Every industry has its own particular terminology. If you’re switching industries, the sooner you can start talking like your target audience the better. Sometimes the nuances can be subtle. For example, if you spent most of your career working in the retail sector, you’re probably used to calling the people who buy stuff “customers.” If you want to land a job in the insurance field, where they call people “clients,” you’ll want to change your language from customers to clients. Every time you use a phrase or term that the industry doesn’t use, you look less and less like a great fit.

It works the same for starting a business or side hustle. You need to know what words and language are important for your client so that your messaging connects with them in the right way. Weave the words you are comfortable with into your repertoire. You never want to sound like a robot—this strategy works best when you mix traditional sector words with your own vocabulary. It gives you an instant voice. 

Luckily, getting access to all a sector’s secret words is easy. Simply find an industry association or an industry magazine, and look up the websites of a few companies. Read through their material and make note of any words that keep getting repeated. Then, make the following lists.