What Does RMU Mean To You?
	It depends what industry you're in ...
	Posted on: 12/02/2014   By: Jacky Sherman

My Link and Learn events are proving very popular and I have been researching for the next one, which will bring together a wide range of people working with shopping centres and retail parks ...

It's strange the acronyms you can find when researching for events. It got me thinking about jargon and how it can confuse people not in your industry!

I came across the term 'RMU' on one website and had no idea what it meant and no visual clues to help me. So I googled it and got this list which is actually a lot longer, but this will do to make the point:

• Ring Main Unit

• Removal Unit (Kyoto Protocol)

• Radio Management Unit

• Remote Monitoring Unit

• Rack Mount Unit

• Records Management Unit

• Remote Multiplexing Unit

• Resource Management Update

• Remote Maneuvering Unit

• Retail Merchandising Unit

• Revenue Management Unit

• Rate Measurement Unit

• Remote Magnetic Unit (solid state flux valve)

• Renovation, Modernisation and Updating

Now my research also revealed a wide range of businesses that supply shopping centres and retail parks and I wondered which definition each of these professionals would use?

Further research told me that the authors meant a 'Retail Merchandising Unit'. That's a kiosk in the aisles of a shopping centre to you and me. Another site described using an RMU as "experiential marketing space in high footfall, long dwell-time destinations". This, I discovered, meant placing a kiosk by the queues waiting to audition for the X Factor.

I'm not trying to poke fun at these particular authors. We all use jargon and language that makes perfect sense to our colleagues but is impenetrable to others. Being simple and clear is critical if you want referrals.

If the person isn't in your line of business - and often they aren't - your jargon will go right over their head! They either won't understand it or will misinterpret it. They usually won't ask for an explanation and will either not bother to refer you because they don't know what to say about you or they will refer you for something you don't do which becomes the infamous 'bad referral'.

My tip for you this week is to remember, when talking to people in your network, don't assume they understand your jargon. Explain what you do in terms that a 7-year old would understand. I get my clients to explain to each other what they do in these simple terms. Then the listener has to answer the question "what does auntie/uncle XXX do at work?"

A great answer to this was from one of my clients, Roger Eddowes, an accountant who now always tells people at networking events "he can do their sums for them so that they know how much money they are making". Does it work? Judge for yourself: last month, Roger got 14 first class referrals!

Are you worried you may not be communicating correctly so are receiving few, if any, referrals? Call me on 07970 638857 today and let's talk about honing your referral marketing skills to ensure that, like Roger, every month brings you a great many referrals!

Until next time ...

JACKY SHERMAN

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