Learn how to avoid jargon and ambiguity and communicate effectively with message design principles.

Eliminate acronyms, avoid terms of art, and think about how your audience will paraphrase your message. The less room you give people to guess what you're saying, the clearer and better your messaging and results will be.

How can you create clear and concise messages that avoid jargon and ambiguity?

Clear and concise messages are essential for effective strategic communication. Whether you are writing an email, a report, a presentation, or a social media post, you need to convey your message in a way that is easy to understand, relevant, and engaging for your audience. Jargon and ambiguity can confuse, distract, or alienate your readers, and undermine your credibility and purpose. In this article, you will learn some message design principles that can help you create clear and concise messages that avoid jargon and ambiguity.

1 Know your audience

The first step to creating clear and concise messages is to know your audience. Who are they, what are their needs, interests, and expectations, and how do they prefer to receive information? By understanding your audience, you can tailor your message to their level of knowledge, language, tone, and format. You can also anticipate and address any questions, objections, or feedback they might have. Knowing your audience will help you avoid using jargon that they might not understand, or making assumptions that they might not share.

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Lydia Esler
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Understanding your audience is key. There are different ways to do this. Some are: 1) Ask them. Sounds obvious but book a call so that you can work through their responses as you go. This is by far the most valuable way to find out about their problems and the solutions you may have for them. It also separates the wheat from the chafe. And you can see who you can serve and who are best served by somebody else. 2) Look at trends in your industry. This can be done with many tools, but an easily accessible one is Google Trends. 3) Send a survey. There are tools like Survey Monkey, Scoreapp where you can ask a pool of people that come to you. Or YouGov have a new self serve tool, where you can survey people who match your audience avatar.

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2 Define your purpose

The second step to creating clear and concise messages is to define your purpose. What is the main goal or outcome of your message, and what action or response do you want from your audience? By clarifying your purpose, you can focus your message on the most important and relevant information, and avoid adding unnecessary or irrelevant details. You can also structure your message in a logical and coherent way, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Defining your purpose will help you avoid ambiguity that might confuse or mislead your audience, or leave them wondering what to do next.

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Lydia Esler
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When clarifying your purpose it is helpful to write this down. In this way you can frame it and re-frame it. Be this in a brochure, on your website, or a landing page. This can act as your go-to script when you need to draw from it. It is pre-prepared, has the language that aligns with your brand and becomes second nature to repeat it, so that you can help people understand how you serve them.

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3 Use simple and precise language

The third step to creating clear and concise messages is to use simple and precise language. Avoid using complex or obscure words, acronyms, or technical terms that might confuse or alienate your audience, unless you explain them clearly and use them consistently. Use short and active sentences, and avoid passive voice, nominalizations, or modifiers that might weaken your message. Use concrete and specific examples, facts, or evidence to support your message, and avoid vague or abstract statements that might leave room for interpretation. Using simple and precise language will help you avoid jargon and ambiguity that might dilute or distort your message.

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Mike Saccone

Vice President, Communications at National Wildlife Federation
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Eliminate acronyms, avoid terms of art, and think about how your audience will paraphrase your message. The less room you give people to guess what you're saying, the clearer and better your messaging and results will be.

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Lydia Esler
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Choose language that aligns with your brand. There is a job to do to define the persona of your brand, before you can truly inhabit it. For solopreneurs or small businesses the truth is that the language you use will be most like the language that you use yourself, but it is helpful to speak in a way that everyone can understand. This makes your brand accessible and approachable, and you will attract more customers this way.

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4 Use visual aids and formatting

The fourth step to creating clear and concise messages is to use visual aids and formatting. Visual aids, such as images, graphs, charts, or diagrams, can help you illustrate your message, highlight key points, or simplify complex information. Formatting, such as headings, subheadings, bullet points, or lists, can help you organize your message, break down long paragraphs, or emphasize important information. Use visual aids and formatting sparingly and strategically, and make sure they are relevant, clear, and consistent with your message. Using visual aids and formatting will help you avoid jargon and ambiguity that might clutter or confuse your message.

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5 Edit and proofread your message

The fifth step to creating clear and concise messages is to edit and proofread your message. Editing involves reviewing your message for content, structure, tone, and clarity, and making any necessary changes or improvements. Proofreading involves checking your message for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and formatting errors, and correcting them. Editing and proofreading will help you avoid jargon and ambiguity that might undermine your message, and ensure that your message is accurate, professional, and polished.

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6 Test and evaluate your message

The sixth and final step to creating clear and concise messages is to test and evaluate your message. Testing involves getting feedback from your audience, or a representative sample of your audience, and assessing how they understand, react, and respond to your message. Evaluating involves measuring the results or outcomes of your message, and comparing them to your purpose and goals. Testing and evaluating will help you avoid jargon and ambiguity that might affect your message, and learn from your successes and failures.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you create clear and concise messages that avoid jargon and ambiguity?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Know your audience

2 Define your purpose

3 Use simple and precise language

4 Use visual aids and formatting

5 Edit and proofread your message

6 Test and evaluate your message

7 Here’s what else to consider

Strategic Communications

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How can you create clear and concise messages that avoid jargon and ambiguity?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Know your audience

2 Define your purpose

3 Use simple and precise language

4 Use visual aids and formatting

5 Edit and proofread your message

6 Test and evaluate your message

7 Here’s what else to consider

Strategic Communications

Rate this article

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