Is Your Message What You Intended?
Spot the mistake: “Dear info, would you like more customers?” Oh, that’s right, I forgot to tell you I’d changed my name from ‘Sue’ to ‘info’, and sometimes call myself ‘admin’, depending on my mood.
Seriously, why on earth would you trust or spend your money with a company which obviously has no idea on how to attract more customers?! How much time and money has gone into this email campaign which is guaranteed to fail? I certainly immediately clicked the Junk – Block Sender option, so I’m, hopefully, gone off their database for good.
It’s very easy to poke fun at others, and to do so without taking at least a moment to check in on the lesson is a wasted opportunity. (Remember that next time you find yourself being critical of another at a networking event.) So, it’s time for me, and you, to check in on whether our messages are delivered in a way that really reflects congruence and authenticity, in the way we intended.
For example, that email message above may indeed be congruent and authentic to a consistently shoddy company, but is that the message they really intended to portray?
I ask myself, “Do my social media posts, blogs, newsletters, magazine articles, radio interviews, web pages and books all reflect my expertise as a mindset coach, clearing head-trash and helping busy women who feel they’ve gone missing in action to put the “I” back into their L_FE?” Hmm, still a work in progress I think. I’m interested in so many things I can get side-tracked by observations which aren’t necessarily on my main message.
How about you? Is your message consistent AND what you hope to portray? If not, why not?
There are branding experts to consult of course, (Psst, this is me getting back on track with my message), and before you do, check in with yourself about how you see yourself, and how you feel about your business identity. If there’s a mis-match, it could be a sign of some deeper level ‘head trash’ from the past getting in the way of your self-confidence and self-esteem. Your unconscious blueprint (TM), that is, your internal image programming your thoughts and actions, may be dis-empowering, and in need of an update or fine-tuning. If you don’t feel congruent with your message and business identity, then others, your clients or customers, will sense that. If you put out emails as blatantly sloppy as the example above, it will be blindingly obvious you haven’t a clue.
If you are not sure how your message is being received (poor sales is definitely feedback), ask. I send out a survey once or twice a year to check in with my database. One of my own coaches set this following task for me, and I now use it with my own coaching clients: Email at least 50 people asking them to describe you with 3 words, and your business with 3 words. It’s a highly effective way to find out how people really perceive you and your business. Hint: it works best if you explain it’s a coaching task you need help with, honesty is more helpful than politeness, and to go with the very first words that come to mind. Over-thinking dilutes the value of the response.
Have fun with this, because if you turn it into a self-flagellation exercise, you’ll avoid doing it, and miss a golden opportunity. Be vulnerable, knowing the answers are just opinions, not your internal identity. If they don’t match, that’s OK, it’s much better to know so you can take action to adjust your message. If you know it’s perfect already, still do the exercise as, if nothing else, it’ll be a glowing pat on the back for you. And you might just be surprised at what pops up…
