You Said It … Now It’s Out There

When New Zealand mountaineer Sir Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, it took three days for the news to reach the rest of the world. 

Today, news is transmitted around the planet in a nanosecond. Our communications now are often virtually instantaneous, and we can reach communities on all continents with a single keystroke. Hit the “send” key and your message is well and truly out there. 

So shape that message with care. Consider the outcome of these fiascos:

• In 2001, the Phillip Morris company suffered massive backlash after publishing an economic analysis that concluded: “Smoking is good for government coffers because it causes people to die prematurely, thereby saving pension and health care costs.” (Herald Tribune 7/18/2001)
• During the 2009 swine flu scare, Kellogg boxes falsely declared Rice Krispies cereal “Now Helps Support Your Child’s Immunity.” Critics had a field day.
• In 2014, Naked Juice deleted “all natural” from its bottle labels after the wording was judged inaccurate in a lawsuit that cost the company $9 million.

Let’s get it right. Before your finger goes to “send,” stop and reflect:  

Is your message on point? 

Accurate?

And crystal clear? 

Will it be effective—a resounding call to action? 

Does it distinguish your service/product?

And position your business for success?