One of my least-favorite combinations of words is “it is clear” (or “it’s obvious”).

I hear it used by entrepreneurs or managers when I ask them about content that they use in their websites, presentations, or collateral that isn’t perfectly clear to me.

This content frequently includes acronyms and industry jargon that they believe are “obvious” to their audience.

But here’s the thing:

What is clear to you may not be clear to investors, partners, or customers.

If you use jargon that isn’t crystal clear, bad things may occur:

1 – Important information may be missed

2 – The audience may lose interest due to an added layer of complexity

3 – The audience may get hung up trying to decipher an unclear term and miss out of the rest of your story

Story #1: A true story from a pharma company
(“What’s a hazard ratio?”)

I gave a lecture at a big pharmaceutical company. In it, I reviewed some of the slides that their reps routinely present to doctors.

One of the slides had the title “Hazard Ratio.”

I told them about my concern that not all physicians will know what “hazard ratio” means.

And the response I received was that…it’s obvious.

Are you sure? I asked.

Yes, they replied.

So I asked the reps to write their own definitions of “hazard ratio.”

And there was no consensus in the room.

If even the reps who promote the drug can’t agree on what it means, the situation in the “real world” is going to be worse.

(Visit Wikipedia if you’d like to know the definition of a hazard ratio.)

Story #2: How I made the same mistake
(and what is a home run, anyway?)

I gave a lecture in which I used a home run as an example.

Most participants were not US-born, but I thought that the meaning of “home run,” or the phrase “it’s a home run,” would be universal.

It’s OBVIOUS, right?

Well, no. Wrong.

They had no clue what I’d just said. I immediately saw it in their eyes.

(If you’re interested, “home run” is a term from baseball: the ball is hit in such a way that the player can circle the bases and reach home plate safely in just one play. It’s an impressive success).

Write to the otherwise well-informed reader

Before starting in the medical world more than 16 years ago, I managed a team of business plan writers. I personally wrote dozens, if not hundreds, of plans myself.

I am so happy not to do that anymore.

But one thing I remember is that you have to write the plan to the level of “the otherwise well-informed reader.” Meaning: not a layman, but not the foremost expert either.

I suggest you start implementing this rule in your copy too.