Five Words to Never Use in an Ad

Five Words to Never Use in an Ad: "Five Words to Never Use in an Ad
Forget the meaningless cliches and empty promises. What really matters is what customers take away about a business

Google the term 'magic advertising words' and you'll instantly get over 8 million results. But caveat emptor -- don't buy into everything you read, because your prospective buyer certainly won't.

From the time marketing began, there has never been a shortage of self-appointed experts who claim to have identified the words that will unlock your customers' wallets. In the Internet age their advice is even easier to come by. They promise that words such as 'you,' 'guarantee,' 'easy,' 'limited-time,' and the old standby, 'free,' will generate surefire results. If only it were that simple.

As a smart business person, you probably know that there are no such things as magic words, particularly in a culture that has been saturated with advertising. But there's something else you should know: Not only do magic advertising words not exist, several of them actually work against you. And chances are, you're using at least one of them in your advertising now.

Brace yourself. Here are five of the advertising words you should never use:

Quality
This may be the most overused word in advertising, which is the primary reason why you should stay away from it. What exactly does 'quality' mean? In a Lexus, it may mean hand-crafted finishes, supple seats, or a smooth ride. In a Hyundai, it's more about the extended warranty than anything.

The point is this: every product worth buying is a quality product. It may be high-priced quality or it may be low-priced quality, but it's quality either way. That means every company believes it can use the word 'quality' in its advertising. Too many have, and as a result, now it has become just seven empty letters.

Value
Like quality, value has been ruined by overuse. Go back to the Lexus and the Hyundai examples -- "