As a trusted communication advisor, one of my jobs is to help spokespeople I serve avoid getting stuck in “word ruts.”
In other words, saying the same thing countless others always say.
Just because countless others say it.
Here are three of the word ruts that personally drive me crazy…
#1 – “Thanks for having me on”
You’re almost always guaranteed to hear this from the interviewee in a broadcast interview for a talk show (this doesn’t apply to a hard news report looking for sound bites). When the host thanks the guest for agreeing to be interviewed, what line do you typically hear next?
Yes, you guessed it: “Thanks for having me on.”
I cringe every time I hear it.
“Thanks for having me on” has become a cliché. It’s the pre-programmed auto-response. EVERYONE says it. And it doesn’t add anything to make you stand out.
While there’s nothing wrong with being courteous, there’s certainly something else that can be said so you’re not parroting what practically every other talk show guest in the world says.
As part of my media training for our clients, I provide an alternative response. Here are five suggestions:
- Compliment the host: “Love your show and happy to contribute.”
- Refer to the subject matter: “Happy to share my thoughts regarding [MENTION TOPIC.]”
- Say the name of the host: “Great to chat with you, [FIRST NAME OF HOST].”
- The bounce-back response (if at the end of an interview): “Let’s do it again sometime!”
- Or simply: “You’re welcome.”
Please, I beg you. Put a little thought into it next time you’re a guest on a talk show or podcast. Certainly you can come up with something to say other than “Thanks for having me on.”
#2 – “I hope you are doing well.”
How many emails do you receive, especially from spammers, that start with this line?
Or a variation of it, like “I hope this email finds you well.”
Here’s where my mind goes: “Ah… yes — it found me just fine. It’s in my email box, and I’m looking at it right now. I promise, I wasn’t hiding.”
I’m so used to seeing it that I immediately skip it as if it were rap music (apologies to any of you rap music lovers out there).
Do these people really hope I’m doing well?
Do they authentically care?
If it’s not a spammer but a friend or business associate, probably.
Maybe it’s just the way I’m wired: Always trying to innovate; communicate in a more fresh, interesting way that’s not been done before.
I’d rather the email just get right to the point and engage me in the reason I should care.
So today, I wrote a pitch to the editor of AARP The Magazine. Before I sent it, I asked Claude (AI) to review it.
Know what it came back with for the beginning?
“I hope this finds you well.”
Ugh.
I immediately corrected it and said, “Never begin a pitch with that cliché.”
Now it knows.
(And so do you.)
#3 – “How are you?”
“I’m fine, how are you?” is the typical response to probably one of the world’s most popular word ruts.
Again, it’s a courteous thing to say, and our society loves asking this question.
But how often do you actually receive an honest answer instead of a robotic response?
Think of what honest answers could sound like…
“Except for accidentally stepping on my goldfish this morning and my wife breaking BOTH of the yokes in my eggs over easy, fine.”
“I was doing great until you asked me the same question about a dozen others have already asked me today. Now I’m beginning to wonder.”
Since we move to the south in 2019 (Tennessee), I’ve heard some very refreshing lines I’ve not heard elsewhere. When it comes to asking how a person is, folks ‘round here typically say, “You doin’ alright?”
I love that! Caught me off guard at first.
There’s another line I’ve heard in our neck of the woods that I found particularly interesting.
Instead of saying, “I’m busy,” they’ll say “I’m covered up.”
I’m not sure what they’ll say when they’re dead and buried.
Bonus Word Ruts – Dating Lines
Just for fun, I asked AuthenticityPR’s awesome intern Miriam — a BYU student — about the typical word ruts she hears on first dates.
She said:
“Where are you from?”
“What do you do in your free time?”
“What’s your major?”
“Tell me about yourself.”
“Small world!”
“Same here.”
“You’re not like the other girls.”
Com’on guys, you can do better than that!
The 3 Big Takeaways
- Word ruts = clichés. Avoid them.
- Just because everyone says it doesn’t mean you should.
- When you express care in an original way, people believe you might actually mean it.
What are some word ruts that drive you crazy? Do share!
Would you like help avoiding word ruts in your brand’s content, emails, or interviews? Let’s talk.
Stay authentic — and original whenever possible in all your communications!
Jeffery E. Pizzino, APR (seen here in a vintage photo circa 1983 serendipitously doing a Clash impersonation in a since-forgotten location) is a spin-free public relations pro who is passionate about telling the why of your story with clarity, impact and authenticity. He began his PR career in 1987 at Ketchum Public Relations in New York City but has spent the majority of his career as a solopreneur. He’s the Chief Authentic Officer of the Johnson City, TN-based public relations firm, AuthenticityPR. He also functions as the fractional CCO for technology startup Converus.
Jeff has an MBA in Management from Western International University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications — with an emphasis in PR — from Brigham Young University (rise and shout!). He’s a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but also holds an Italian citizenship. Jeff and his storyteller wife Leticia have four children and four grandchildren. In his extremely limited nonwork hours, he studies italiano, practices guitar, write songs, gardens, disc golfs, reads, listens to New Wave music, serves in his church, watches BYU football, and plays Dominion and Seven Wonders. Email Jeff.
