Ask Mr. Marketing: Ignoring hidden messages

As a youth I spent Saturday mornings collecting newspapers for recycling. Recycling wasn’t chic, but I liked the idea of using paper fibers five times and saving oil, water, and landfill space. Making the world a better place was also a cool idea.

Forty-five years later, recycled paper’s an industry standard. Statewide, 37 million tons of paper and other waste are recycled annually, moving from blue bins at our curb to machines that grind, wash, and re-create them into cardboard, toilet paper, business cards, newspapers, and other products.

With California obliged to increase recycling from the current 65% to 75% by the year 2020, today’s activities will only grow. Recycled paper quality, largely on par with virgin paper, will continue improving. Paper manufacturers will begin charging similar amounts for both virgin and recycled papers in an effort to move more recycled products into the marketplace.

This all jumped to my mind at a recent Rotary club meeting, where I heard representatives of the solar community speak. Their message was familiar: Use solar to minimize your carbon footprint. Invest money now, and reap the long-term payoff.

The team shared several sales brochures to help drive their message home. The only problem I saw: These brochures were printed on virgin paper.

The inconsistency of touting renewables without using them struck me as odd, and hit the two presenters as ironic.

Consistency in your messaging is critical, whether it applies to the obvious or the subtle.

When a real estate broker’s agents don’t all use the same logo and tag line, they lose the strength of the brand.

When an area religious community displays racks of fliers with a dozen shades of the rainbow, different fonts, borders, and layouts, they risk having outsiders not understand that all the messaging is for the same organization.

In other words, if your marketing message isn’t consistent, you’re confusing potential customers.

When I fail to wear my hat, I’m regularly admonished by folks not recognizing me.

Likewise, each instance where you’re not following your own branding message invites the public to question your commitment to your own message.

And remember…if you’re not committed to your own messaging, why should anyone else buy into it?

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

Mr. Marketing now sleeps with his hat on. You’ll sleep better at night by contacting him at www.askmrmarketing.com.