The Ultimate Guide to Messaging: Crafting Your Company's Voice for Impact and Alignment
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Whether your team is guilty of it or not, the reality is that 'messaging' is one of those 'biz-talk' buzzwords that gets volleyed around in most corporate Zoom meetings like a hot potato. Eventually, it becomes one of those completely untethered, ethereal business concepts. You know the drill – every marketing meeting has at least one person saying, 'We just have to get our messaging right,' or 'This is really a problem with our messaging.' Then everyone nods sagely, but if you peek behind the curtain, there’s a good chance you’ll find a lot of blank stares. Why? Because, while everyone agrees that messaging is crucial, it's often as well-understood as quantum physics at a kindergarten show-and-tell. Oftentimes, there is also a critical disconnect internally around company messaging. In fact, “66% of leaders believe they’re aligned with employees — while only 44% of employees feel the same”—leading to a staggering gap in team alignment around company messaging, and a decreased ability for employees to engage new clients and communicate company value, which is a crucial step for client conversion.
So, let’s chat about something crucial but often shelved in the day to day chaos of business – messaging. It's like the secret sauce that gives your brand its flavor. Sure, you've got a fantastic mission, but how you communicate this to the world really makes the difference. So, buckle up as we dive into the what, how, and why of messaging, and discover the dance between overarching and targeted messaging.
What’s Messaging and Why Should You Care?
Imagine messaging as your b(r)and’s chart-topping, hit song. It’s what keeps your brand alive in the minds and hearts of your audience – engaged, humming along, and pre-saving your next album.
What It Is: Messaging isn't just a fancy way of saying 'marketing stuff’. It’s the concise, memorable, audience-aware narrative that brings together your values, unique selling points, and unique voice. Not to mention, “brand consistency can increase revenue by 10-20%”, which means that strategic and consistent messaging should be a key aspect of your business growth strategy!
Why It Matters: Think of messaging as your brand’s song to the world. It amplifies your value, connects emotionally with your audience and, if you’re doing it right, it even gets them to take action!
Crafting Your Messaging: Greatest Hits vs. The Remixes
We could get really deep in metaphors here, telling you that your leadership team is the maestro of your company’s symphony, your values are the very strings on which you play, and your unique differentiators are the…you get the idea.
Instead, here’s the short and sweet of it broken down into 3 simple things you’ll always need to remember about messaging:
There are some things you need to say over and over again, all the time if you can. This is your overarching messaging.
There’s some stuff you only have to say sometimes, when the right people are listening. This is your targeted, or audience-specific messaging. When it comes to successfully catering your messaging to target audiences, “87% of B2B marketers deem it crucial to communicate in a way that truly resonates with their target audiences”—so dedicate time into a developing a customized strategy here for each of your target audience groups!
Everything you say needs to be clear and consistent.
If you’re into the metaphors, here’s your version:
Your greatest hits album: Repeat the essentials over and over again, you want it to get stuck in someone’s head. This is your overarching messaging.
The remixes: These are your special editions, tailored for specific segments of your audience. They should still have the flavor of your greatest hits but tweaked to appeal to different listeners. This is your targeted, or audience-specific messaging.
Harmony: People need to be able to follow along with your song so keep it clear, in-tune, and on-beat.
See how we gave two versions there? One for our straight-arrow audience, and one for our metaphor-lovers? You don’t always have to (and likely shouldn’t) give multiple versions of your messaging all at once, but it’s a good baseline example of why you need different types of messaging: overarching and targeted.
Balancing the Two: A DJ’s Guide
Mixing overarching and targeted messaging is like being a DJ. You need to know when to play the hits and when to spin a custom remix.
Alignment – Keeping the Beat: Your targeted messaging should groove well with your overarching message. It should be a seamless part of your brand’s playlist.
Flexibility – Spinning Different Tracks: Adapt your messaging for different crowds while keeping the core beat of your brand consistent.
(W)rapping It Up: Messaging as Your Brand’s Headliner
Think of effective messaging as your brand’s headlining act. It’s not just about broadcasting your value; it's about creating an experience that resonates and sticks with your audience. So, keep your messaging clear, compelling, and, most importantly, true to your brand's rhythm!