Key,Messages,Blunders,Part,Get marketing Key Messages Blunders Part 4: Getting It Wrong
Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie
Key Messages Blunders Part 4: Getting It WrongMany people in business choose to present their products and services with key messages that reflect their knowledge of their companys offerings and would appeal to themselves. This approach sometimes works. More often, a slogan or value proposition not tested on people who match the ideal client profile fails to generate results promising enough for wider continued use.Typically, the basic problem is a lack of authenticity the authenticity that can only come from truly understanding whats important to the ideal client, expressed in their own words. Consider these examples:Your outboard experts on the front window of a boating and marine supplies shop.Award-winning design since 1999 on the home page of a graphic design studio.Ahead of the trend the motto of a clothing boutique.Example 1 commits the blunder of the presumptuous use of your. No matter how popular, this boat centre could never achieve a sense of belonging to every person who reads its window sign.Rather than planting an intuitively acceptable idea into the mind of the reader the mark of an effective key message this claim inevitably alienates some people who do not regard the place as their own anything. Its value at evoking and maintaining a sense of belonging among actual customers is likely mild, overall.Better to use something like Californias leading outboard experts, if its true.Example 2 commits the blunder of promoting features that do not provide compelling benefits. The statement is purely about the graphic design studio, at most implying that its clients can get graphic design so good that it wins awards.If that is the best promise this studio can make, then how many prospective clients for graphic design consider the chance for the designer to win an award as a compelling reason to purchase design from them? Chances are, the markets values lie elsewhere. In that case, design awards had better be more important to the design studio than clients.Better to use something like Leaders in stationery design since 1999.Example 3 commits the blunder of not appealing to a specific market.Generally, children are oblivious to clothing trends, only noticing and following them unconsciously. The concept of clothing trends is typically not a part of childrens conscious value-set.As clothing is concerned, pre-teens tend either to function like children oblivious to trends per se or to make choices like teens.Among teens, a trend is generally something to consciously avoid. Though clothing trends have been rampant among teens for decades, even the word trend carries a negative association. Young adults generally either make clothing purchases like teens or choose to be deliberately oblivious to trends.Hence, from children to young adults, the concept of being ahead of any clothing trend likely has little traction.Among adults, only narrowly-focused niche markets seek to set or follow clothing trends. Therefore, this motto would turn off more clothing shoppers than it attracts.Better to say something like Get noticed. Really understand the market firstMarketers who do not understand and appreciate the values, concepts, and customary word choices of their target markets risk using key messages that do not generate much new or repeat business. In some cases, they even generate avoidance of their brand.Overall, it is better to articulate an authentic, meaningful key message that reflects the thoughts and feelings shared by people who match the ideal client profile. Glenn R. Harrington, Articulate Consultants Inc.www.articulate.ca/ArticulateKeyMessages.html
Key,Messages,Blunders,Part,Get