Dressing For The Job
You can say all kinds of things. But, what you actually do has the most impact. And, it’s the seemingly minor nits that can often cause the most trouble.
Your story has to match your actions - otherwise, people can start to question everything you say.
In the larger scheme of things, should it matter that the GOP spent $150,000 at Neiman-Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue to outfit Sarah Palin and her family? Of course not. But this is the candidate who is supposed to be “one of us.” A down-to-earth Mom, someone you’d run into at the local grocery store. So, what are her Joe & Jackie Six-Pack supporters supposed to think when she’s wearing designer clothing they could never afford, paid for by their contributions? (One commenter on another blog said he had contributed to their campaign, and after reading of this expenditure, had asked for his money back. Of course, this may not be true, but…it’s out there. Warning: Reading comments on political blogs - both left and right - may drive you to running a hot bath and getting out the rusty razor blades.)
Granted, Governor Palin “cleans up good” (as we say in small town Southern America) - but she could have looked just as good with togs picked up at - say - T.J. Maxx, where her fellow Moms likely shop.
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October 22nd, 2008 at 3:02 pm
You’ve reminded me of a conversation I once had with a grocery store manager in my home town of 20,000 souls.
He told me always but a used car, a good one, but always used.
His reasoning; he never wanted people in town to think that he was making himself rich selling them milk and bread and cookies for their kids.
Assume customer scrutiny and you won’t often be wrong.
Hope you’re feeling better.
Keep creating…a public image that matches your private life,
Mike
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Actually there is a good lesson here for marketing in general. What you stand for in your company must be expressed in everything you do, say and print. Customers really respond well to constancy and clarity. Sure you can evolve over time, but sudden changes cause customers to get confused and in these times that’s not a good thing.
So bringing it back to politics, which campaign has the most constancy and clarity? And how are the customers (voters) responding by buying (donating) that product?
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:11 am
Mike,
Good point re the used car. What does it say about me that I drive a nearly 8-year-old Jeep Cherokee? Am I frugal or cheap?
Bruce,
This plays right back to one of my marketing seminars - in which I talk about the importance of the “Cs” - Consistency, Clarity and Constancy.
October 24th, 2008 at 7:05 am
[…] as she points out with this example, what you do is often a much clearer indicator of what you’re about than what you say anyway […]