Forcing the message
Too often, companies feel the need to make their message (mission, statement, etc.) be absolute. In most cases, companies position themselves as ambivalent to their audience. It is good to stand for something, so people can choose to follow along or stay in spite of. Make your statement lead by example via execution. Your actions will speak louder than your words. But we should never underestimate the power words have in making something more meaningful than it truly is. It is important to have a story. We share stories. When you oversell or force your story down people’s throats, it loses its meaning.
We have all heard how something was great due to a specific way it was executed. Over time, the once-powerful word of mouth campaign is degraded to a billboard on the side of the freeway. Once everyone knows the story, it loses all of its true magic with the audience. Don’t force what makes you superior down people’s throats using bullet points. Show them the true benefit over the old way of doing things.
CommonCraft, a video tutorial company, is well-known for their low-tech approach to explaining high-tech ideas. It’s authentic, honest, and effective. We could all learn a thing or two about telling a good story that helps people understand the true benefit of doing something one way versus another. Okay, so they make an occasional “Boooo” sound.
If your message is pushed too often or too hard, it can make your audience think you are compensating for something you truly lack. Sales people use this technique when they don’t want you to buy something they can’t offer. You’ll hear: “Don’t do it that way” or "For best results, do it our way.” If you can create a business that is flexible enough to work the way your customers prefer, you will find the best results. If your way or process is the only way to do it, you’ll find customers are looking for someone that will tailor a little more to their needs. After all, it’s like Seth Godin said — “It’s about me, not you, me. What I want.”
The most important elements are to be authentic and lead by example. You don’t have to call out to your critics or competitors to makes a sale, or even get under their skin. You need only prove yourself through your actions. If your way is truly the best option, let the audience figure it out for themselves. It will mean more to them if they think it is a prized piece of knowledge. Only then will they want to share it with their closest friends. That is the most effective way to deliver your story; when the story is told by someone you know and trust.
The moral of this story is that you are measured by what you do, not what you say. Make sure you place the focus on your actions, not empty rhetoric or marketing ploys. Most importantly, let your sacred stories live. Don’t murder them by forcing customers to “read this before using.” Your message can detract existing customers as quickly as it acquires new ones. Retention of both is important to maintaining a healthy business.
This work is licensed through Creative Commons.
Posted on Sep 07, 2008 by Kevin Milden
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