Many business leaders wonder why their message isn’t resonating with customers. Well, more often than not, it’s because the message is not being delivered consistently.
In fact, Black Sun LLC analyzed the messaging of more than 100 companies and discovered inconsistent messaging within corporate websites and annual reports in more than half (64 percent) of the companies they researched. The study focused on basic building block messages like who the company is, what they do, the value they deliver and what makes them different.
Why is consistency so important?
Because, inconsistent messaging creates confusion for both employees and customers. Lack of clarity and consistency damages the brand, reduces trust and, in the end, negatively impacts your customer experience.
Delivering a consistent story isn’t just problematic in print and digital communications. It is also a huge barrier in face-to-face conversations with customers. A report published by CEB shows 53 percent of sales executives say that consistent messaging in the sales process is a significant challenge. It can be the difference in creating a highly trusted and memorable customer experience … or a confusing and fragmented customer journey.
A recent article in the Journal of Business Strategy explains just how important it is to develop and deliver a consistent, strategically aligned message throughout the customer experience …
“Taking a focused and deliberate approach in crafting a corporate story will enable companies to align leaders, engage employees and create distinct competitive positioning.”
The problem is, most companies spend more time looking for ways to deliver their message than actually ensuring that what they are saying is relevant and consistent. The key to consistency is being disciplined and diligent when it comes to sharing your story throughout the customer experience. David Rich, head of marketing at Robert Dyas, once said…
“The words a business uses in its branding play a pivotal role in creating context around each touchpoint, the cornerstone to customers developing trust.”
Rich went on to say …
“Words — nuances in phrases — are absolutely paramount … if you don’t have consistency in your wording, you will never have a coherent platform for communication.”
To build trust with prospective buyers and deliver a consistent story throughout the customer experience — companies need a platform. More specifically, a complete Messaging and Storytelling Platform to drive a consistent narrative.
Have you captured and documented your entire corporate story? Have you implemented the sustained internal awareness, education and activation programs required to bring that story to life – consistently? If not, speak with one of our experts today and we will help you make that happen in 2022.
That’s Your OnMessage Minute.
