms presented why they are the right fit and ended their presentation.
The 4th one just went in and said the following " Your companies spending in this area is more than my turn over, instead of me recommending you. Please let me know what need to be done and we will do it for you".
Any guesses who won the contract... the 4th one. So might be the case with many start-ups.
Apr 29, 2014
Any given word can be over used or mis used to the detriment of its true meaning. One of the ones I point to is synergy. I love the word. But it's been brutalized in so many circles it's a joke, though the true meaning of the word is powerful.
Were I you, I would focus on the story you are able to form around a word. What I will likely remember about your company is not the single set of words you choose to use, but the story you used to tell me about your product.
Stories help you connect to the emotional part of people that will remember far better than individual words will.
To answer the question, the only one I am finding slightly irritating at the moment is "disruptive" and I don't find it all that annoying or over used, but it was the first one that popped into my head besides "synergy."
Apr 29, 2014
Buy-in, Think Outside the Box, Revolutionary. They are such old, overused words. I think an honest approach that is spoken from the culture of your brand should be used to describe your brand.
Apr 3, 2014
New. <-- Kinda obvious.
Unique. <--- I swear I hate this one.
Creative. <-- I would hope so.
Seriously, I've designed hundreds of websites in my time, with at least 50 being for Startup companies... and I have seen a lot of them fail.
Stay away from buzzwords... just be honest about you, your company, what you are going to offer, and the principals of why you bothered to create the company in the first place.
If someone reading the website or information empathises with you, and sees that the company truly is worth their while and/or money... they will make their own buzzwords for you. Don't try selling yourself... let your work do that for you.
I've never mentioned the name of my company here as far as I can remember in MosaicHub... and I still get people asking for help on their websites. I have no need to "hard sell" you see, no buzzwords.... I let my work speak for itself.
So be X, less Y, and more Z. And the clients will fill those in for you.
: )
Apr 3, 2014
"Start-up"
"Unique"
"Revolutionary".
[...checking if I've used any of those in my communication, ever] :D
Apr 2, 2014
In my opinion
one of a kind
passionate
unique
AND:
state of the art
creative
ground breaking
Apr 1, 2014
I think using gimmicky words are overused. Using words like "exclusive", "one-of-a-kind" or "unique positioning" are overused.
Mar 29, 2014
A pet peeve I have about this is going to a high-tech website and having to hit at least three pages before I can figure out what exactly a company does.
If the "What We Do" page includes a bunch of fuzzy superlatives and over-used marketing cliches, with no clear statement, it's time to have a serious talk with the marketing director. They need to re-learn plain English.