Knowing how to use texting slang and acronyms in business can be harder than you think. While they’ve been around long enough to be commonplace, there’s a fine line of professionalism when using them in business messages.
But what is texting slang? Back in the day, text messages had character limits, and going over was expensive. Enter texting slang and acronyms – two ways to shorten words to make messages more concise.
In this article, we’ll explain why you should use texting slang and acronyms in business texting and the best way to do so.
Some of the reasons why your business should use texting slang abbreviations include:
An acronym is an abbreviation where the first letters of each word make something that can be pronounced as a word. Slang, on the other hand, is a shortened word, such as using numbers to replace letters.
For example, ASAP would be an acronym, and L8R would be slang. While the difference isn’t super important, it helps to know your way around the lingo.
Let’s look at some common acronyms in texting and some texting slang examples.
LOL – Laugh out loud
ASAP – As soon as possible
TBH – To be honest
TL;DR – Too long; didn’t read
FYI – For your informatio
IRL – In real life
IDK – I don’t know
DM – Direct Message
ATM – At the moment
BTW – By the way
As a business, there are plenty of ways to supplement text messages with slang and abbreviations. Some of the best ways to use texting slang and acronyms for a business include:
Appointment reminders and scheduling: BTW, your hair appointment is tomorrow. Show up 10 minutes early for a coffee!
Event reminders, updates, and promotions: The sale starts Sunday FYI! Make sure you’re ready for bargains and up to 60% off end of season goods.
Referral promotions: If you refer a friend today, you can receive $50 off your next bill. TL;DR – refer a friend and save!
Customer preference polls: We’d love to hear your feedback on our latest line. Shoot us a DM to opt into the survey.
Payment and billing reminders: Your gas bill is ready to view. Get in contact ASAP if you notice any issues.
While using texting slang abbreviations in business messages makes you seem more informal and friendly, there are still some rules you must follow. After all, any communications you send represent your company, so you don’t want to create a bad impression.
Here are some dos and don’ts of using common acronyms for texting as a business.
Arguably the most important part of using text slang is to first assess your audience to gauge their knowledge. After all, if you use cutting-edge slang in messages to older customers, they won’t know what you mean.
18-34 year olds text the most, and older adults have clear preferences for full messages. Know your audience and tailor your messages accordingly.
Make sure your messages don’t end up so abbreviated that no one can understand them. If a customer finds your message difficult to understand, anything you’re trying to say will be lost.
Limit your use of acronyms and slang to one or two per message. You can still include emojis and other symbols alongside, but, again, don’t go overboard.
This is a no-brainer: remain professional. Remember that you’re not texting friends and anything you say in a message represents your company.
Think whether you’d use certain slang around your kids or grandparents. If the answer is no then it doesn’t belong in a business message either.
It relates back to knowing your audience. For example, not only would a younger audience be more familiar with text slang, they’ll also usually tolerate a more informal message. Older people, on the other hand, expect formality.
In short, if you’re saying thanks to a customer, make sure you spell it out. While THX, TYSM or TNKS are common acronyms in texting, abbreviating it to customers can make you seem ungrateful.
Along with making sure it’s understood, texting “thank you” in full shows you’ve taken the time to write a longer message.
One of the most impressive things about texting slang abbreviations is how quickly they age. Even relatively new slang can become outdated fast, and it can be very difficult to keep up.
A perfect example of outdated text slang is GR8 (great). It was popular when text messages could only be 160 characters, but you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who uses it anymore. Unlike abbreviations such as BTW and LOL, it looks quite tacky.
When using texting slang and acronyms for business communications, err on the side of caution. Stick with “timeless” classics that everyone will understand, as this will ensure your message is understood by the widest audience.
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