All companies send out sales messages in an effort to attract new business. These messages say more about your organisation than you might realise and certain types of messages can put people off. Sales messages broadly fall into three categories: shame, agitate and inspire.
The Shame messages
It can be tempting for companies to put out Shame messages particularly at times of desperation, but it’s high risk. Say, for example, in the call centre industry, a message like “if you leave your callers to be greeted by an answer machine, you’re probably a bit crap” is not going to prompt a company that uses an answer machine into action to do business with you. In fact, that type of message is likely to prompt them to approach another call centre that sends out more positive sales messages.
The Agitate messages
Agitate messages are designed to be powerful, create urgency and prompt action. Agitate messages are widely used but there are fine lines, so make sure you stay on the right side of the line. Taking the call centre example again “if you lose calls you’ll lose business” is a strong statement that scatters a few seeds of doom and gloom and it’s just the right side of the line. The wrong side of the line would be “if you lose calls then your callers will just ring someone else” which strays towards the Shame category and would not work as well.
The Inspire messages
Non-threatening, picture-painting, this is the safe area for companies. However, it’s worth checking that your Inspire messages are not bland or too conceptual otherwise they just become weak and forgettable. Keep it positive but add power. Sticking with the call centre theme “give your callers a great first impression of your business with telephone answering” is OK but “every call answered promptly and professionally will transform the perception of your business” is more powerful.
Re-visit your own sales messages, break them into these categories and make adjustments to the wording. Really small changes in the words can make big changes to the messages you put out there. Keep it positive, keep it powerful.
