Wendy MacQueen

Did you ever stop to think about how social media has hurled us into a world filled almost entirely with written words? We don’t even take time to talk on the phone any more… quickly texting instead, message after message after message.

Not a big deal? Maybe not.

Wendy MacQueen, of Mormac Brand Re-Engineering, is an energetic and articulate marketing consultant who shed some interesting light on the subject during a program presented last week for members of the Blue Water Chamber of Commerce.  Among several thought-provoking observations, was information about a Harvard study that had shown how the actual words we say make up only 7% of our total message. Tone of voice contributes 38% and body language adds the remaining 55%. So what happens when we are consistently sending and receiving messages that are… well…  93% hidden?

I’d really like your comments on this one!

Personally, it brings to mind the writings of Canadian communications thought leader Marshall McLuhan, who helped the world understand how the methods we use to communicate can often have a stronger message than the message itself.  If he were still alive, his reaction to today’s digital world would be enlightening.

Where is all this change taking us? On one hand, social media is bringing us closer together with frequent updates. Is it possible, though, that we are also being pulled apart with messages that share only 7% of the total picture?

Wendy’s program was filled with practical tips on building relationships with customers, colleagues, and others by understanding how to communicate and work with different personality types. She shared how to successfully travel the sales  journey by keeping the experience grounded in the customer’s world. I appreciate the Chamber  making this program possible.