Key messaging refers to the core communication points your company wants to convey to its audience and it’s a critical component for lasting success in a crowded market. Pinpoint your company’s key messages and you can establish clear communication with your audience and put yourself in a strong position to change minds about your product.
So how do you define your key messages? First you need to understand your audience so you can tailor messaging to address their concerns and priorities. Once you’ve done this, you need to consider and highlight how your company addresses these needs and provides unique value to the customer – this is a sure-fire way to make your products stand out in a crowded market.
Alongside this, you must use clear and concise language that impacts your audience and explains your unique value in short, sharp points – overcomplicated wordplay or lengthy messaging will only detract from the impact your key messages have.
A strong reputation is built on effective communication and brand image is incredibly important in the fight for business. Customers seek convenient solutions; if your brand is known to them and your key messages align with their needs you can start to build long-term partnerships.
Clear key messaging also helps keep everyone on the same page; if all employees are certain of what the brand means, it will show externally from sales through to product design. Good key messages have the power to unify your company.
Key messaging should also be subject to regular inspections and improvement. It’s important to monitor how your messages are received and gather feedback. The industry evolves and so should your communication alongside it.
In order to change minds regarding the use of your product, your potential customers need to see your products in a more positive light than their current supplier, a supplier they will likely already have a relationship with – which you will have to overcome. Key messaging is the perfect place to display your industry expertise, tell the story of your brand and highlight the unique benefits of your product that sets you apart.
Once you have your key messages set, you can move onto visibility, identifying the media channels they need to be seen in. Key messages should also be adapted for different mediums (a quick tweet and an in-depth white paper obviously require different approaches) but the core messages should not differ.
By nailing your key messages, you create a solid foundation for all PR and marketing efforts and considerably increase your chances of changing minds about your products and beating the competition.