Corporate jargon is the static between you and your audience. It’s well-meaning words that have been flattened by overuse—“synergy,” “leverage,” “optimize,” “innovate.” The cure? Poetry. The solution? Translate jargon into metaphor, narrative, lyric.
The problem with jargon
Jargon is shorthand for insiders. It excludes outsiders. It sounds safe. It drains emotion. It makes brands sound faceless.
The poetic messaging method (4 steps)
1. Identify the jargon-words in your messaging
Make a list. What jargon words live in your mission, your product sheets, your team briefs?
2. Unpack the meaning behind each word
“Leverage” → “Use wisely as a lever to lift.”
“Optimize” → “Tune like an instrument to sing.”
What is the human truth behind the corporate shorthand?
3. Find the metaphor or sensory image
Take that meaning and give it a shape, texture, sound.
- Leverage → see a lever pulling people upward
- Optimize → see an instrument being tuned
- Disrupt → see a ripple breaking surfaces
You’re translating abstractions into images people can feel.
4. Rewrite the line
Your old line: “We leverage scalable systems to optimize performance.”
Poetic line: “We pull the fulcrum of technology so your work rises. We tune every process until performance hums.”
The poetic version is specific, visual, expressive.
Examples in practice
| Jargon | Poetic messaging alternative |
| Leverage network effects | “We weave connections so your impact radiates.” |
| Optimize workflow | “We sculpt your operations so they flow like rivers.” |
| Innovate solutions | “We plant new ideas where old systems hardened.” |
Why this works
- It humanizes: Metaphor is a human bridge between intellect and emotion.
- It clarifies: When you show through image, people instantly grasp.
- It cuts the noise: Your message becomes a voice, not a corporate drone.
Tips to make it real
- Start small: pick one landing page, one email, one pitch deck to rewrite poetically.
- Read it aloud: if it thrills your ear or stops your heart, it’s working.
- Use restraint: too much swelling language can feel overdone.
- Be consistent: a poetic voice must echo across all brand touchpoints.
When you convert your corporate jargon into poetic messaging, you unlock your brand’s voice. You shift from speaking at to singing with.
