Lately I’ve been considering some of the advertising language that flies past our ears every day — especially when it comes to describing and marketing food. At any given time, there seems to be a list of hits that consumers want to hear over and over again.

If there’s one thing we can count on as the year draws to a close, it’s the inevitable wave of “Trends to Watch” in 2019. In the world of foodservice, it’s not hard to find countless predictions about next year’s hottest menu trends. At the root of all this speculation is language.

Through the years I’ve come to realize that the only rule for putting pen to paper is that there are no rules. It may sound counterintuitive, but I believe this no-rules approach to copywriting is actually a best practice in and of itself.

At its core, B2B messaging should still come from a very personal, approachable place. After all, we’re only human, right?

Effective, high-impact messaging can take on many different forms: an unexpected headline, an engaging prompt that pulls you right in, or maybe even a manifesto you can’t bring yourself to put down. Long or short, it all seizes your attention — and more often than not, it all has these three Ds in common.

Messaging plays a vital role in how brands build up that equity with customers over time, but telling your story and staking your own claim about what sets you apart in the marketplace requires nuance.