How to overcome false claims about your organization
How to prevail when somebody claims, “Your promises are false, your facts are myths, and your proof is fake.”
“We’re almost ready to sign a deal,” Sam said. “The committee has examined submissions from several providers of web-enabled convergence to the incentivized dynamic platforms industry.”
“Who are we going with?” asked John.
“Probably Functional Algortronics,” replied Sam. “They’ve been around since the dawn of the Internet – maybe even lent a hand inventing it. They seem to know about blending electronics with algorithms, their facts check out, and we think it’ll be a good fit for us.”
“You can’t choose that company.”
“Why not?”
“Its advertising slogan claims whiter whites and brighter colors.”
“So?”
“That message is racist!”
Sam was aghast. “Electronically displayed colors are racist?”
Emboldened by what he perceived as an opening, John pounced. “You HAVE to admit that by lumping all colors into one group while specifically mentioning whiter whites, Functional Algortronics’s marketing is racist, and we can’t knowingly buy from a racist company.”
Confounded by John’s fact-free exclamations, Sam thought for several seconds. Then he took a deep breath and calmly, yet forcefully, spoke.
“First, I don’t have to admit how mentioning electronically displayed colors is racist, because that’s not racism. The definition of racism is, ‘Attributing to individuals of a community the attributes of that community, based on their racial identity.’
“Second, white is not a color. It’s the amalgamation of ALL colors. Claiming a technology amalgamates all colors better than the competition is valid, provided it’s true.”
Marketers today have never faced greater risk of reputation-ruining slander like that espoused above by the fictional John. That’s because the world has never seen this many wanna-be victims, desperately seeking the next time they can loudly proclaim their offended feelings.
Fear of offending is one reason why our world is infested with so much meaningless marketing.
Whether their source is indolence or malice, it’s easy for those with agendas to continually repeat accusations against you, until others who are too busy to fact check, believe them.
There aren’t many thoughtful, articulate, and educated people like the fictional Sam, to defend your marketing from those who draw their opinions from unthinking or malicious accusations.
Worse, if you try to defend yourself, those who don’t like you will shout over you, push their agenda-filled carts over your feet, and claim you said things you’d never say, hoping to convict you in the court of public opinion.
Which is a real challenge, because humans eventually believe what they see and hear repeated, while simultaneously remaining skeptical towards any viewpoint or information that differs from those they’ve chosen to believe.
While this isn’t a new thing, it affects how humans react to any message. Knowing this…
Q: How can you deliver your message?
A: Ensure ALL your marketing follows three rules:
- Know exactly how far your facts go before they drop into Could-be Canyon. Few people trust “projections,” because it’s just another word for “pretending.”
- Consistently, coherently and convincingly state YOUR case, while knowing your competition’s case as well as they do.
- When you know your competition’s case, you can be certain why you’re right and they’re wrong.
- When you’re certain you’re right and your competition is wrong, then you can explain how buying from them is unwise, without seeming childish or petty.
- Have lots of unquestionable proof.
Hard data in the form of ROI is what buyers want. Prove how you affect their bottom lines.
Facts are not enough. Your marketing must also…
- Advise from your positional authority
- Query to get buyers thinking
- Agitate the problem you solve
- Disclose any damaging admissions up front
- Instruct how you solve their pain
This type of marketing is neither simple nor easy. Today however, when false accusations and name calling abound, it’s the effective way to market your product and service.
The alternative is to join the fearful majority, whose fear of offending delivers krappy marketing that clamors for attention, yet provides zero substance.
You can counter unfamiliarity, prejudgment, generalization, and labeling others may have placed on you with consistent and substantial marketing. Contact me if you’d like help.
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