How to Create Great Messaging
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The document discusses the importance of effective messaging and provides tips for developing strong messaging. It notes that messaging needs to be simple, compelling, specific, differentiated and defensible to connect with audiences. The document also cautions that startups often struggle with messaging because they focus too much on products instead of customers. It then outlines a messaging framework involving discovery, research, brainstorming, developing the message, testing it, and spreading the word. An example case study shows how one company improved its messaging by focusing on customer happiness instead of initially using the term "scrappy," which failed to resonate and created trust issues. The document stresses that strong messaging should be integrated throughout an organization.
How to Create Great Messaging
- 1. THE ART & SCIENCE OF MESSAGING MARK EVANS ME CONSULTING
- 2. MESSAGING IS You need it to connect with customers, investors, potential employees, the press, etc. and if you don’t have a simple, compelling message, they won’t bother to learn more. - David Skok
- 3. >The averager person sees or hears 100,000 words/day of content
- 4. WHAT IS GREAT MESSAGING? Simple. Compelling. Specific. Differentiated. Defensible. Des Traynor, Intercom
- 5. MESSAGING How how can it really be to tell people what you do, who you serve and why it matters?
- 6. MESSAGING IS DIFFICULT Startups struggle due to 2 reasons: - They product-centric (love to talk about product, features, price), rather than customer-centric - They don’t know their customers well enough. Many don’t have buyer personas.
- 7. MESSAGING FRAMEWORK DISCOVERY The brain dump RESEARCH Looking at the competitive landscape BRAINSTORMING Focusing on ideas, words and phrases MESSAGING Drawing a line in the sand TESTING What do others think? POLLINATION Spreading the word
- 9. Our overall message didn’t match our sales pitch. At first, this was on purpose. Then, it was holding us back.
- 10. Here is where we started.
- 12. No storytelling. Message was boring. Not seen as thought leader.
- 14. It’s in our DNA!
- 16. SCRAPPY Failed. Created trust issues. Made us look small. We killed it. And any similar words.
- 17. Prospects said their mission was to have great customer experiences. Settled on “happiness”. Happy employees sell the most. Happy customers stay for life.
- 18. We tested it during sales process. It worked! Now it’s our theme. Everywhere.
- 20. Illustrations
- 21. Security doc
- 22. Cards
- 26. Activities
- 27. Messages should affect everything.
Editor's Notes
- #2: Congratulations to Rowan and his team for putting on the conference. I’ve always been a believer in the power of messaging. As a reporter, I created messaging about technology companies and technology trends. As a marketing consultant, I work with many startups looking to use message to establish a foothold. This presentation is split into two parts – the first section will provide some context around the value of messaging and how to create. The second part will be a case study involving a client, Statflo, and how it went through a refresh of its messaging.
- #3: It goes without saying that messaging is important. You could argue it’s most important than ever. Brands need to effectively and quickly connect with multiple stakeholders – customers, employees, analysts, media, partners. We live in an instant gratification world - there’s no room to be cute, obtuse or obscure. In many cases, you only one shot at capturing the spotlight.
- #4: Think about how much information and content we’re consuming and processing every day Think about how smartphones make it so easy to consume at all times – waiting in lineups, in bed, etc.
- #5: Great blog about the importance of words; popular blog post about using tabs vs. folders. Intercom is an excellent example of a company that understand product marketing….and storytelling.
- #6: How hard can it be to create a story or message about your company and product? You live and breath it every day. You understand how the product works and why people would buy it.
- #7: But many companies struggle with messaging – even companies with good products that deliver lots of value. They struggle for two reasons They are product-centric They lack perspective, driven by the fact they don’t talk to their customers enough. Strong messaging comes from knowing your customers inside out. I’m always surprised by how many companies haven’t created buyer personas.
- #9: Now I’ve given you a taste of message conceptually and hopefully provided some context, let’s look at messaging in the real-world. I’d like to introduce Kevin Gervais, co-founder of Statflo, a client. Statflo is a fast-growing company that offers a Saas-based platform that lets wireless carriers and dealers offer better customer service – imagine that! Kevin is going to walk you through how Statflo embraced a new approach to messaging and how it has impacted the business.
- #10: I wanted to start with the old messaging to give people some context – a fast-growing company with messaging that needs to be refreshed. You can provide the why this needed to happen.
- #11: I wanted to start with the old messaging to give people some context – a fast-growing company with messaging that needs to be refreshed. You can provide the why this needed to happen.
- #12: I wanted to start with the old messaging to give people some context – a fast-growing company with messaging that needs to be refreshed. You can provide the why this needed to happen.
- #13: I wanted to start with the old messaging to give people some context – a fast-growing company with messaging that needs to be refreshed. You can provide the why this needed to happen.
- #14: Statflo liked the idea of scrappy because
- #15: Scrappy was tested as a concept by using it as the theme of a TechTO talk. It was a good way to see if a messaging concept worked.
- #16: VC didn’t like scrapping. They felt it wasn’t becoming for a VC-backed company because it created the right impression.
- #17: VC didn’t like scrapping. They felt it wasn’t becoming for a VC-backed company because it created the right impression.
- #18: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #19: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #20: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #21: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #22: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #23: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #24: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #25: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #26: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #27: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.
- #28: In looking at Statflo’s mission, we decided “happy” was a good concept because ultimately Statflo wanted to make customers happy. If customers are happy, sales reps are happy and dealers are happy.