When you’ve got a marketing message mismatch, you are a marketing meathead. I know sometimes my alliterative tendencies go to far, but I couldn’t resist this title. I couldn’t resist because I actually dated a guy a couple of years ago who repeatedly referred to himself as a meathead. Really? This was mismarketing to me. Mismarketing is exactly what it sounds like, you are missing the mark of your marketing and may not even be aware of it.
You see, the lesson here is you have to be very aware of what moniker you apply to yourself in front of clients and customers. Marketing is a lot like dating and what continually occurred to me (and still does) is why did I want to date a “meathead.” I didn’t and broke it off. There were other reasons, of course, but it was all too easy to lump them under the headline of “meathead.” He made it easy for me to accept his marketing and not accept him. He was delivering a marketing message mismatch.
#1 Honor Yourself and Your Clients Will Honor You
When you call yourself by some self deprecating title, it isn’t going to serve your business well. By the same token, don’t go all egotistical either and name yourself the King or Queen of something unless you truly are! (This is kind of like being #1 at anything, there are always 500 more of you claiming the same status.) Avoid a marketing message mismatch.
It isn’t just about what you call yourself, but how you show up. It is your behavior that makes a real difference. I’ve interviewed service providers (is that a title you wear?) who focused on running down their competition and telling me how the other guy did it all wrong. Even if they did, this didn’t make the professional being interviewed look any better.
# Honor Your Competitors and Focus on What You Do Best
This is particularly relevant when we go through elections every four years and witness the smear campaigns that the candidates degrade themselves with. It doesn’t make them look better, just petty and without enough qualifications to focus on winning without mud slinging. Stop focusing on your competition and instead keep the focus tightly on YOU and what you do best. Leave the decision up to your market, mudslinging muddies you as well. Avoid a marketing message mismatch.
I got a wry grin when I read an email from a contractor’s business manager recently. The contractor was expected on a jobsite to quote for work and his manager emailed me the morning of with “he’ll be on time and he’ll behave.” Hilarious!
He always ran on time that was never an issue, but he was often so full of himself that it was hard to get him to focus on the task at hand. The reason I put up with it, is he is incredibly fast and top notch quality at his work. It is still trying and all too tempting to find another with less attitude.
#3 Honor Your Clients and Keep Your Ego Out of the Way
There is nothing more “meathead” like than going all Big-Man-On-Campus with your clients. They hired you because they considered you qualified for the job or project at hand. You already have their initial vote of confidence. Avoid negative marketing at all costs.
Put your head down, focus on the doing the work to the best of your ability and let them make the rave reviews. When you run around touting your talent, beating your chest like George of the Jungle, you are inevitably going to run into that tree of humility!
Love to hear your experiences always, comment and share on your favorite networks and here. I read every comment and reply.
Thanks for a heads up on the self deprecation Melissa.
Guilty
Dan
Dan,
It’s never too late to turn that around, lol. Know you will and love to hear the results!
Hugs, Melissa
This cracked me up! Probably because while I don’t use the term “meathead,” I have been known to call myself a dumbass from time to time. I’m new to this life-as-business way of life but it’s cool to see how much they really do meld together. I think, too though, that this sentiment applies just as much to people NOT in business for themselves- maybe even more 😉
Brandi,
This applies across the board, makes no difference if you work for yourself or for a corporation or small business. Self deprecating comments about yourself need to be eliminated as they will mismarket you in every situation (personal as well, you are correct!)
Hugs, Melissa
Great post and fabulously written as always. Thank you Melissa
Thanks Suzanne,
Glad you liked it! Had fun with this one :).
Hugs, Melissa
Melissa, your article reminds me of what my first national sales director would say in our manager’s meetings, ” There’s two ways to have the building in town. You can build yours up or try to tear everyone else’s down. And if you start k,knocking on my building, get ready for a fight.” As he shook his fist (he was a 6’5” former basketball coach (big fist).
Your message reminded me of how I need to pay attention to the subtle ways that I knock down my own building as I endeavor to serve my clients.
Dominic,
What a treat to see you here, even if I don’t recognize that old picture. (C’mon update us with the handsome current version, lol.)
Glad to hear I struck a chord. The ways can be subtle but nonetheless damaging. Sounds like I was a quiet reminder . . .
Hugs, Melissa
Hi Melissa, I like #3: 2nd and 3rd sentence. I have to remind myself of that. That said…how much did you have to pay to get the girl to put the slabs of meat on her head??? Caught my attention in a flash. Have a fabulous weekend.
Emmett
Thanks Emmett!
Awe, I didn’t have to pay her, she was right there waiting for me to grab her picture, lol.
You should see what else and who else wears meat on Google.
Hugs, Melissa
By the way Melissa, how do one put a photo up as I hate seeing a shadow outline!
My rule of thumb is to just be me and check my ego at the door, Melissa.
This article just reminds us to do that, thanks for reassuring readers that this is the way to go.
Thanks Robert,
You are very self aware, most aren’t, lol. Whether it is ego or indulging in self deprecating remarks, you are right, the best is to be YOU!
Hugs, Melissa
Great post Melissa!
It all goes back to intention. At every point in our business (and life), we need to have the right intention. This means doing our best, being our best, and believing the best.
Thanks for the words of wisdom.
Margo