B2B Marketing Ideas: How to avoid marketing hyperbole
Hyperbole, an exaggerated statement or claim not meant to be taken literally, is often associated with marketing. However, in B2B marketing, your prospects must trust and believe your messages. Here are some practical tips on how to avoid marketing hyperbole.
Identifying hidden hyperbole
While you might not be using that outlandish of a claim, you could still have hidden hyperbole. These are claims about your products or services that can’t be proven or quantified. For example, if you say you are the industry leader, what areas are you leading? If your product is the most efficient, do you base that on verifiable data? It’s a slippery slope when you state benefits without qualification, so always ensure you have verifiable data to back up your claims.
Avoiding hyperbole
There are common mistakes to avoid exaggerating your advantages. Consider the difference between ‘ensure’ and ‘assure.’ To assure means you make someone confident. Ensure means to guarantee. Only use ‘ensure’ when you can guarantee something, such as an actual guarantee or warranty.
Proper messaging versus hyperbole
Prospects that reach a decision-making position in business have learned to weed through the marketing hyperbole. When promoting your company’s strengths, be prepared to back up or explain your marketing messages by being sure:
- Every advantage has proof statements
- Feature & Benefit messages present the feature AND the benefit it provides
- Customer testimonials offer undeniable truths about your company’s capabilities
- Case studies illustrate your services’ or product’s ability to meet challenges
- You don’t say it if you can’t defend it.