SW Maxim #2: Words Matter
June 3, 2019Words matter in a myriad of ways: speech, literature, business communications, politics, parenting, and academics, to name some. Words can lift us up and they can hurt us.
I’ve always believed that choosing the right word for the situation can make all the difference. Don’t take my word for it! Experts, authors, and the ultimate authority – Google – think words are important. Vital, in fact.
While I could pontificate on words for paragraphs, in this instance I am focusing on how words shape the perception of you and your business. I am a sole proprietor and I work with other small businesses. We are synonymous with our brand. Therefore, whatever we put out into the world about ourselves is what people know about us..
Before you can communicate anything about yourself to potential clients, you have to establish your identity. Know yourself. Know what you’re offering backwards and forwards. Write a mission statement. Refer to it often. Write a content mission statement. What’s your message? What do you want people to know about you, your company, your products, your services?
(By the way, I’m not discussing keywords here. That is an entirely different post, and an important one. Keywords are essential for search engine optimization (SEO). We’ll come back to that in another post.)
Be Consistent
Carefully craft your message. Use words to distinguish your business from your competitors. Use words to engage followers, find prospects and turn prospects into leads and leads into clients.
Create a tagline that sums up your identity. Some of the greatest tagline in history stick: Avis: We Try Harder; Southwest: You’re Now Free to Move Around the Country; Nike: Just Do It; Apple: Think Different; to name a few. Keep it short and simple.
Use the same hashtags on social media so that you create a niche. Got a good one? Trademark it!
If your content is working – if your message is getting traction with views, people contacting your website, calling you – you’re on the right track. Don’t fix what ain’t broke! But if you’re not getting engagement, then it’s time for some evolution and growth. Never be afraid to tweak or outright change course when necessary.
Be consistent with your message – the words and the delivery. Let people look forward to your weekly or monthly content: e-blasts, posts, podcasts and videos.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. In business, it’s just a waste of time and money. And who can afford that?
Perception is Reality
I often repeat this adage: perception is reality. Use words to curate what people know about you. Ask clients for testimonials and let their words speak volumes about you, your character, your services, your products and your company.
Your character? Yes. Be mindful with your words. Be honorable. Be aspirational, but strive to live up to the expectations you’re setting. #wordsmatter