Message in a Bottle

At Bluetext, getting the messaging right before we execute any campaign or strategic endeavor is critical. We had a great meeting this week with a prospective client to discuss our approach to messaging in advance of a large rebranding effort. They have spent a lot of time inside their own walls discussing the right words to describe the business. We compiled some thoughts on the inputs required to develop an effective messaging platform. Here are six areas to think about for developing a corporate messaging platform. I am sure that others have many more to add. Would love other thoughts you have that may be missing here?

• Get the inside perspective. Talk to executives, customer facing staff, and other staff who can provide valuable insight into product, solution or strategy.
• Get the outside perspective. Talk to partners, customers, and prospective buyers to understand their needs and preferences.
• Make sure your messaging is a direct response to a clear and measurable market challenge. Use your research to ensure there is a clear and measurable market challenge; make sure that your messaging can address the “so what” factor.
• Conduct an analysis of how your competitors are messaging to identify opportunities to drive differentiation.
• Ensure your messaging speaks commandingly not only about who you are and why people should care, but also provides a market perspective to drive thought leadership; customers like working with thought leaders.
• Don’t forget to perform an SEO analysis to ensure word choice and structure align with the words the market is searching for.

Contact me at michael@bluetext.com to discuss your messaging challenges.