Messaging 101
January 22, 2014
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” -‐ Zig Ziglar
What do you do?
How are you unique?
Why should I care?
What is Messaging?
Lets companies effecDvely talk about their products and the key benefits to the right target audiences.
Messaging (aka Core Messaging)
Why is Messaging Important?
• Answers the “So What?” ques4on • Highlights your unique quali4es • Differen4ates you from rivals • Posi4ons you within the marketplace
Sets the Table for MarkeDng
PercepDon is Reality
Photo credit: hEp://bit.ly/1fRu9fK
Why is Messaging So Challenging?
A Lack of PerspecDve
Sadly….It’s All About You
"I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal.” -‐ Ron Burgundy
Unclear What You Actually Do
Spotlight on Features, Not Benefits
vs. Features Benefits
How to
Messaging
Make the Customer King
Put Yourself in the Other Person’s Shoes
Photo credit: hEp://bit.ly/1jofiaF
Collect Ideas from Everyone
100 blog post ideas in less than 5 hours – via
Marcus Sheridan (aka The Sales
Lion)
Be Open to New
Get Unbiased PerspecDve
The Messaging Process
Discovery
What do you do?
What do you do?
What problems are you solving?
What do you do?
What problem are you solving?
Who needs it?
What do you do?
What problem are you solving?
Who needs it?
What’s in it for me?
CompeDDve Ecosystem
Financial management Financial soWware School fund accoun4ng needs
Integrated solu4on Control of budgets & spending
Sophis4cated workflow
Integrated accoun4ng and payment pla\orm
Fraud preven4on Clean audits
Integrate important financial, budge4ng and procurement data
Centralize tasks and processes Real-‐4me insight
Amazing produc4vity BeEer technology
Solu4ons that help schools to maximize their resources
Seamless integra4on
Talk to Customers or PotenDal Customers
Target Audiences
Be Different, Unique…or Both
Photo credit: hEp://bit.ly/1eNhhBZ
Draw a Line in the Sand
What are the goals for the blog? How will you measure its success?
Messaging
Key Benefits
Value ProposiDons
Leading Features
Boilerplate
Elevator Pitch
PosiDoning Statement
The Three C’s
One More Thing………
Never. Stop. Tweaking.
Resources How to come up with value propositions when what you sell isn’t unique http://bit.ly/1hVbvU8 SWOT Analysis – How to do it properly! http://bit.ly/1dOD8qQ The value of value propositions http://www.markevans.ca/2013/10/29/value-value-propositions/ For startups, perceptions is reality http://www.markevans.ca/2014/01/14/perception/ Why Simple Websites are Scientifically Better http://conversionxl.com/why-simple-websites-are-scientifically-better/
