How Mark Twain Can Make You a Stronger Communicator
Last week, a picture from the aisle of the British supermarket Waitrose caught my eye.
It showed a small green sign placed underneath the vegan instant vegetable stock powder.
“PERFECT FOR THE FOODBANK” it read.
Perfect?
I imagine the word “perfect” being used to describe other things Waitrose sells.
“Perfect for a quiet Saturday night in”
“Perfect for Valentine’s Day dinner”
“Perfect for a family Sunday lunch”
But “perfect” for the food bank?
It didn’t sit right with me.
I like that Waitrose is encouraging their customers to contribute to a food bank.
I also believe it’s helpful to signpost items that could be needed.
But Waitrose is an upscale supermarket – and the language on this sign could send the wrong message.
It feels tone deaf, and could be interpreted as, “This is an item for people who go to the food bank, not for you.”
And it’s because “perfect” is the wrong word.
Seeing this reminded me of a famous quote attributed to writer Mark Twain.
“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”
(Sidenote: I’d also question if the message on the Waitrose sign is accurate. Is vegan stock powder what food banks really want most?)
So, what should they have written?
How about “Requested by Food Banks”?
Or “Useful for Food Banks”?
“Helpful for Food Banks?”
Lose the peppiness of “perfect” and replace it with something more straightforward.
I’d also take a step back and ask what Waitrose wants to achieve – and what food banks really need.
It might not be individual items like this – it might be money.
If Waitrose’s goal is to help food banks, this may not be the best tactic.*
Now, you might be thinking, “Is this really such a big deal?”
In terms of communication, it’s certainly not the worst I’ve seen.
But this is what I call a “Road to Hell” communication example.
The intention is good, but the execution is poor.
And it matters because your communication (and your words) affect your relationships – and your reputation.
While this may feel minor, it is something that people picked up on (and got angry about).
Thousands of people, in fact, commented, tweeted, and shared this image on social media.
The “almost right” word had customers (and potential customers) feeling like a supermarket was snobby, condescending, and out of touch.
The “right” word could have demonstrated a supermarket that cared.
Mark Twain was right.
Choosing the right word is a large matter.
And it can make all the difference.
*Instead of giving a £2.45 stock powder, maybe customers could donate the price of one to a food bank.
Or they could round their bill up to the nearest pound and donate the difference (like McDonald’s does).
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Beth Collier loves writing, pop culture, and finding the right words.
She also loves helping companies, leaders, and teams improve their communication (and creativity and leadership) through consulting, coaching, and workshops.
Her clients benefit from Beth’s global corporate experience, Midwestern practicality and enthusiasm, and an endless supply of pop culture references.
To find out how Beth can help you become a more confident, creative, and compelling leader – or improve communication in your company – visit www.beth-collier.com or drop her a line at beth@beth-collier.com
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