Administrator’s Chalk Board

by Richard Zwicky

This article from The Mender (Issue 13),
Metamend’s Web Site Optimization and Marketing Newsletter.

In the last issue, we spoke about the challenges of communications. Let’s drill down a little further and look at the actual message you are trying to convey to your partners and to your customers.

A clear, concise and complete message is important for anyone trying to sell something. If you read this, and think you’re not in sales, well you’re probably out to lunch. Everyone is in sales, like it or not. Ever been out on a date? Ever angled for tickets to a sporting event? Ever applied for a job? Take a look in the mirror – you’re in sales. What’s the message you project? If you’re a subscriber to the
Mender, you’re a well adjusted, thoughtful, interesting person, who is seeking to improve their knowledge of the Internet. We’re sold – you’re our kind of person.

What’s the message you are using to sell your company and its products/services? Is it clear? Does everyone understand at very first glance what you and your company are all about? The first step in the process of branding – yourself, your company, the product or service you provide, is in finding one, or a series of clear concise statements which accurately describe what you do. If you can find a
single statement, that’s great! A series of statements which you rotate works well too. The hard part about doing this is actually taking a step back and objectively viewing the message. You know what you do; you understand the lingo but what about the rest of the world? If your message is cryptic, no one will get it. If your message is so simple anyone will understand it, then it will be effective. Being cute is nice, but being understood wins.

In the last issue we mentioned the challenges two people who speak the same language can face in a corporation. When trying to convey a sales pitch, always start from the assumption the person you are pitching to has zero knowledge of the subject. The first message; the slogan, the branding message you use needs to be clear and effective, then follow up with clear, simple content anyone can read, hear and
understand. Once they have understood step one – the opening line, they’ll ask for more and then you can go into the details. If you start off confusing someone, they’ll walk away. It’s like the old line “Come here often?” everyone has heard it and knows exactly what it means.

Yet, it works! It’s simple, clear and concise. Your sales pitch should be just as as recognizable.

Other articles from this issue:
– Adapting to Seasonal Cycles
– Measuring Success Through Site Statistics – Part Two
– Preparing for Results
– Using Search Engines For Beginners – Part One
– Email Makes The Web Go Around