Find a voice and stick to it!

It seems like a lot of meetings I attend these days are all about those famous two words you hear in a recession – budget cuts. Slim, trim, or whatever you want to call it, everything comes at a cost. Every dollar has to work like it’s worth 50 bucks.

But if you think about it, if everyone took that same approach, there would be no one speaking to anyone. If no one is talking, then why wouldn’t you want to be the sole voice? What most companies forget is that when marketing dollars are being used to save overhead and meet expenses for some, for others, this could be the shining moment. An opportunity to own the market, own the voice and own the mindshare of your audiences.

If you scan the papers, even the nationals, some of the biggest brands you can imagine are the only fish swimming in the pond. Companies like Starbucks, Bank of America, Pedigree and Harley Davidson are more present than ever. But it’s not just the mere fact that they are placing advertising. Don’t just look at the logo, look at what they are saying, how they are saying it and why they are saying it. Choice of words, tonality and simple language can convey very powerful messages. And, what they are doing is not push marketing or throwing product at you. It’s a pull approach where the entire focus of a message to create a dialogue with just you, as if they know exactly what you are thinking, doing and needing.

Take Harley Davidson for example. I think their latest marketing is the most compelling, memorable and effective approach to brand building I have seen in a long time. It combines current events, direct messages and core values to tell a story that everyone can relate to, even if you don’t own or want a motorcycle. The words speak to you, not at you. Their tagline, “Screw it. Let’s ride.” is confident and bold, but it makes a statement that you don’t forget when you turn the page.

So my challenge to clients is to find a voice that you can own, that represents who you are and that can build a relationship with someone even if they don’t necessarily need you right now. You never know when you or your best friend may want to dust off a helmet and ride for miles.