Have you ever noticed how much rhetoric exists on company websites? I, for one, have had enough. Let's start getting real about what we solutions we are very good at delivering and which clients we're targeting. It would save us all alot of wasted time and effort. <br> <p>My career began in marketing and much of the last twenty years involved marketing management in some form or other. I understand the concept of brand positioning. What I´ve come to loathe over the last few years, however, is the enormous rhetoric.</p>
<p>How many times have you gone to a vendor site in the HR space, any space for that matter, and seen the following, "We are the global leader in (insert blah, blah here)." Often what they profess to lead in is an enormous space that would be nearly impossible for a single entity to cover and do well. Not only that. They are the global leader according to whom? It seems it is always according to none other than... themselves!</p>
<p>I think it´s time that leaders and marketing folks get serious about straight talk. Wouldn´t it be refreshing and helpful to us if we were to go to a website and have it say something like the following: "Our customers tell us we are very good at helping them solve (specific) problems. We´re doing a fine job of addressing (specific) as well. In case you´re wondering, here´s a list of related solutions that we don´t do but for which we´d be happy to refer you (insert short list of items you´re not very good or don´t do at all here)."</p>
<p>Do you think marketers actually believe that prospects read the "market leader" blah blah and believe it! How can we? Every site we visit says almost the exact same thing. And, particularly in the HR space, so many of the vendors define themselves in such vague "human capital management" terms that we don´t end up with the foggiest clue what they do, except that we know they think highly of themselves.</p>
<p>And another thing. If you are a vendor that is targeting companies of a certain size, tell us that! Why make us dig and dig to determine if we are even remotely in your target market. Help make the process easier for both parties and reduce the time spent determining whether there are the basics for a possible relationship. Are your solutions focused on the Fortune 500? Mid-size companies, small firms with less than 100 people?</p>
<p>We all know that we can´t be all things to all people. Why don´t our marketing messages reflect that universal truth? The argument I´ve heard from some marketing folk is that they don´t want to prematurely turn away potential business opportunities by getting too narrow in their definition of their unique selling proposition. What I say to that is own up to what you´re doing well currently. You can also let people know the areas you building for the future and invite them to keep in touch with you. Don´t over-sell, because when you do, you´re bound to under-deliver.</p>
<p>The second phrase you´ll find if you go a little deeper in the employment area of almost every corporate site is "Our people are our most important asset." Blah, blah, blah. I´ve become highly skeptical of any company that tells me that. Instead, show us how you treat employees by including employee references and quotes from your employee surveys. Tell us about the programs and policies you have in place to support employees and how they´ve impacted individuals with personal success stories attached.</p>
<p>It´s time to get real in our marketing-speak, in our leadership-speak, in all of our speak.</p>
<p>(Stepping down off soapbox now.)</p>
