Let’s face it: email marketing, like all marketing, is about communication. As are customer acquisition strategies such as SEO and PPC. Not to mention websites. But how much attention do we pay to correct communication?
Here’s the thing, folks: correct communication is clear communication. If you do not say exactly what you mean to say, I will guarantee you that someone, somewhere, will interpret it in ways that you don’t want it interpreted. And that, in turn, will end up giving your customer relations people a whole bunch of headaches. It keeps lawyers in business, but isn’t a good way to do business.
And the term communications covers a spectrum of materials. Copy for email campaigns, content of webinars and slide presentations, website copy — even, yes, blogs! — all fit into the category.
It’s easy to say, “well, I speak English, I can write, what is the problem?” That is, actually, the problem: that everyone thinks that everyday speaking and writing is good speaking and writing. It isn’t.
And what’s the price? I personally will not purchase products or services from any company with errors in their copy. Why? Because it seems to me that if the company is lackadaisical about communications, there’s a good chance it’s lackadaisical elsewhere as well, so I don’t want its goods or services. That’s me, and I know many other people who feel the same way. So maybe people like me represent only two percent of your potential customer base. Do you really want to lose two percent of potential customers?
So what can you do?
- Understand that creating meaningful and clear communications is an important and ongoing part of any of your marketing campaigns.
- Put together a company style guide. Decide whether you’re going to say website or Web site. Make sure that everyone has a copy and that all copy is standardized against the style guide. Consistency is everything in communications.
- Hire a communications expert, who is an important component of any marketing team. Have this person write your press releases, website copy, presentations … in short, anything that goes out to the public. Have this person edit anything you’ve written that goes out to the public.
- Be as clear as you can. There is no reason to use jargon. There is no reason to substitute “utilize” for the simpler “use.” There is no reason to not say directly what it is you wish to say.
Correct communication is clear communication, and clear communication will always work in your favor in marketing.