YAALASHTOTIIYOU
YAALASHTOTIIYOU = Your acronyms are like a secret handshake that only the insiders in your organization understand.
I was driving behind a minivan heading to the mall today and I saw a vehicle with an “NCC” sticker on the back. It was the only sticker on the back of the minivan, so it grabbed my attention. In that respect, the marketing worked. The only problem is that I have no idea what NCC stands for. I’m guessing it’s “Northland Chiropractic Center.” Or maybe it’s “New Covenant Church.” Or maybe its “Norfolk Community College.”
Acronyms make sense to everyone inside your organization. In fact, it’s just easier to say “NCC” rather than “Northland Chiropractic Center.” The problem is everyone outside your organization has no idea what the initials stand for.
Some organizations incorporate their initials into their logo. If that’s you, you’ll just need to remember to always include the name of your organization everywhere you use your logo. We can Google the name of your organization and find you. It’s not going to do us any good to Google your initials.
It’s just a great reminder that we need to be careful that we’re not using insider language when we’re trying to communicate with people outside our organizations.
By the way, if someone doesn’t agree with this advice, just tell them that APM said it was so.
Incredibly timely. Nice.
Solid point
More than insider acronyms make it hard for outsiders to relate or connect. If you have to explain that “Impact” is the student ministry environment, you are behind the curve. You need to constantly be on guard against an insider directing someone to the “Education Building” when the campus maps and signage all refer to “Building B.”
You have to be incredibly intentional to make sure that you are clearly and unambiguously communicating to people who haven’t learned the code or received the secret handshake. Most people would rather have a tooth pulled than ask questions or directions of strangers.
I live in a town where many of the major roads are known by nicknames that are not actually the name of the road.
I’ve been here almost 5 years, and it’s still frustrating.
Tony, we are currently changing the name of our church because it has become an acronym. UBC or University Blvd Chapel. It’s like keeping a secret from the people that really matter.