Patricia Butler Consulting

How does a Masters in English literature blend with a Masters in Landscape Architecture? I enjoy looking for the subtext in words and places, and once found, I work hard to make sure the messages communicated by the ‘media’ are the ones the sender wants delivered. People often ask me how a ‘place’ of business can communicate. How many times have you pulled into a parking lot and be unable to locate the business you are looking for or the designated parking spaces for it or even the front of the building? What are the messages the business is sending to potential customers? Of course, in Phoenix when temperatures hover around 110, finding a parking space near the entryway or in the shade sends a welcoming signal to customers.

Maybe business owners need to look objectively at their businesses’ exterior elements and decide whether they contribute or detract from a customer’s first impression. A parking facility with shade and clearly designated signage and parking spaces sends a subtle, welcoming message to all customers.

While looking at the past discussion topics on an ethnography forum, I read a contributor’s comment on the power of the story. He then referred his readers to the website Days with My Father, a site that demonstrates how powerfully a story can connect with readers. Even if this site did not have the photographs, its words would still resonate. Once again, the lesson is that carefully chosen meaningful words connect on many levels.

When creating a website, many people overlook an important and obvious element that contributes to their businesses’ credibility – grammatical correctness! I’m amazed at the common errors I see. If a business doesn’t care enough about proofreading its website content, then how likely will it be to attend to the details for a paying customer? But, a website is only one method of communication, and as a wise marketer − Harry Beckwith − said, “All communicating is marketing!”