Building a Strategic Narrative Messaging Framework
- 1. Strategic Narrative Messaging and Marketing An Overview Boulder Marcom Group October 30, 2014
- 2. Today’s Objectives • Examine positioning and messaging from a higher, industry level perspective • Outline the basics of the strategic narrative and how can it help align companies • Discuss practical approaches to strategic narrative messaging and marketing • Leave with a new mindset
- 3. Messaging Challenges • Crafting messaging that is truly compelling and stands out is difficult • Traditional positioning and messaging approaches often are too inward and self-centered • Many companies explain “how” they do things – not what they do • They leave it to others to define their market space • They lack a central “cause” that all facets of the business can rally behind
- 4. The Opportunity • Organizations can define existing or new categories as a means of creating a market-leading position • The “category story” becomes the basis of a corporate narrative that engages influencers, employees, investors, partners and customers, and impacts perceptions and drives positive change • The narrative becomes more than a marketing message; its a corporate strategy that reaches all facets of business • It can be leveraged through PR and marketing campaigns • The results are profound – helping align companies and providing a roadmap to execute against
- 5. Strategic Narratives • Strategic Narratives are central to the practice of international relations. Governments use narratives strategically to achieve desired objectives: defining their countries’ identities, explaining their role in the world, identifying allies and enemies, establishing the nature of the relationships among them; contextualizing historical events, as well as policy decisions. • They provide a “concise statement of what it is doing, why, and how that links to a positive vision of the future with the individual actions of members of its own societies and members of other societies whom it wishes to influence”
- 6. Strategic Narrative Messaging • Defines the landscape and trends – Industry level, category focused – then company “what” • Vision for the Future – Market segment growth/promise, company “cause/purpose” • What the Company Does – Advance cause and industry, customer benefits tied to trends • Tangible Company-wide – Brings company vision to life – everyone can support it • Single Message, Company-wide Initiative – Clear, with purpose, confidence and pride • Open and Inclusive – Company, industry and competitors – the more the merrier 6
- 7. Basis of Strategic Narrative Market Dynamics Popular Perceptions Challenges Opportunities Best Practices Benefits/ Value Strategic Narrative Discussion • Think up at industry level • THINK BIG! • Be provocative, contrarian and bold • Think like a visionary Don’t worry about competitors • Think like a teacher • But, act like a leader! • Dare to change the world! 7
- 8. #1 Add Context to Mega-trends • Most industries are being disrupted – define the mash-up of industry dynamics? • Aim to provide insight and context into industry trends • Provide a viewpoint and opinion on what’s happening outside of your own company
- 9. #2 Define and Honor the Category • Step outside of your company to define the category as you see it • How can your company advance the adoption and the evolution of the category? • Is there a process or framework you can develop and “give” to the industry? • Always make it a priority to champion the overall good of your category or market space
- 10. #3 Shape a Better World • Outline a vision statement for the industry • Where would you like to see your industry in three to five years? • What contributions can your market segment make to industry/customers/mankind?
- 11. #4 Define Your Role • Define your company’s goals and course of action • What overall role do you play in the world you’ve defined? • What is the company vision for innovation? • How will it benefit customers and align with the mega-trends you’ve defined?
- 12. #5 Be Inclusive • Don’t define a strategic narrative that “only applies to us” • Re-shaping a category/industry – welcome visitors, including competitors! • Think how it touches each and every employee, partner, customer and influencer • Talk less about yourself, and more about the world you live in
- 13. Strategic Narrative Website and Digital Marketing Analyst Relations Media Relations Content Marketing Thought Leadership Social Media Rally Around and Promote the Narrative!
- 15. What does CodeFutures Stand for? • A new, much-needed approach for gaining value from databases and the data they hold • Total commitment to data agility – through a combination of streaming technology and flash • Accelerating access to information that matters for real-time big data and operational intelligence • Simplifying data access complexity – with back-end structure for dynamic customization • Making databases more agile and useful • Aligning big data and IT process agility – “Agile” • Sharing knowledge and expertise
- 16. What Do We Do – Tagline Set-up We’re all about agile data, combining flexibility with structure, the ability to leverage big data to its fullest, and enabling the real-time enterprise That’s what CodeFutures does!
- 17. CodeFutures: Making Your Data Agile Championing: Agile Big Data