The world is full of mixed messages, and the world of business is no exception.
Photo: Jim Connolly
When someone spam emails us selling their SEO services, it sends us a mixed message. We wonder why they need to send us spam, if their SEO is supposed to be able to generate stacks of sales leads.
When a small business owner claims to offer a professional service, yet they operate behind an amateur or cheap looking website, it sends us a mixed message. We’re left wondering why they either can’t afford a professional site or why they believe quality doesn’t matter.
Mixed messages and confusion
Mixed messages cause confusion and as one of the oldest sayings in marketing assures us, a confused mind always says, ‘No!’ In other words, if a prospective client is confused about making a purchase, they opt for the status quo. Rather than risk making a mistake, they do nothing. This is why it’s vital for your marketing to be free of these toxic, mixed messages.
Thanks to the Internet, it has never been easier for us to show the congruency between what we claim and what we do.
For example:
- Blogging allows us to share what we know, however, it also provides a way for us to demonstrate our ability to show up regularly, over a long period of time. It provides visible proof that we are knowledgeable, reliable and durable.
- Then there are our social networking accounts. Facebook and Twitter etc, allow people to gain an insight into what we find useful or valuable. It’s hard to maintain a false front, when people can look back over months or years worth of your updates, as they can with your blog or Facebook.
What does your digital footprint look like?
I’d like you to think for a moment about your website, blog (you are blogging I hope) and your social networking accounts. Now consider the following questions:
- How do they make you look, through the eyes of a prospective client?
- If your marketing message is based around offering a professional, high quality service, is that how you look when a prospective client checks you out?
- Is the general picture created by your online image, congruent with your marketing message or out of sync?
In short: Make sure that your marketing and online image avoids mixed messages, so you create the kind of positive impact your prospective clients need.
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Great post Jim. I think one of the big keys is to present yourself professionally and be real in your message. This is so important.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hi Rob. You make a good point, being authentic matters. It’s also harder than ever to ‘fake it’ when when we do is so visible.
Such a great post Jim! I can honestly say that I have not taken any action due to the mixed messages and not fully understanding the service or product. Eliminating these should show immediate results for sure.
Thanks. Let me know how you get on.
Hey Jim,
Have you ever seen Vizify? It’s really good at showing your Twitter usage in an infographic. I’m thinking if this was visible to all people tweeting with you or thinking about following you, it would change they way we use social media. At least that was my first thought when I tried out the site.
Talk to you later,
Brian
Hi Brian. I haven’t checked that tool out yet but your point is a good one. If people knew their tweets were extremely visible (as they are to anyone checking them out), they might use Twitter differently.
Thanks for the feedback, sir.
I’m not too sure if I’m sending the wrong message. I’ll appreciate ,if anyone will kindly let me know.
If i had a free blog like blogger but did some great work with my blog posts, I’m not too sure that would translate into a mixed message. Anyways ultimately the reader/prospect is the final arbiter on what kind of message is passed across but truly a professional should prove himself by appearing professional since “the world is ruled on appearances”. My 2 cents!
Nice post,
To sum it up it comes down to practising what you preach. So many blogs and individuals throw around their on-line marketing genius, but he website and social media presence says the absolute opposite.