What makes good messaging?

1. Can you recognize
good valued-based
messaging?

2. 3 Essentials ..
Creating messages that are
Understanding your relevant, can connect & tell a story.
customers and what
they value.
Discovering a value
proposition that
really resonates.

3. What’s a message?
A short assertion of unique value that the listener can connect with.
[Supported by points to get the message across.]
[The best messages are also credible, provable and don’t over-claim.]

4. Why tell stories?
Once upon a time and even now, we relate
more to “stories.” Even business messages
can be told as stories .. to engage, describe,
reinforce and assert the value of what we sell.

5. Who do you message to?
The hearts and minds
of people who really
The corporate buyer use the product?
about dollars and
cents?

6. Messaging is
only as good
as your
knowledge of
the customer &
what they
value
Based on anecdotes,
intuition, experience,
customer research or
feedback testing ...

7. Good messaging is aligned
to business needs
Where do we need to inform?
Where do we need to educate?
Where do we need to use messages
to create believers and persuade in
order to grow or sell our business?

8. A good message
strikes a chord.
Whether financial,
technological or personal, a
good message makes an
emotional connection with
the recipient.

9. A world class message is visceral

10. The best value props resonate.
Based on resonating
value of your offering to
the customer.
More than just the
ways in which you
differentiate against
your nearest
competitor.
More than just the
sum of features or
benefits of your
product.
Read Harvard Business Review

11. Good messaging is real.
Social media has changed the
rules. You are no longer in
control. (Get over it.)
“I had a bad experience.”
“You didn’t deliver on time.”
“I don’t like sales reps.”
“You are not being authentic.”
I”ll just tell my friends on Facebook.”
(http://www.thefacebookera.com)

12. Customer Set + Value drivers +
Value prop = Value-based messages
Answers
the
ques,ons
...
• Who
are
the
groups
or
types
of
customers
I
can
focus
on?
• What
do
they
value
and
how
do
they
measure
that?
• What
is
my
of
value
proposi,on?
Does
it
resonate?
• Do
my
messages
engage
and
tell
a
story,
are
they
relevant
and
describe
the
value
of
my
product
to
this
type
of
customer?

13. Messaging is the
foundation of
good content
marketing and
eMarketing
“Gone are the days when sales
people actively “sold” to
prospects and marketers would
participate in “interruption
marketing” .. regardless of
interest ..
Marketo

14. Get the message?
1. Do you really know your customers?
2. Do you know what they really value?
3. Do you know how your offerings really resonate?
4. Are your messages relevant and do they tell a story?