Words in financial services marketing and sales are EVERYTHING. They can build trust or destroy it. They can inspire investors or financial professionals or repel them. They can get people to act or snooze.

This guide explains words that financial services marketers should never use in their promotional activities. Or things salespeople shouldn’t say if they want to build credibility and trust.

Language in Financial Marketing and Sales: The Basics

Words that destroy trust in financial marketing and sales overpromise, express insecurity, or convey a lack of transparency. They are often not specific. They move messaging from demonstrating expertise to hollow sales claims.

Examples of overused trust destroyers include guaranteed, low-risk, think, and discounted. These terms result in skepticism. By contrast, focusing on concrete evidence, client success stories, and investor needs builds credibility and demonstrates expertise. 

Words Sure to Destroy Trust

Here are top examples of words financial firms should never use and why:

• Trusted. Trust and trusted are overused in the wealth and asset management industries and are often unsubstantiated. Claiming you are trusted is empty and meaningless. Instead, build trust through sharing real-world results and meaningful client success stories.
• Guaranteed. How firms get this through compliance is beyond us. Still, it happens. Terms like guaranteed or risk-free seem exaggerated and dishonest, and, beyond that, are likely to get a firm in trouble with regulators. Instead of using them, document how your solutions and services help clients achieve their financial goals.
• Discount. Sure, your firm might strive to be affordable. However, there is a major difference between delivering value for the dollar and being discounted or cheap. Focus on fairness and delivering results effectively if you are going after younger or less affluent clients. Anything less suggests a lack of quality.
• Up to. Ambiguity in marketing is deadly when it comes to building trust. Phrases like up to and as low as make it seem like you are hiding something. Focus on actual performance and benefits to convince people you know what you are doing, deliver results, and are worth doing business with.
• Other. Ending a list or series with the word other is akin to hiding something. What IS that OTHER thing you are not mentioning? Always be specific when you list something out. It will convince people you know what you are talking about. Any blanks will be filled in by investors and financial professionals with doubt.
• Competitor. Focusing on competitors rather than your business and how it serves clients and financial professionals detracts from your value. In the end, it suggests there is little to say about you, so you have to deflect attention to the other firms in your space.
• I think. Do you think or do you know? When it comes to building trust with investors and other financial professionals, it can make all the difference. Having conviction when communicating with others helps demonstrate that you are an expert in what you do. Being able to back your opinions with facts, figures, and complete support will go a long way toward building trust.
• Bet. Financial professionals often diminish what they do by saying they “bet on China” or “bet on gold.” This doesn’t give themselves credit for the time, effort, research, and expertise it took to recommend the asset class. Avoid bet and stick with the more authoritative recommend.
• Hopefully. Hope is the ultimate weasel word. Nobody wants to put their money — or that of their clients — into something hopeful. They only trust things that are proven. If you cannot prove something, don’t say it.
• Just (as in just checking in). The word just completely undermines any outreach. If something is just, it’s probably not worth saying.
• Try. Will you try to generate results for clients, or are you committed to doing so? Words like try don’t demonstrate conviction and commitment. If you are not willing to strive or do, why should investors and advisors trust you?
• Does this make sense? This question can seem condescending, like you are talking down to the people you want to do business with. Better to ask, “What are your thoughts on that?” It demonstrates that you really care about what someone thinks and feels about what you are promoting or recommending.
• Exposure. Most people think of exposure in the context of disease. So why do so many financial firms use the term in the realm of investing? It is best to avoid the term to prevent confusion and unnecessary negative connotations.
• Expensive. Terms like expensive and costly make what you are offering seem overpriced. Shift to words like premium to suggest that what you are promoting is better and delivers value.
• Cost. Words like cost or price make doing business seem transactional. Instead, focus on the investment value. It makes it feel like a longer-term commitment to a better financial future. Commitments build trust in ways transactions do not.
• Sign. Sign, as in sign the contract, also feels transactional. Authorize, as in authorize this agreement, brings a level of seriousness and commitment to a business relationship.
• Comprehensive. To many people, comprehensive can feel overwhelming, like you want to take over their lives. Client-centric or client-focused is more comfortable for most people because it is centered on what they want, which may be a comprehensive solution.
• Safe. What is safe to one person may not be to another. Safety is an ambiguous term that should be avoided. Instead, describe what makes your solution safe so people understand how that feature could benefit them.
• Superlatives. Top. Best. Highest. Lowest. Most. Again, we’re not sure how these claims pass compliance, but they often do. This is another case where ambiguity is the enemy of building trust. If your solution or service is the best, take the time to explain why. People respond to explanations, not ambiguous claims.
• Jargon. Always avoid financial terms that people may not understand. Do the people you are marketing to or selling to understand what an alternative investment is? A financial advisor may, but someone signing up for a retirement plan likely won’t. Always take time to filter your marketing and sales pitches through the mindset of the people you want to connect with.
• Integrity. It is likely that when you claim integrity or honesty, you encourage people to question why you need to. Instead, come up with brand language and a story that explains why people should believe in your firm and its offerings.
• Cliches. These are simple terms like unique and roadmap and personal dreams that may seem innocuous, but could turn people off. What is it that makes your firm unique? Explain it! And does every client really want or need a roadmap? Do they have personal dreams, or do they simply want a financial problem solved? Always test your content with a representative audience to ensure it resonates with them and doesn’t leave them with questions or doubts.
• Covered. This is a weak word that often makes it through compliance. We have got you covered. To most people, this reads like a guarantee, which can turn them off. If you have them covered, take the time to explain how.
• Invest like Warren Buffett. Anything that makes your firm seem derivative will encourage investors to seek out the original. Identify your firm’s unique value proposition and stick with it.
• Largest. Explain what makes your firm large. Or experienced. Or cutting-edge. A lot of financial companies can make these claims. Be specific about why your firm is these things. How big is your asset base? Do your employees have expansive backgrounds? Do you leverage tools and technology nobody else does? A little storytelling will build trust.

The Bottom Line on the Words You Use

Leverage the information in this guide to avoid common pitfalls in financial marketing and sales conversations. Specificity and storytelling are always better than claims and hyperbole. Make it a point to test your messaging with people similar to your target audience. It will help ensure it engages rather than alienates them.

Need help developing or refining your brand messaging? The brand experts at Sondhelm Partners are available. Schedule an appointment to get the conversation started.