Sales Slump

You may be Suffering from Disconnected Usage Disorder

Disconnected Usage Disorder (DUD) is a debilitating corporate dysfunction similar to multiple personality disorder in individuals. It’s the corporate version of Sybil or, more recently, Tara on the United States of Tara, Showtime’s comedic drama. For business, symptoms include weak sales and non-productive employees. Recently, we were exposed to a case of DUD while attending a sales seminar conducted by two business consultants. The two pitched their consulting services to a group of senior executives from several different companies. The salesmen were articulate, engaging and presented a compelling story of increased revenues and profits. In general, they were the embodiment of the success aspired to by all the attendees. At the conclusion of the presentation, their pitch became a DUD.

The flimsy business cards they presented to the attendees could be found in any office supply store, ten blank cards to a sheet. The brochures didn’t match their presentation, in quality or content. And – when we pulled up their website – another DUD appeared. Tara was off her meds when she built this website. Inconsistency is one of the quickest ways to raise doubts in the mind of your prospects. They need reassurance, not conflicting messages. Your core message should not change based upon media or audience. An integrated marketing approach addresses all prospect touch points, consistently. The impressions you make must be uniform across:

1. Print and electronic advertising or promotion;
2. Out-of-home advertising (e.g., outdoor and transit);
3. Trade shows and corporate events;
4. Corporate websites;
5. Prospect and client communication by customer service;
6. Sales presentations and proposals;
7. Collateral material including stationery, business cards and brochures;
8. Public relations.

One of the best ways to ensure communication consistency and avoid a DUD is to have a single internal individual or an external agency responsible for message development and delivery. As communications steward, this individual or agency should play a major role in supervising all communication programs. In addition to ensuring a more consistent message, having a single party responsible reduces the likelihood of nonproductive turf battles thereby increasing the efficiency (and efficacy) of the total effort. In developing your integrated communications strategy, the first step is to know thyself. What is your corporate personality? What promises, implicit and explicit, are you making to your prospects? Then, eliminate the DUDs.

Elimination of inconsistent or conflicting messages increases corporate credibility, strengthens your market position “and increases the likelihood of a sale. It also helps ensure that all your employees are "marching to the same tune”; and that their efforts are more coordinated and productive.