The human cost of corporate speak

Business documents have a jargon problem. Pick up any proposal, engagement letter, or employee handbook and you’ll find them stuffed with “optimising operational efficiencies,” “implementing best-practice frameworks,” and “delivering strategic outcomes through integrated solutions.” The assumption seems to be that complex language equals expertise, therefore justifying higher fees.

This creates an interesting paradox: jargon is often a mask for unclear thinking or an attempt to sound more important than you are. Meanwhile, businesses that communicate simply and clearly tend to build stronger relationships and command premium pricing based on actual value.

The jargon tax

Many professional services firms believe complex language justifies higher prices. Marketing agencies talk about “omnichannel customer journey optimisation.” IT consultants promise “scalable enterprise-grade solutions with robust security protocols.” Management consultants offer to “maximise stakeholder value through transformational change initiatives.”

Clients get confused, frustrated, and suspicious. They start to wonder if you’re making things complicated deliberately. Trust erodes. And when trust goes, so does your ability to charge premium rates.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” ~ Albert Einstein.

It’s worth noting that some professions—law and finance, for example—operate under strict regulatory requirements that demand specific terminology. That’s different from choosing jargon when plain English would work better.

Compare jargon-heavy businesses to those that explain complex concepts in simple terms. They build confidence. Clients understand exactly what they’re buying and why it’s valuable. That clarity creates trust, and trust enables premium pricing.

“We leverage synergistic paradigms to optimise stakeholder value while maintaining regulatory compliance and fostering innovative solution-oriented outcomes.”

What does that even mean? And more importantly, how does it make a new employee feel? Overwhelmed. Confused. Like they’ve joined a machine rather than a team.

Now imagine if that same company wrote:

“We help our clients solve problems in ways they never thought possible. We follow the rules that matter. And we’re always looking for better ways to do things.”

Same information. Completely different feeling.

Making people feel seen, heard and valued

Business documents should do more than convey information—they should make people feel seen, heard, and valued. This is where brand voice b.ecomes crucial.

Your brand voice is how your company’s personality comes through in writing. It’s what makes your proposal sound like it came from you rather than a template generator. It’s what turns a sterile employee handbook into a welcome mat.

The 12 Brand Archetypes

Psychologist Carl Jung identified 12 universal character types that appear across cultures and throughout history. These same archetypes can define how brands communicate:

1. The Innocent speaks with optimism and simplicity.
2. The Sage shares wisdom and insight.
3. The Explorer embraces adventure and freedom.
4. The Outlaw challenges conventions.
5. The Magician transforms and empowers.
6. The Hero inspires courage and achievement.
7. The Everyman connects through authenticity and reliability.
8. The Lover creates intimate connections.
9. The Jester brings joy and humour.
10. The Caregiver nurtures and protects.
11. The Ruler provides structure and stability.
12. The Creator inspires innovation and imagination.

Each archetype communicates differently. A Hero brand writes with confidence and inspiration. A Sage brand educates with authority but remains approachable. An Everyman brand keeps things straightforward and relatable.

The key is choosing the archetype that authentically represents your business and then writing consistently in that voice across all your documents—from proposals to employee handbooks.

Not sure which archetype fits your brand? We created a free quiz that identifies your brand archetype. 

Documents that work

When you combine clear communication with authentic brand voice, business documents stop being necessary evils and become relationship-building tools.

Your proposals stop sounding like everyone else’s. Your engagement letters explain exactly what clients can expect without legal gymnastics. Your employee materials welcome people into a culture they can understand and contribute to.

We’re not dumbing things down, don’t take it that way, take it this way; we are smartening things up, because it takes more skill to explain complex concepts simply than to hide behind jargon.

This requires understanding not just what to write, but how to write it. How does your brand construct sentences? What words does it use or avoid? How formal or casual is the tone? These decisions separate memorable communication from forgettable noise.

We’re running a workshop that teaches exactly this: how to use AI tools to create content that sounds authentically like your brand. It’s about leveraging technology while maintaining humanity.

The bottom line

Jargon doesn’t justify higher prices; value does. And value starts with being understood.

When you communicate clearly and authentically, several things happen:

• clients trust you more,
• employees engage better, and
• your business relationships strengthen.

That trust and engagement are what allow you to charge premium prices, not the complexity of your vocabulary.

Your business documents, from proposals to employee handbooks, are opportunities to show people who you are and how much you value clear communication. Don’t waste them on corporate speak that makes everyone feel like a stranger.

The goal is to be understood, trusted, and valued. And that starts with writing like a human being for other human beings.

Simple is better. And better commands higher prices.