Why if you believe in your truth, they will follow

Let’s not talk about fake news, lets’ talk about your point of view. I’m not going to argue that since you have a point of view, no matter what, that it’s not fake. What I’m going to argue is that when you believe in your point of view, no matter what, that’s your truth and can be the truth of others. There will be people who believe what you say, no matter what. While that may not be good – as we have witnessed over the decades – there are those leaders whose truth offers hope for the few or many. With that said, I believe that there are four “C”s of truth that when executed effectively create a following that will grow.

Credibility

I think this is the most important of the four “C”s because without it, nothing will follow. And, it can be built in various ways. Some build credibility through example of what they have done, what they have written (ie. a book), who they have worked for, and such. In the PR world, we show press in words what problems a company has solved. The “proof” can come in various forms such as a press release announcing a new product, financing secured, new hires, etc., which weaves into a business case for why Company X should be written about in the media.

Content

I would say that the kind of content you create is more critical than how much you make. You’re not simply vying to have the largest share of voice, but also be top of mind. When a customer needs a Gadget, who’s to say that Company X will pop up in his/her mind? If the content offers a unique value proposition and isn’t commercial, then chances are that it will stand out and be remembered. I am not suggesting that all content be non-commercial, but select pieces should be geared toward what the Company stands for and believes in as that will resonate the most with its intended, targeted to, audiences. Connection is key.

Consistency

Of course, this should go without saying. If your truth isn’t consistent from one sentence to another, give it up. Successful companies are cheerleaders for their vision and mission. Everything else is neatly tied under that bow. You may not get everyone on board across all of your targets, but you will certainly resonate with your most important audiences. And, they will want more of what you have to say. Consistency can surface as using certain words as descriptors or a particular style or tone. Over a period of time, of yet to be determined by “outside of your control factors,” you can choose to branch off from one truth to another while still maintaining a consistent message. This can also be accomplished through video.

Culpability

Last and not least, Company X needs to be accountable for every last word they say. Whether it’s in a speech, video, online or on social, questions may arise that need to be answered. You will need to be prepared to address issues which may arise from your stakeholders or haters. If your offering is complicated or if your organization scales quickly, a crisis communications plan may be needed. No one is created equal. Some organizations have used infographics to educate their staffers on what to do while others have created long form documents with escalation rules and procedures. All of these documents should be reviewed by your legal team.

Conclusion

We each live in our own separate universes. My point of view, my line of sight, is not yours. You have a different view because you are a different person. When combined, together we can agree on what we believe is our collective truth and document how that message is of value to us and how we believe that it will be of value to others. At the end of the day, what matters more than how many followers we have is what value are those followers to our organizations and how can we work with them to make an impact in our world - the one that we all believe is true.