Orthography, terminology, and word choice

INFUSE communications may occasionally adopt unconventional spelling for certain terms, mostly regarding hyphenation, spacing, and capitalization. Such preferences can be seen in the table below:

Specific spellings

DON’T

DO

NOTES

account-based… (ABM, ABX)

account based…

Not hyphenated

cell phone

cellphone

No space

decision-maker

decision maker

Not hyphenated

demand-generation

demand generation

Never hyphenated

e-book

eBook

Not hyphenated, capital B

e-learning

eLearning

Not hyphenated, capital L

e-mail

email

Not hyphenated

ereader

e-reader

Hyphenated

martech

MarTech

Capital M and T

multi-channel

multichannel

Not hyphenated

omni-channel

omnichannel

Not hyphenated

smart phone

smartphone

No space

touch points, touch-points

touchpoints

No spaces or hyphens

web page

webpage

No space

web site

website

No space

white paper

whitepaper

No space

Please note: These recommendations also apply to derivative terms. For example, the no-hyphen rule for “decision maker” is the same for “decision making.”

In order to focus our messaging on demand generation and the particularities of our offerings, we also avoid employing certain terms, such as “leads.” The following table discusses these choices, offering brief explanations where applicable:

Preferred terms

DON’T

DO

NOTES

achieve, guarantee,
secure…

deliver, provide…

Due to the volatile nature of marketing, avoid language implying guaranteed results

built

crafted

When referring to INFUSE campaigns or assets, this conveys a greater level of care

consumer, customer

client

Avoid B2C connotations

content syndication

content activation

Syndication has been poorly perceived in the B2B space

decision makers

buying groups, buying
committees

The B2B industry has constantly emphasized the role of groups over that of individual decision makers

demand gen

demand generation

Utilize the full term, avoiding abbreviations

lead

prospect, contact…

Move away from lead generation vocabulary, prioritizing demand

programmatic display

targeted display

Highlight our program name

sales goals

outcomes…

When discussing the results we offer, move away from sales-centric language

top-tier

custom-tailored,
personalized…

May connotate high prices

vendor

partner

When referring to INFUSE, avoid the “lead vendor” image and present the company as a high-value demand generation partner

webinar

webcast

Standardized form already in use

Another relevant word choice aspect to consider is the necessity of avoiding AI language hallmarks.

As organizations strive to identify the best use cases for AI, the B2B space became flooded with low-quality AI-generated content, negatively affecting the buying experience. Modern buyers prefer to research solutions independently, relying on valuable content to reach decisions. In this context, most buyers report being overwhelmed by the sheer amount of available content, which, in addition, is often generic and irrelevant (Demand Gen Report, 2024). This has led transparently AI-generated language to become stigmatized, and, as such, it must be avoided.

AI-generated language hallmarks

DON’T

DO

beacon

guidepost, signal…

delve into

examine, explore…

environment, landscape

context, industry, scenario…

game-changing

disruptive, influential, innovative…

multifaceted

complex, varied…

tapestry

collage, mosaic…

testament

evidence, example, proof…