Nailing Down Your Brand Message

We’ve been having a lot of conversations lately about messaging. Specifically, clients are coming to us looking for help clarifying their messages. They’re trying to find the right words to capture who they are, what they do, and why anyone should care. Sounds simple, right?

Unfortunately, nailing down a strong marketing message can be a lot easier said than done. The goal is simple, but getting there can be challenging. To be successful, here are three types of words to avoid…

Buzzwords
“We exist to bring synergy to the new-normal, optimizing results with out-of-the-box thinking.” Wait, what does that even mean? Sure, there’s room to use buzzwords sparingly, but too often, brands create buzzword-bursting messages for their websites and elevator pitches that come off as meaningless and confusing. If the person on the other end of your message has to spend time trying to decipher and translate what you just said, you already lost them. Our brains are hardwired to do the least amount of work possible and not burn unnecessary energy… like figuring out what your buzzwords actually mean.

Throwaway Words
“The things that differentiate our brand are trust, quality, and our service.” One of the greatest mistakes we see in brand messaging is the use of throwaway words that are essentially meaningless. Everyone already EXPECTS you to be trustworthy, deliver quality, and have good service. If you’re not already doing that, you shouldn’t be in business. Those are the bare-minimum expectations – not the things you can lean into to differentiate you from your competitors. Plus, your competitors are all probably making this same mistake, so you’re all saying the same thing. No one wins.

Inauthentic Words…
“As a brand, we are innovative, strategic, and collaborative.” If you’re going to claim it, you better be able to prove it. And, you better be able to back it up with examples. If you can’t, you will come off as inauthentic and not genuine, which quickly erodes trust. Too often, brands desperately want to be something but aren’t there yet. Here’s a reality check… “Fake it until you make it” is not a strategy. Your customers will sniff that out in an instant, and you’ll spend the rest of your time trying to convince them that you’re the real deal. The alternative? Tell them who you really are and what makes you a brand they want to connect with. Be real and create real connections.

Call-to-Action
Nail it down. Avoid some of the mistakes we shared above, and start to create strong marketing messages for your brand that will attract prospects and connect with your customers.

Need a little help? Reach out to us today for some one-on-one consultation, or visit strongmarketingmessages.com to check out our on-demand course and video coaching for creating your own brand messages.

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