Practical Sales Training™ > How To Lose The Sale> Overly Fancy Name
What is it?
Overly Fancy Names is when you take something basic – like a job role, service, or product – and try to make it sound more exciting, important, or premium than it really is by giving it a dressed-up name. Think “Happiness Delivery Specialist” instead of delivery driver, or “Client Success Architect” instead of account manager. The aim is to impress, but when it’s pushed too far, it starts to feel forced or fake.
Why does it work?
It can work – until it doesn’t. A clever name can make something sound more appealing, but when it becomes too complicated, pretentious, or over the top, people see straight through it. It breaks trust. Instead of sounding impressive, it sounds like you’re trying to hide something simple behind big words. That can create confusion or even make people feel like you’re trying to pull the wool over their eyes.
How can you use it?
The key is to find the sweet spot between clarity and creativity. Use names that add meaning or polish, but don’t stray so far that the real thing gets lost. Before you name something, ask: “Would a normal person instantly understand what this is?” If not, simplify it. You can still make things sound appealing – just don’t try to fool anyone. Honesty with a bit of flair beats fake sophistication every time.
Example
With all due respect to anyone who works at Subway…. they call the people that make the sandwiches “Sandwich Artists”.
See also
