How developing clear messaging will help you grow your business
As a business owner or brand custodian it’s natural to feel passionate about the solutions you provide and the vast features and benefits of your services or products. You’ve listened to your customers, observed market trends, identified pain points and worked hard to provide something hard hitting and superior.
It is very likely your customers will receive your solution well, but when expanding your business to a wider network, it’s time to think beyond features and benefits by taking a closer look at your underlying messaging strategy.
What is a marketing messaging strategy?
Marketing messaging is all about how brands communicate.
It’s about tapping into what your brand represents, and how your solution and approach makes your target market feel.
We’re not talking about romantic music and touchy-feely soft pastels – unless of course that approach fits with your brand!
Marketing messaging is about harnessing the way your customers will feel when they embrace what you’re selling. Because, while features and benefits are important, they aren’t what will attract your potential customer. Your target customer needs to first understand how you’re going to change their life – that part is very simple, but harder when you’re close to your business and are entrenched in the intricacies of what you’re selling.
Getting super clear about your target audience
At the heart of every marketing strategy is your target market and when talking about communication strategies – this is your target audience.
It’s important to take time to identify who your target audiences are. It’s best to start with no more than 2 to 3 target audiences and get to know them very well.
Articulate demographic information, like their gender, age and occupation. Also consider psychographics, involving their attitudes and beliefs.
Then look at if there are primary or secondary target markets. Your focus will be on your primary market, but it’s worth differentiating how these audiences are different, as you will need to shift your messaging accordingly.
Contact us for more information about defining your target audience personas.
What do your target markets need?
As a business owner you’ve heard it before. Identify pain points and solve them. That part is clear, but you can break that down further.
- For B2B businesses, what are typical problems or challenges your audiences face as an industry or across their whole company?
- As individuals or niche groups, what is keeping them up at night on a personal level?
Where are your business strategies not cutting through?
You’ve finally got the meeting, presented your proposal. And then crickets.
Or, you redesign your website to explain every aspect of your product or service and promote it regularly on social media. There is a trickle of interest and support from friends and current customers, but then…
It is super frustrating when you know your product or service can change people’s lives.
So, let’s get clear on where your communication gaps are.
Take the time to identify:
- Objections – Why did a sale not happen?
- Competitors – Is something else available your potential customers may be used to purchasing or that is superior?
- Decision-makers – Are you talking to the right person in the right way?
Let’s focus on your brightest opportunities
Where would you like to shine and who do you feel you could help most?
Start with what lights you up, offerings most closely aligned to your vision and in line with your financial goals.
How do you want to be perceived?
Developing fantastic messaging really comes down to becoming very intentional about your values, mission and vision.
- Your core values – because business flows way more easily when working with those we’re aligned with.
- Your mission – What are you here to achieve? Setting it out clearly and including it your messaging helps to set the tone.
- Your vision – We’re all on a business journey, and your future clients love hearing about what you have in store.
Clear messaging helps you gain a competitive advantage
Do you provide the highest quality, the only business offering a particular specialisation or are you the friendliest and most approachable? Highlighting that in your messaging is key to differentiating yourself from competitors.
How do you want your audience to feel when consuming your marketing messages? This is the kicker.
You want them to have a taste of how they’d feel when purchasing it.
- Relieved
- Excited
- Empowered
- Content
- Confident
Think about not only what problem your product or service solves, but the end result of how it feels to consume it.
Our hope is you’ll feel empowered and confident when working with us.
Interested in exploring how to supercharge your marketing messaging and developing stellar content? Reach out for a chat.
