In business, change is inevitable. But confusion does not have to be.

When your company is undergoing a transition, whether it's a merger, rebranding, or a shift in strategy, what you say matters. How you say it matters even more.

If your website says one thing, your sales deck says another, and your teams are each telling their own version of the story, your audience will be left unsure of what to believe. Not your clients. Not your partners. Not even your employees.

Clear and consistent messaging creates alignment. It builds trust. It connects what your company is doing to what people understand and believe. It is one of the most powerful tools you have to make change feel real.

Meet Our Guest, Charlie Cosad

When you’ve worked across more than 15 countries, led through multiple acquisitions, and helped steer one of the largest oilfield service companies in the world, you learn a few things about change. 

For Charlie Cosad, change was never something to fear. It was the constant thread throughout his 38-year career at Schlumberger. Whether facing competitive threats or integrating tens of thousands of employees during a $10 billion acquisition, Charlie learned that the difference between chaos and clarity often comes down to how well you tell the story.

In this conversation with Matt and Ward, Charlie reflects on pivotal career moments and the lessons that shaped his leadership. He shares how simplifying complex ideas, creating alignment, and focusing on consistent messaging became critical in building internal and external trust. 

From identifying top talent to helping clients feel like the hero, Charlie's insights offer a clear reminder that every decision, message, and move a company makes needs to align with the story it tells.

Listen to the full conversation here.

Consistent Messaging Is a Business Decision

One of the most important ideas Charlie shared is something every company needs to hear: Consistent messaging is not a branding decision, it is a business decision.

When companies make changes to their structure, products, services, or strategy, messaging cannot be treated as an afterthought. You can’t simply hand it off to marketing and expect them to fill in the blanks. The message must clearly reflect what the business is doing and why it matters to the client.

That means leadership has to own it. Sales has to live it. Marketing has to shape it. Every single person who speaks on behalf of the company must truly understand and believe in the company's core values, beliefs, and vision. If what you say does not match what you do, people will see right through it. And they will stop listening.

Your Website Is the First Proof Point

Your website is often the first thing someone notices about your company. It is where potential clients, partners, and even potential employees go to learn more about who you are and what you stand for. If your messaging is inconsistent, unclear, or disconnected from your actual business strategy, it creates confusion and weakens trust.

As Charlie put it, “Inconsistencies are a mouse click away.” If your website says one thing, your sales team says another, and your customer experience delivers something entirely different, your credibility suffers. People lose trust quickly, and you may not get a second chance.

This is why your website should be treated as more than just a marketing asset. It is a living representation of your business strategy and your brand promise. It should be clear, aligned, and intentionally crafted to reflect the value you bring. 

Consistent messaging across your website and every other customer touchpoint is essential to creating a story people believe.

Make Your Client the Hero of Their Story

If there’s one insight that stuck with us from our conversation with Charlie, it’s this: your messaging should focus on the customer, not the company.

Whether you’re launching a website, preparing a sales pitch, or navigating a major change, the story should center on your client’s needs, goals, and challenges. Not your product. Not your leadership. Not your internal milestones.

When you position the client as the hero, the message becomes more relatable and effective. You show how you help them solve problems, reduce friction, and create opportunity. And when people see themselves in the story, they are much more likely to believe it and act on it.

This is where consistent messaging matters most. It ensures that every touchpoint reinforces the same client-first story, regardless of who tells it or where it is shared. When your internal teams stay aligned around a clear, client-centered message, it builds trust and momentum.

You are not just promoting what you do. You are showing the difference it can make in their world. That is the difference between messaging that gets ignored and messaging that earns attention and credibility.