By: Omar Alhaza’a – Founder & CEO of Franchise Arabia 

In business as in life, the power of words is essential in all human cultures and must be thoroughly understood for effective communication.  

Regardless of which language is spoken by which group of people, word choice can greatly influence how we are perceived & received by others.   One single word can have a huge impact on how well a product sells.    

The importance of word choice cannot be overstated. The Persian poet Rumi once said, “Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder.” 

How you communicate your Brand to people can impact your effectiveness and determine if customers recognize your message or choose to ignore it.  Finding the perfect word that will grab your audience’s attention requires an intimate understanding of the people you’re trying to reach.  

Brands should not lose sight of whom they are talking to and who is listening. You can craft the best message, but people on the receiving end will always understand and process your message through their own emotions and beliefs.  

The essence of effective communication is to always put yourself into the customer’s shoes to understand what they are thinking and feeling so you can deliver accordingly. 

The key to successful communication is to personalize and humanize the message to trigger an emotional remembrance. People will forget what you say, but they will never forget how you made them feel.  

Brand communication extends beyond a string of buzzwords or a catchy slogan. People like words that flow, words that make them feel good, and words that spark their curiosity. 

Words are powerful. They can either work for you or work against you. Words are like fire; depending on how you use them, they can either heat your surrounding or burn it down to the ground.  

In fact, the message you use becomes you, and you become the message you use. And just like all other branding efforts, your words need to show consistency, differentiation, and customer focus to be effective.  

That is why the wording you use, and the content you publish on your websites or social media platforms, is pivotal to how people perceive your brand, product, or service. Words used poorly can create failure, disconnection, and disengagement.    

Simplicity counts. Simple and clear is usually best. The most effective messages clarify rather than confuse. Your message should be short and concise. In all forms of communication, small beats large, and short beats long. Be as brief as possible.          

There are no shades of gray when it comes to word choice. Communication failure equals Brand failure! 

Carefully consider the words you’re using in your Brand communication. Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.  

Let the meaning choose the word, not the other way around. And remember; it is not what you say that really matters, it is how you say it. It’s all in the delivery!