If you want to communicate clearly and connect properly with your audience, it might be time to build a key messaging framework. This is a guideline document that maps out the messages that should be communicated about your brand, product, service, or new feature.
Generally, the key messaging documents we develop for our clients contain elements such as key benefits, target audience, messaging triggers, and key messages broken into a header and description. Here’s why it pays to get your framework right.
If you don’t already have a clear idea of what sets your product or service apart from competitors, break it down. By taking the time to do some competitor and customer research, you’ll identify what it is that differentiates you from similar businesses. If you already have this worked out, great! Use it to guide your key messages so your marketing and sales teams have a clear understanding of what makes your offering different.
Once you know who your target audience is and what their pain points are, you’ll be able to identify what features of your product or service actually matter to them. Keeping your customer pain points and competitor differentiators front of mind is important for creating a successful messaging document.
At the beginning of your framework, you might like to include key benefits to provide context for your messaging. Then, you can carry these throughout to make sure they’re consistently and clearly communicated across your various channels.
It’s easy to lose sight of what matters most when you have a lot of assets to create. With messaging founded on a deep understanding of your audience and the competitive landscape, you’ll keep it clear and focused on the most important points. It makes your marketing efforts more effective, your content more meaningful, and your job a lot easier.
Being clear and consistent in your messaging helps establish credibility. It shows that you know who you are, you know your product and you understand your audience. If you’re highlighting features that aren’t that interesting or your communications are fragmented, it’s not going to do much to inspire confidence with the people you’re trying to connect with. A key messaging framework helps refine and streamline your marketing.
Having your messaging ready to go means you’re not starting from square one when you produce new assets. When you have a resource to use as a launchpad, it will boost your team’s efficiency when they’re creating social media posts, email marketing, ads, or other collateral. This is great at the best of times, but particularly valuable when you’re time poor and need your processes to run as seamlessly as possible.
They say knowledge is power—that’s exactly what a messaging document gives your team. By putting in the work to lay out your key messages, you set your people up for success. No matter who is producing collateral, your framework can be used as a reference point across your business to make sure everyone is communicating the same impactful messages.
Next time you’re planning a campaign, launching a new product, or announcing a new feature, make sure you have your story straight. Take the time to plan out your messages to increase their impact, optimise your marketing efforts, and give your business the best chance of being heard. You’ll thank yourself for it.
If you don’t have the time or expertise to craft a key messaging framework, let’s talk! Get in touch on 1300 867 678 or hello@ravel.com.au.
5 December 2023