Your message is probably inconsistent
Marketing and public relations pros know: inconsistent messages are an ever-present nemesis.
A CEO says one thing, the head of Sales another.
Employee communications say one thing, but the website contradicts that.
Inconsistent messages are taboo – for every brand. They confuse people, and they waste your precious marketing and communications dollars.
Make sure that every dollar you spend on owned, earned, and paid media advances your brand’s singular, consistent message – the one you co-create with your leadership team on a Message Map.
Inconsistent messages build a Tower of Babel:
- New customer messages roll out in Sales before employees ever hear them. So, when customers ask a question about a new product or service, employees respond, “Huh?” Generally, most employees don’t know what to say to customers anyhow, Gallup found.
- A CEO tells investors that the company’s profits will grow due to higher prices. But customers get angry about those price increases, so they switch to competitors. The scheme backfires.
- Siloed marketing and public relations departments each create their own messages separately, which talk over each other. It’s confusing to everyone.
That’s why your company needs to create a Message Map – a single source of truth, backed up by your CEO and leadership team. When you co-create a message map with your leaders, your company and brand focus on one message to deliver consistently.
When people hear the same consistent marketing message over time, you build up credibility in their minds and hearts.
On the other hand, inconsistency corrodes credibility and trust quickly.
It only takes one employee to contradict your CEO on social media.
Inconsistent messages do not build trust. That’s why you need a Message Map that helps your company stay 100% consistent in messaging. Consistency means delivering the same message:
- Through all your messengers and spokespersons.
- Across all types of media – digital, physical, and live.
- To all of your audiences, anytime your message is delivered.
Co-create a Message Map to get everyone on the same page with your company’s or brand’s message. Here’s how to create a Message Map.
Enable all your spokespersons and employees to sing from the same song sheet. When everyone in the choir knows the song, your message will make beautiful music. Consistency is the key.
