The Proof of the Pudding
My grandmother used to say “The Proof of the Pudding is in the Eating” whenever anyone complimented her on the aroma of her kitchen. She knew that if the meal didn’t hold up to its mouth-watering aroma’s promise, her reputation was at stake.
Too bad so many business owners don’t understand that concept when it comes to their marketing.
Just today I saw an online article in which the author claimed his was “the fastest growing….company in the world.” Hhmm… really? The fastest growing in the world?
In my industry, fact checking is critical. I don’t take claims as fact unless they are documented and provable. So I checked the company’s website. He’s a relatively new, tiny business in a tiny town. There are no indicators on the website that would give credence to his claim that he is “the fastest growing…company in the world.”
In my industry—copy writing and marketing—you don’t make claims you can’t substantiate. Filling your marketing materials with puffery doesn’t help you — it hurts you. It hurts your credibility and your reputation. It hurts your sales, too.
So take a look at your website, flyers, brochures—even your business card. Are they truly representative of your business, or full of puffery and unprovable claims? How tasty is your pudding?
