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Are You Turning Off Buyers with Jargon and Geek Speak?
There are too many people who think that if you fall into jargon and start spouting geek speak that you're going to impress people. In fact, the opposite is true.
Dani Woolf
14 Jun • Read Time: 8 minutes
Let’s get real: jargon is killing your credibility
I get it.
I’ve been there—nervous, feeling like I had to prove my expertise in a room full of smart people.
And what did I do?
I fell into the trap of using buzzwords, acronyms, and technical jargon.
I thought I’d come across as credible.
The hard truth?
I was only losing my audience.
The more I piled on the “geek speak,” for the sake of sounding smart, the higher risk I created for myself and my company.
Buyers don’t need you to sound smart—they need you to make their job easier.
And that only happens when you ditch the jargon and get real.
In this episode, I had a brutally honest conversation with Jenny Botton, Head of Corporate Information Security at CCL, about her challenges, goals, what vendors do that piss her off, and the alternatives.
POLL: What’s your biggest challenge when trying to avoid jargon and speak clearly with buyers? |
Before we dive in, don’t forget to subscribe to join 1700+ cybersecurity marketers and sales pros mastering customer research. You’ll get notified whenever a new episode and buyer insights summary drops.
Who is Jenny Botton?
Jenny Botton is the Head of Corporate Information Security, Governance & Assurance at CCL, an IT services organization in New Zealand.
With nearly three decades of experience in risk consulting and security, Jenny leads CCL's internal security and governance team, where she manages the company's security risk posture and ensures that their products and services are secure by design and implementation.
In her role, Jenny oversees crucial aspects of cybersecurity, including vulnerability checking, staff development in cybersecurity awareness, identity management, and right-sizing security governance for the organization.
Her approach to security is both comprehensive and nuanced, emphasizing the importance of balancing risk management with the benefits of technological solutions, particularly in the context of emerging technologies like edge computing.
Jenny is known for her unique perspective on cybersecurity, which is informed by her interest in human psychology and behavior.
This human-centric view is evident in her focus on creating cyber-aware teams and her understanding that people remain an organization's biggest security risk.
Beyond her technical expertise, Jenny is candid about the challenges faced by security professionals when dealing with vendors.
She advocates for clear communication and values vendors who provide ongoing support and build genuine relationships.
Outside of her professional life, Jenny enjoys crime shows and home and garden makeover programs.
She humorously notes a secret desire to be a superhero and save the world – a motivation that she channels into her cybersecurity career.
Pro Tip for Connecting with Jenny
Jenny appreciates authenticity, so skip the jargon and show up with a clear, value-driven message.
If you can make her job easier in two minutes or less, you’ll earn her attention.
And if you add a dash of humor—bonus points!
Insights and Key Takeaways
Ditch the Jargon, Speak Clearly
Insight: Using technical jargon or “geek speak” doesn’t impress buyers; it alienates them.
In cybersecurity, many vendors believe that complex language conveys authority.
But as Jenny Botton, Head of Corporate Information Security at CCL, warns, jargon often has the opposite effect.
“All you're going to do is turn them off because they’ll start tuning you out, and you’ve lost your message and potentially a valuable opportunity.”
It creates confusion, causes buyers to tune out, and results in missed opportunities. Instead, vendors need to shift to a clearer,
more relatable form of communication. Jenny suggests practicing with non-technical colleagues like marketing or communications managers to refine messaging.
Effective communication hinges on the ability to translate technical terms into understandable business outcomes.
Prioritize Automation to Address Skill Shortages
Insight: Automating routine tasks is a critical solution to the cybersecurity talent gap.
The cybersecurity industry is plagued by a shortage of skilled professionals, and it’s only getting worse.
Jenny describes this as a “state of cannibalism,” with organizations constantly poaching talent from each other.
The solution lies in automating routine tasks like alerting and patching, freeing up professionals to focus on strategic analysis.
“If we can start automating alerting or patching and let people focus on what really needs a human brain to analyze, that’s going to help with the skill shortage.”
Automation not only optimizes team performance but also makes work more meaningful and can help retain staff in a high-turnover industry.
Define Requirements Before Evaluating Solutions
Insight: Clearly defined requirements make evaluating security solutions more effective and efficient.
Jenny emphasizes the importance of starting with detailed requirements, including both functional and non-functional criteria.
“It’s going to help me make the decision around what’s good for our business, what fits with our model, strategy, and most importantly, the teams that will have to operate them.”
This approach streamlines the evaluation process, making it easier to compare different tools and decide which fits best with business objectives.
Vendors can enhance their chances of success by aligning their pitches with these defined requirements, making the business case clear from the start.
Minimize Noise to Maximize Evaluation Time
Insight: Security teams are overwhelmed by alert noise, limiting their capacity to evaluate new tools.
The sheer volume of alerts and incoming data often prevents security teams from dedicating time to explore new solutions.
To capture the attention of overworked security teams, vendors should focus on delivering streamlined demos, clear documentation, and easy integration options.
“Every person who’s ever worked in a security operations center knows there’s a lot of noise. If you don’t have a way to filter it out, you’re heading for the loony bin.”
The less time-consuming and more relevant the evaluation process, the more likely it is that a vendor’s solution will get serious consideration.
Leverage New Zealand as a Testing Ground
Insight: New Zealand’s market characteristics offer unique opportunities for testing and refining products.
For vendors looking to enter the market, New Zealand provides a relatively small but advanced environment that serves as a testing ground before scaling globally.
“New Zealand is still seen as a relatively small market and is a good test bed for things rolling out because we’re so far ahead in time zones.”
With its geographical advantage, New Zealand’s time zone allows vendors to detect potential issues early and fix them before launching in larger markets.
Understanding regional differences and adapting marketing strategies accordingly can provide a competitive edge.
Personalization is Key to Engagement
Insight: Generic mass emails fail; context and personalization are essential for engagement.
Too many vendors overlook the basics of personalization.
Jenny emphasizes that vendors often send mass emails that don’t even align with her role or interests.
“They send out mass emails that aren’t even relevant to my role.”
Effective engagement starts with personalized, context-rich messaging that resonates with buyers' specific needs and interests.
This includes crafting subject lines that highlight a topic of interest and providing opportunities for learning, such as invitations to roundtable discussions or closed community events.
Maintain Consistent Communication Post-Sale
Insight: Ghosting customers after closing a deal damages trust and ruins relationships.
One of Jenny’s biggest frustrations is when vendors disappear after a deal is secured, offering no follow-up or support.
“When vendors get the check and then ghost me, it’s a major red flag.”
Successful vendor relationships require consistent communication, even after the initial sale.
Regular check-ins, prompt support, and honest conversations are crucial to building long-term trust.
Vendors that go above and beyond to support users, even when things go wrong, are the ones that stand out positively.
TL;DR
Jenny’s story serves as a reminder to all of us:
Speak clearly and simply. If you’re losing buyers in jargon, you’re losing opportunities.
Enable, don’t obstruct. Security tools should simplify work, not complicate it.
Build relationships, don’t ghost. Consistent engagement goes a long way in creating lasting partnerships.
If you’re a marketer or salesperson, take the time to understand your audience and the unique challenges they face.
Stop using complex jargon and start focusing on real, human-centered conversations.
Until next time,
Dani
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