I'm reading the fantastic: 'The unpublished David Ogilvy' - a must read if you want to know how the mind of a genius of advertising works.
And it teaches you many important business lessons - one of which I want to give you here.
The book itself takes you through his storied life as head of Ogilvy & Mather in a rather unique way ...
It contains notes, memo's, scripts, reports and many other written pieces that help build a picture of his thinking.
It demonstrates, time and again, the importance of good communication.
And in one note he writes: "Every advertisement is part of the long-term investment in the personality of the brand."
Absolutely true. But I'd take this one step further and suggest it applies to any form of communication you use today.
Think about it ...
Every email, social post, letter, quote, invoice, text, message, and so on ...
Becomes an extension of the 'brand' you represent.
This brand could be the company your work for ...
Or it could be you yourself.
I, for example, risk damaging my own professional credibility and brand by posting my inane thoughts for the world to see here every day.
I at least hope some of my ramblings present you with some interesting business tips.
And the lesson here is a simple one:
Whatever form your communication takes ...
However menial and insignificant you think it is ...
An IM to your boss. A Wotsapp message to a colleague. An email to your customer. A meeting with a prospect ...
Today's small business tip is: ... consider the words you use.
Are they clear? Are they inclusive of the listener/reader? Do they inspire action? Do they stand out from the noise?
Each and every time you communicate you risk damaging the personality of your brand - but you also increase the chances of improving it.
So make sure the words you use, and the way they are presented, give off the best impression of you they can.
Best,