Don’t say what you are.
Be who you are…
Say what you do, by all means. In fact, it’s always good to lead by confirming that your potential connection or customer is in the right place. People don’t like to waste time finding out you don’t do or provide what they’re looking for.
But, assuming you’ve already done that, and they feel they’re in the right place, don’t shoot yourself in the foot by telling these busy people what you are. By that, we mean things like passionate, dynamic, driven, incisive, unique, dedicated.
Yawn…
So many brands and businesses say they’re those things, and usually they’re not.
Maybe you actually are, but you’ve still started the conversation with a tired cliché.
Also, we don’t walk into social situations and announce that we’re clever, funny, successful and awesome – we just try to come across as the best version of ourselves, without lying, exaggerating or bragging. We’re typically modest and straightforward, and we make friends more easily that way.
The same applies to brands and businesses.
The most successful brands don’t just say what they are and expect people to agree (or care).
Instead, they create a sense of who they actually are and what they represent beyond the purely transactional. They have underlying, accessible character. They start and sustain conversations that put customers first. They let people make their own minds up.
It’s the only genuine, engaging and sustainable way to do it.
Let’s be honest; marketing is cynical, and so are consumers. But then so much of life in general is about marketing, and always has been. We express to impress. We always look to position ourselves in the best possible light, socially and professionally. It’s how we find friends and partners, and secure life and career opportunities.
However, genuine success isn’t based on boast or overstatement. We can’t lie or over-embellish the truth – to ourselves or each other – and expect to achieve anything sustainably positive.
Of course, no marketing strategy starts with ‘we’re a bit shit, but we’re cheap’.
Equally, though, if we boast, exaggerate or distort even slightly, we tend to lose out – even if we’re as brilliant as we say we are, but especially if we aren’t. This immediately puts us on the back foot. At this point, it’s pretty much game over.
There’s a better way. As with social exchanges, the best marketing approaches are modest, honest, and ‘audience-inclusive’. So just be true to yourself.
Be objective
Put yourself in your target audience’s shoes, and consider how you’d react to your marketing strategy. Be your own customer. Be honest, harsh, critical and impatient, and make snap judgements before your target audience does. This can also help you better identify when you’re absolutely nailing it, and stand by your creative decisions with greater confidence.
Finally, be mindful that investing in whatever you do is about far more than time and money. Remember that when it comes down to it, people invest in people – in connections and relationships – as much as they care about ‘units’, ‘outcomes’ and ‘deliverables’.
Be yourself.
