Good marketing in many ways resembles good music. If everything is working together, it sounds great – and if some part of the messaging is hitting wrong notes, it can make the entire thing sound like crap.

I was meditating on this the other day when being impressed by the last flight of Delta Airlines Song brand. Financial mis-management doomed the brand – but their message was perfect, from the helpful baggage warnings (“Your small bags are happier under your seat”, with appropriate artistic cartoon) to the announcements (“We’d love to help you with your seatbelts, but our HR department has forbidden it”), to the attitude maintained even on the final flight.

In contrast, consider Sears. I have no idea what attributes Sears has. Their advertising says “softer side” – but their craftsman tools sponsor mechanics events, and their salespeople (in any department) seem to be generally uninterested in any sort of human interaction whatsoever.

Why does this matter? Because good message (brand) consistency drives the right people to come to you. Have a weak message? Prepare to spend more on advertising – and achieve lower sales with it, even as you see high customer dis-satisfaction rates (because their expectations aren’t met).

So take a moment. Consider your message. Then go experience your company as a customer, and ask – what does your marketing say? What’s the purchase experience like? Your salespeople? Your support or customer service? Your storefront or distribution channels? Your documentation and packaging? Is it all consistent?

If it is, congrats. Tell me, I’ll feature you. But if (as I suspect) it isn’t, go fix that element – or risk becoming an out-of harmony tune. And when everything else is an A, no-one likes a b-flat.

[ps: Please buy my book. http://buynow.stupidmarketing.com -- and tell your friends!]