This week we're diving into the power of the short statement...the sound bite. When we meet new people, it can be tempting to tell them every single thing about us. And hope at least one thing resonates. But sometimes simplicity is the best path to success. Read on to see why you need a sound bite. |
Hey there Reader:
Welcome to Let's Make Some Noise, my weekly newsletter with tips on strategy, branding, and the π₯ art of making noise. π₯
Can you believe we're already in the month of August? Me either!
I've been putting off my spring cleaning but now that summer is here, and more than half way over, I figured it was finally time to undergo a giant paper de-cluttering.
Back in an old life, I used to travel to a LOT of tradeshows. All over the world. And despite the fact that I was always exceptionally careful to not pick up any fliers, brochures or SWAG that wasn't 100 percent essential, I still seem to keep finding more piles of stuff I never really wanted but also never threw away. This week, I found a few maps of Japan that have to be at least ten years old.
Trade Shows Are Broken
While I'm a huge fan of tradeshows and the networking and knowledge sharing that happen there, I think the industry is due for a major overhaul. A major no-paper, no-SWAG overhaul. I know not everyone is going to agree with me, but here's my thought process.
Over the years, I've been pushed aside more than once so someone else could grab that last yoga map, Stanley mug, notepad, pen or whatever else. Then what happens with all that stuff we collect? We get back to our hotel rooms, we weed through all the items and we end up leaving 90 percent of the "stuff" for housekeeping to deal with. Seriously, if we don't want that one yoga mat, what they heck are the room attendants going to do with 20 of them, right?
Dumpsters continue to get filled with unwanted trade show stuff. (Some estimates say up to 60 percent of trade show materials end up in the landfill.
Meanwhile, has anyone actually proven the effectiveness of these materials? Nope! Not at all.
Now, I do admit, I have a weakness for fancy notebooks. I'm not talking the cheapy Dollar Tree look-a-likes. But give me a Moleskin or other fancy notebook, and I'm all in. (I used to be a reporter, so I collected my share of really nice notebooks.) And, yes, notebooks remain out of control in my space. But did I ever looked at a notebook and say, "Oh, the Museum of Modern Art? Nice notebook. I should write an article about them?"
Of course not. As a reporter and a traveler and a consumer, I don't need SWAG. I need information. That one core piece of information that will make a great article. Or motivate me to travel.
All the other stuff I get handed is just disposable fluff. Fluff that I now need to deal with. Or leave for housekeeping to deal with.
Sound Bites Rule
This is why sound bites are so important.
The marketer who can distill their complex messaging down from 20 brochures to one piece of paper with one or two core messages, is always going to be the one who wins the tradeshow game. And the networking game.
As opposed to the marketer who give away the most pens. Or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Or yoga mats. (Of course the marketer who REALLY wins is also the person who masters the art of the follow up but that's an article for another newsletter.)
When you distill your message into one core, meaningful statement, that is far more valuable, and far more impactful, than all the SWAG in the world.
In my latest video I dive into the idea behind sound bites. What are sound bites? And why do they matter so much to your organization?
That's it for me this week!
Monica
P.S. If you're struggling to get your sound bites just right, I can help. Check out how we can Turbocharge your Website Content today.
Latest Episode...
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What is a Sound Bite?
What is a sound bite, exactly? And why, in the era of dwindling attention spans, does your business need one?
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Simple Messaging is Key
It seems like everyone is trying to grab our attention. And when marketers do get us to pay attention, they bombard us with every single thing they can think of to tell us. No filter, right? The marketer who masters the art of simplicity is the one who will always win the game.
Hit reply to this email, and let me know one way you can simplify your messaging strategy.
I LOVE to get reader email.
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Save the Date
Join me Tuesday, August 6, 2024, for my next FREE SCORE Webinar & QA - Business Basics. You don't have to live or work in the Albuquerque area to attend.
βBusiness Basics Q&A with βSCOREβ
August 6, 5:30 p.m. (Mountain)
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About Me
Hey there, I'm Monica Poling and I help non-profit organizations find their voice.
With individual giving at its lowest levels in decades and government support dwindling, non-profits face unprecedented challenges. Tax-free status itself is at risk. Simply doing more with less is no longer enough.
Non-profits need innovative solutions that emphasize their value: connecting what they offer with what their audience needs.
So, follow me for tips and tricks on building a non-profit strategy that elevates your mission AND dives into the art ofπ₯making some noise.π₯
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