Healthcare and other life-science marketing is tricky business. Not only does it have the usual marketing challenges of standing out from competitors and attracting new clients, but it also must adhere to regulatory and ethical concerns.

Proper word use is vital for healthcare marketers who want to achieve that ideal balance. Unfortunately, a lot of healthcare marketing content has been using some of the same words over and over again, possibly confusing and even turning away potential clients and patients.

Here are seven words to avoid to make your life-science marketing more effective.

1. Innovative

This word is used so often for new research and medical products that it has lost meaning. Show, don’t tell: instead of describing a product as “innovative,” describe what makes it innovative. The same could be said for oft-used words like “breakthrough” and “advanced.”

2. Comprehensive

The word “comprehensive” is usually used to describe healthcare that is “complete.” It includes every step of the care or healing process, and every specialty that may be required. Unfortunately, this term is most often used by health professionals and marketers, without considering whether it carries the same meaning for consumers.

3. Hope

Although the concept of “hope” is a good thing, it can be triggering when used in healthcare. It makes experts sound uncertain, and could be misinterpreted. Use more concrete terms that are better at generating the emotions you want in your audience.

4. Guaranteed

With so many factors involved in health and medicine, guarantees are practically impossible. For the sake of honesty, avoid using it. Plus, if you use it in email campaigns, there’s a chance it may trigger spam filters.

5. Fight / Fight off

It may be tempting to use words like “fighting off” to describe the struggle with a disease, such as cancer or mental illness. Some people may have no objection to it, seeing themselves as mighty warriors. Others, however, may feel that a term like “fight” turns them into victims or puts them on the defensive. Just in case, find an alternative.

6. Continuum

This word is often used in healthcare marketing, so much so that its meaning has grown murky and confusing. In marketing, it’s vital to write for your audience. If the audience, consumer, or patient does not regularly use or understand the word, avoid it.

7. Multidisciplinary

Here’s another term that is often used among health professionals and marketers, but has little meaning to the consumer. Word choice is a delicate balance in marketing; a word or phrase may mean one thing to the marketer, but another thing to the consumer. If there is doubt about how a word will be interpreted, then choose another word.

When writing copy for healthcare, don’t use terms that have been repeated hundreds of times before, or pick words that just seem “good enough.” Be clear, be specific, and mean what you say. Leave no room for misinterpretation. Understand your audience, research the language and style that works best for them, and don’t be afraid to try something different.

Need help finding the right words for your marketing content and sales copy? That’s my mission in life! Visit emjwriter.com to learn how I can help.

As always, thanks for reading. if you’ve found this post to be helpful, or know someone who could benefit from it, share away!