January 2005
Begin in the Beginning
A new year brings new opportunities to assess your customer communications.
By Chris Zender
Every January millions of Americans take the time to stop and evaluate all aspects of their lives. The new year, it seems, brings a fresh perspective and, with it, resolve to clean up, shape up, and start anew. And while we won't offer you diet or financial advice, we do suggest you add an item to your new year's resolutions: revisit your customer communications.
"Looking at this site was like watching a fun TV commercial for a company and product whose name you can't quite remember." Think Creatively, Deploy Strategically
The new year is a great time to think expansively about new and/or alternate methods of communication. Don't have a website? Want an online newsletter? Thinking of segmenting your print publication? Evaluate your existing communications and use this time to brainstorm new and interesting ways in which you can talk to customers and prospects. A word of caution, though: Just because your competition has created a blog written by its CEO doesn't mean that your site needs a blog written by your CEO. The trick is to incorporate new trends in communication if they can positively impact your company—not simply because they're new.
This lesson was recently brought home to us while looking at a new website for a major technology company. The site is beautiful visually—full of Flash animation and streaming video—but all the moving pieces and parts (not to mention the longer downloading times) obscure the company's products and value proposition. Looking at this site was like watching a fun TV commercial for a company and product whose name escapes you. Ouch.
Practice What You Preach
The start of a new year is also a good time to fine-tune any differences in how and what you communicate in person and the message your company projects on its website or in print materials. Many companies present tightly polished sales pitches but fail to follow through on that positive initial impression by presenting unified, coordinated messaging on their websites or print communications.
Case in point: Late last year we spoke with a research company that had an innovative, intriguing research methodology it felt was applicable for many different industries. After an initial conversation full of mutual understanding and enthusiasm for the product, the company sent us two demos. But here's the rub: Though these demos showcased the product, both the companies profiled and the format of the demos were so clearly aimed at the entertainment industry—full of loud music and unconventional images—that we felt it would alienate most other industries. The disconnect between the company's conversation and presentation was a good reminder for us to make sure that we walk the talk and talk the walk, so to speak.
One Size Doesn't Fit All
And finally, use the new year to think holistically about your customer communications. Evaluate all the ways in which you talk to your customers and prospects—and consider it all: websites, print materials, newsletters, sales collateral, presentations, technical documentation, and so on. Assess these materials for their effectiveness in communicating to your different constituencies. Most companies don't have just one customer, so they shouldn't have one set of communications. It's important, however, to balance the need to communicate to specific audiences with the need to create a consistent user experience.
As part of a website redesign, a large telecommunications company asked us to evaluate its site content and outbound communications. It jumped out at us right away that the company was trying to be all things to all people—a sure recipe for failure. Rather than trying to reach all audiences with the same communication, we suggested the company modify the voice, tone, and the delivery method to attract the varied audiences. For this company, the trick was matching the message and the method to the audience needs.
All companies face the same communication issues, but this year, make a resolution to do something about it. Take the time to catalog, evaluate, and improve your customer communications. I promise you, it's one resolution you won't regret.
About the author:
Chris Zender is Tendo's editorial director. She has a long list of new year's resolutions.
