Why SMART people write DUMB copy

Put down the thesaurus and nobody gets hurt

Jason Eckerman
February 03, 2025

Kills your sales with $10 words.

Jason here.

Want to know the fastest way to kill a sale?

Use fancy words to sound smart.

::cough:: Like I just did by saying "utilize" instead of "use" in my first draft of this email...

I died a little inside typing that.

But here's the thing...

We ALL do this sometimes.

Maybe it's leftover trauma from our English teachers...

(They made us memorize SAT words like "perspicacious" when "smart" works just fine)

Or maybe we're trying to impress people with our big-brained vocabulary.

Either way...

Using “$10 words” in copy is like wearing a tuxedo to the gym.

Sure, you LOOK fancy...

But you're making everything harder than it needs to be.

And your prospects?

They're not impressed.

They're confused.

Or WORSE...

They think you're trying too hard.

I was reading Travis Sago's new book "Make 'Em Beg to Buy From You" last night...

And one thing that jumped off the page at me is how he explains complex ideas using simple words.

No "leveraging synergistic methodologies".

Just straight talk (and a sprinkle of mojo) that moves sales.

Because at the end of the day...

Nobody ever complains when your copy is TOO easy to understand.

As my first copy chief put it…

“Never put a constable in an automobile… when you can put a cop in a car.”

In Your Corner,

Jason

P.S. Want to see how simple language can drive massive sales?

It's a masterclass in clear communication that converts.

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