Some words and phrases are used so much by companies to describe their services or products that they lose their effect. If you want your brand strength to show through, avoid these 7 overused words to describe your company: 

1.) Leader--It doesn't matter if you're a "proven leader," a "recognized leader" or a "dedicated leader." Almost everyone considers themselves to be a leader in their industry in some way. You may think you'll stand out from the crowd by using this word; however, you're much better off showing how you lead rather than simply saying you lead.

2.) Recognized--Who recognizes your company, and for what? Do your customers appreciate your timeliness and attention to detail? That's a much more impressive statement than simply saying you're recognized in your field.

3.) Multi-purpose--Throw in multi-tasking, multi-talented and multi-faceted while we're at it. If you aren't able to list the many purposes, talents, tasks or facets of your business, leave this word out.

4.) Meet or exceed expectations--If you didn't meet or exceed your clients' expectations, would you even be in business? Assume that prospective clients already know your company gets the job done right.

5.) Award-winning--This one is actually okay, if you clearly state the award you or your company has received. If you just say award-winning, the reader isn't clear why that's significant. It could mean a plaque from a prestigious national organization; then again, it could mean your company's bowling trophy.

6.) Proven track record--Customer testimonials and case studies illustrate your company's reputation far better than the overused phrase "proven track record."

7.) Creative--Now, sometimes you can't get around this word, especially if you have a creative business. However, it is used so much in branding materials--sometimes even with businesses that aren't necessarily creative in nature--that a flip through the thesaurus might be helpful to come up with a different word.
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