Circumlocution

What is it?
Circumlocution means using more words than necessary to say something simple. It’s when your message takes the long way around instead of getting straight to the point. In conversation, it sounds polite or clever, but in sales it creates confusion. Buyers don’t have the time or patience to decode what you meant to say. The more words you use, the less clarity you have, and the harder it becomes for people to see the value in what you offer.

How does it work?
Circumlocution often happens when people try too hard to sound professional or impressive. Instead of saying “We help businesses grow,” they say “We provide strategic, results-driven, performance enhancement solutions.” It feels polished but says very little. The problem is that unclear language forces your audience to work harder, and when people have to work to understand, they disengage.

In sales messaging, clarity beats complexity every time. Buyers are drawn to messages that are simple, confident, and direct. Circumlocution hides meaning behind unnecessary words, which creates distance instead of connection.

How can you use it?
Avoid circumlocution by stripping your message back to the simplest possible version that still feels professional and true.

• Say it plainly: Replace “leveraging innovative frameworks” with “using smarter tools.”

• Cut the filler: Remove empty phrases like “in order to,” “going forward,” or “as per our conversation.”

• Check for clarity: Ask, “Would my ideal buyer understand this instantly?”

• Read it out loud: If it sounds awkward or overly formal, simplify it.

• Choose short over long: Fewer, sharper words carry more weight.

The goal is not to sound basic, but to sound clear. The best communicators don’t use more words, they use the right ones.