When I was in college and first starting courses in my Information Management (computers in business) major, there were a handful of geeky guys in my class who lived to use computing terms like bits, bytes, megabytes, co-processor, and RAM in every sentence they uttered. This was the mid-80's and these terms weren't readily on everyone's lips at the time. I remember thinking, ''Man, I know nothing; I'll never survive in this major!'' But as I forged ahead and we got to the point where we really had to do something with our knowledge and create complex databases, etc., I was in my element. I ate it up and if I may be totally immodest for the purposes of this article, was one of the best in my class while the geeky guys who knew all the terms struggled in agony.

I learned something from this experience that has carried me through years in business: Jargon is impressive, but in the end it's useless. Some people go a long way on their words. They don't really know anything of importance, but they know how to string the jargon together to wow their way in the door, but once inside, you better know what you're doing. As I went into my career as a computer trainer, I tried with all my might to remember what it felt like to be totally lost when someone let the computer jargon fly. I did my best to define complex computer terms in everyday language that my students could understand. It worked too! I quit doing computer training in 1996, but I still get old clients who call me and all but beg me to teach them the latest software.

When you're trying to get new customers, speak their language. Save the jargon for impressing your peers, and leave it at the door when you enter a conversation with a potential client. This is especially important in industries that are new and cutting edge.

One of these cutting edge industries that is the buzz of the Internet is ''Coaching.'' I've had the privilege of working with several coaches over the last few years and have learned the idiosyncrasies of their jargon. I get a kick out of their lingo to be honest with you and thought it would be fun to give you a tongue-in-cheek look into not only the coaching industry, but also the uselessness of jargon in the real world of marketing. To derive the definitions to the following coaching terms I enlisted the help of my dear friend and personal coach, Jenette Rotatori-Zubero:

Coaching -- a way to make a living whereby you don't have to know anything about anything as long as you can rephrase what the client has said into a question.

Universe -- a politically correct term for ''God'' and his influence on everything around us.

Manifestation -- anything that happens that fits with or works toward your goals.

Tolerations - things that annoy you that you put up with because you're too lazy not to put up with them.

Boundaries - emotional walls you create so that you don't have to put up with your tolerations.

Spirituality - being at one with the Universe (see definition for universe above).

Gremlin/Chatterbox - the term used to describe the voice in your head... in psychology crowds it's known as schizophrenia!

Responsibility - knowing that you alone are responsible for your own happiness. Otherwise stated as: If you're not getting what you wanted out of coaching, it's your fault.

What are the terms unique to your industry? Have you really noticed the look on your potential client's face when you use them? Trash that lingo and start speaking plain English, and I'll wager your sales will increase almost immediately.

Marnie Pehrson, a mother of 6, has been highlighting truth and talent for 15 years. Whether it's writing a novel that spotlights individuals who've made a difference in the world or helping a talented entrepreneur create a platform for his life's work, Marnie underscores truth and talent in innovative and compelling ways. She is the creator of www.IdeaMarketers.com and helps experts promote their products and services online. For more information on her various projects and books, visit http://www.pwgroup.com. Contact the author, Marnie Pehrson , at marnie@pwgroup.com
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