As a matter of fact...

Someone should teach children about “The rule of holes.”

While the expression may be unfamiliar, anyone who has erred and recovered understands this rule’s basic tenet quite well: When you are in a hole, stop digging.

But boy do kids love to dig. Caught in a statement that either shades or annihilates the truth, they hem, haw, and make things worse. When statements like, “Well, you see...” begin an explanation, the experienced parent knows to expect the dirt to start flying as their charming son or daughter tries to wiggle out of whatever is up. And they also understand that things will quickly get so bad that the truth is bound to come out.

Eventually (all parents hope) children realize that their fanciful storytelling is best left for English class, and that they’re better off just laying out the facts, and letting the consequences fall where they may.

All too often, professionals in marketing communications find themselves looking up out of a hole, too. It could be a problem requiring crisis communications savvy, a new product introduction needing a splash, or a service that isn’t selling the way it used to. Whatever the case, it’s a hole, and it needs a sound strategy.

So why is it that we so often reach for the shovel, and bury our target audience in details, claims, and other rhetoric that causes their eyes to glaze over and their attention to wander?

Chances are, the answer has a lot to do with corporate pride. Companies just love to try and win arguments – and earn business – by stacking detail on top of detail. The more features and benefits, the better, goes the theory. After all, those who are reading or listening to this are going to do point-by-point comparisons, right?

Wrong. Most members of your target audience want little more than a brief, non-sanitized presentation of the facts. (Why do you suppose Consumer Reports is so popular?)

Does that mean the perfectly turned phrase over which you slaved is no longer welcome? Not at all. Just keep the following in mind:

• Your audience isn’t as interested as you are. While you may find the minute details that confirm your advantages over the competition fascinating, your target audience has other things on its collective mind. As such, ask the question, “What do they need to know to understand this situation better/buy my product/buy more of my service, etc?” Toss out anything beyond that.


• The more promises or details, the more unbelievable. Generally speaking, the more you say, the more skepticism you create. Why? In trying to pile on the proof, you end up obscuring your key messages, and you make it hard for your target audience to get a fix on who you are and why they should care. Plus, you increase the risk of talking over your audience’s head, and alienating them in the process.


• A matter-of-fact approach can build a brand. While it might not seem very sexy, being the company that cuts through the clutter can be a real brand-builder. It’s a great discipline that keeps you on message, while also demonstrating a quiet confidence that lets the facts do the talking.

The message? Marketing communications isn’t high school debate, where the ability to conjure up stats and sources makes you the winner. Identify your key points, make them clearly and consistently. And then sit down.