Consistency: Boring, but Effective
June 30, 2009
Here's a ground breaking, earth shattering tip for you this week. Be consistent! I know, very boring. But, being consistent in certain areas of
your business, and personally, can be very effective. Our prospects and clients are very busy people. Inconsistent
behavior and processes just lead to confusion and irritation.
Here are a couple of examples: Mr. Client to Mrs. Client: "Why did we just get another bill?
I thought we were getting billed once a month? Now I have to call
Bob Jones Landscaping tomorrow on my lunch break and ask what the
heck this bill is for. What a pain in the ---!" Mr. Client to himself: "Where the hell is Chris? One day he's
5 minutes late, the next he's 20 minutes late! What a pain in
the ---!" Being consistent matters! Your clients do notice these things. One thing that is not consistent for me is my appearance--how I
dress, how I smell (just kidding). I could definitely do better
presenting myself in a consistent manner (how I dress). Why does
this matter? Because it's all about building your "Personal Brand".
How you dress contributes to your brand, whether you wear a shirt
and tie or jeans and a t-shirt. Whatever you choose to wear, be
consistent. The same can be said for your behavior. We all know some designers
who are a bit eccentric, some who have elitist attitudes and others
who are care free. These mannerisms and attitudes also contribute
to your personal brand. I had a boss once who was a giant cloud
of negative energy with the personality of an egg shell.
I couldn't stand him, but at least he was consistent and didn't
pretend to be someone else. Perhaps where consistency matters most is in communicating your
"Marketing Message". Again, don't confuse people. Deliver a
consistent message that describes exactly what it is you do and
for whom. Let's call it your "Elevator Pitch". Your message needs
to be consistent across all marketing platforms from advertising
to networking and even to what you write about. Do you have an elevator pitch? What could you be more consistent in doing? Is there one thing you do consistently that your clients notice
and appreciate? Feel free to share by leaving a comment below. To your success,
Chris Heiler, Editor
Visit my blog
| 
del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
StumbleUpon
Twitter
