Is Your Brand Sending Mixed Messages?

I take full advantages of “me” days – Mother’s Day and my birthday – to dictate our plans. My birthday last month was no exception.

We dined with our favorite couple. Then I enlisted my husband Joe to join me for a night of country dancing at a local club El Rodeo, a novelty as we had never gone country dancing before in our 22-year marriage.
During my computer work sessions, Pandora Music introduced me to new wave of country pop. I was a relatively new country music fan, and was motivated to shake my bootie to my favorite country tunes.

“El Rodeo” delivered.

We had a great time trying to keep up with the complex line dances. (Next time we play to do a YouTube tutorial, so we’re more on the beat.) And my rusty hubby joined me for some swing dancing.
We warned our dinner friends that it was so fun, we would drag them with us next time.

The one oddity of the evening was watching a number of women at the club danced together – not line dances, but the more intimate swing dancing. In particular, there were two women who danced with each other all night in a way that made their bodies look a little too familiar with each other.

It was weird.

I can understand all dancing together for a line dance. But watching the women dance so fluidly and romantically distracted me – were they related, were they lesbian, or was something else going on.

I could see if it were a gay bar. My girlfriend told me, according to her 20 and 30 something kids, that “lesbian” is in, and many men find it attractive, prompting some young ladies to play to part for the attention.

I really did not want to know or ponder all of this information about these other patrons of the club. I was just trying to have a fun evening with my husband. It left me with an icky feeling.

That disconnect is what happens too when something is out of sync with your branding. If something isn’t jiving on your website, your blogging, your offering, and your customer service, it makes people pause, especially if you are selling a big ticket product.

Same is true with offline branding. How your business cards look (or whether you even have them), your physical presentation, and whether you can tell someone what you do in a coherent and natural elevator speech, may be just the element to have your prospect close their wallet. You’re lucky if they will give you another look down the road.

So, consider exactly what that dance you’re doing and make sure it has your prospects hungering for more, not walking away with a head full of unanswered questions.

Catholic Mompreneurs Biz and Life Tip: Ask what message you want to sell to your prospects and if everything you do is consistent with it. Take branding your business seriously.