You know what they say about people who assume…?

…They risk losing business. (Isn’t that what they say?)

One in five consumers think if an item is ‘organic’ it means it is low in fat, while almost one in four had no idea what it meant at all, according to new research from myvouchercodes.co.uk.

So how much should we assume about our audience’s prior knowledge? To some people, ‘organic’ (meaning produced without the use of artificial chemical fertilisers and genetically modified ingredients*) is an everyday term. But clearly, the word is just wasted currency on nearly a quarter of the population.

The organic sector has come under criticism for not properly making people aware of the exact benefits of its product. But is this an oversight on their part or a misjudged attempt not to seem patronising? What do you think?

One thing is clear. If you want to sell something, it really helps if people know what it is. (Naturally.)

* And check out the Soil Association’s site for a full definition and to discover the potential benefits of going organic.

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Author: Catie Holdridge

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Catie joined Emphasis with an English literature and creative writing degree and a keen interest in what makes language work. Having researched, written, commissioned and edited dozens of articles for the Emphasis blog, she now knows more about the intricacies of effective professional writing than she ever thought possible.

She produced and co-wrote our online training programme, The Complete Business Writer, and these days oversees all the Emphasis marketing efforts. And she keeps office repartee at a suitably literary level.