Glenn Harrington

Key Message Blunders - Part Two: Over-promising

Over promising triggers skepticism in the market. Better to articulate authentic key messages that echo the values and experience of your ideal customer.

Key Message Blunders - Part Two: Over-promising

Many people like to present their company or its products and services as a wonderful surprise or as exceeding anybody’s expectations. The problem with such over-promising is that it implies low or misguided expectations as well as gullibility in the reader. This can strike people as a subtle insult. Even more certainly, it triggers skepticism. There is a better way.

Consider these examples:

* 'Our mission is to exceed your expectations for quality and service every time' – on a company's website, customer receipts, and in-store banners.

* 'Something special for everyone!' – as a slogan promoting a community event.

* 'Why shop anywhere else?' – on the billboard for a shopping mall.

Example 1 triggers a confounding dual response: uncertainty and skepticism. "How could they know what my expectations are?" "Why be so presumptuous about how easily my expectations are exceeded?" "Do they really think that they can catch me off guard in my gauge of quality and service?" Such thoughts come to mind when people encounter statements like this and can be counterproductive in marketing.

Example 2 suggests that anybody could attend this event (e.g. concert, convention, rummage sale, community picnic) with anybody else accompanying and find satisfaction. Something special for everyone! makes too broad a promise to appeal to people as individuals with individual needs, tastes, and preferences. Its generic quality weakens it considerably.

In example 3, a rhetorical question implies that one shopping mall is a superior place to shop for any reason, for any aware shopper, under any reasonable circumstances. What could be more effective at evoking skepticism, outright rejection as false, or insult? These effects on market perception can be counterproductive.

When a promoter can promise an experience that consistently, appreciably distinguishes them from alternatives, over-promising ought to be replaced with credible truths.

Better to articulate an authentic, basically relevant key message that reflects the thoughts and feelings shared by people who match the ideal client profile.

- Glenn R. Harrington, Articulate Consultants Inc.

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