One of the most notorious reasons why brands don’t convert leads into sales is this: too much noise. Ever had a conversation with someone, and they are talking very fast, extremely eloquent (or not), using grammatical jargon you can’t comprehend, and spiralling down a nonsensical tunnel of words that don’t make sense?
Yes, I almost lost you there. You probably skipped a lot of those words because most of it was noise. This is exactly what happens when consumers are bombarded with a lot of information that makes no sense to them. People are bombarded with screens, headlines, digital content and actual conversations every day and only the simplest – and most powerful messages – break through the clutter.
What does this mean for brands? It means that a lot of brands are losing out on sales because their messages are not landing the way they should. Many products and services are out there: the perfect solution to problems that multiple people face. But the brands who have those products and services are lost in the clutter, along with everybody else making a lot of noise… and the connection is lost. Better yet, some people gain the attention of potential consumers, and then lose it.
So how do brands make less noise and communicate effectively?
Cut out the jargon
There is no need to sound highly sophisticated, especially if your brand is consumer-facing. Keep it simple, short and punchy. Here are a few examples:
Instead of: “We specialize in the supply various grades of paper products for multiple uses including cardboard, printing paper, newsprint, and many more!”
Try: “Need any kind of paper? We’re your plug”
Instead of: “Buy one, get one half price or 20% off with a free item”
Try: “Up to 50% off! Click to see all offers.”
Add visuals where possible
Nike’s campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick was a simple one-liner with very heavy meaning. The photo was poignant and communicated most of the message they wanted to pass across. Strong imagery can have a multiplier effect on the impact of any word-based communication.
Include a call to action
It is not enough to tell consumers about your brand; they need to know what to do about the information they have just received. “Find out more”, “Purchase now”, “Join our mailing list”, and other similar prompts seal the impact of the communication. These action points must also be very easy and seamless to execute. As we established earlier, it is also very easy to lose your consumer if the chain of communication is not simple or interesting enough.
The most important takeaway from this article is this: create simple and sharp communication for your consumers to understand; it gives your brand a better chance of landing that sale. Easy tips to follow include cutting out big or complicated words, adding visuals if possible, and including a call to action.
At The Y Brand, we help Startups, Entrepreneurs and SMEs build strong and powerful brands. Send us an email hello@theybrandco.com to see how we can help you.