Three steps to STAYING ON MESSAGE!

No, although the current election brought the thought to mind, I’m not talking about politics. I’m talking about how every year it gets harder to make sure that your company’s (or brand’s, or product’s) message is being consistently communicated.

Even before advertising and mass communication, companies worked hard to keep their individual salespeople singing out of the same hymnal. Then we added in print and broadcast media. And today we’ve piled on the internet and social media. And it’s not just the different mediums. You also have to consider the type of communication--promotional versus brand-building versus public relations.

In today’s attention-challenged world, it makes sense that you want your company’s message confined to a handful of easily understood and remembered points (hopefully focused on competitive advantages). Frankly, you’re doing well if you can communicate that much!

So here are three steps you should ensure are being taken by your marketing team:

1) Know what your message is.
Keep it simple-- no more than two to three points.
Focus on competitive advantages--if your points are generic, they’re just as likely to be associated with the competition in consumers’ minds.
Make sure you’ve got internal buy-in for your messaging (you don’t need co-workers sabotaging you by delivering by communicating conflicting information)

2) Make sure everyone in your company knows what your message is. EVERYONE! The service department, manufacturing, billing, the company lawyers, the distribution department, and your mother. Because if they don’t know what the official message is, they will make up their own. And you won’t necessarily be happy with what they choose.

3) Make it someone’s responsibility to continually monitor what’s being said about your company to ensure it is consistent with your message. Not just online (although that’s an important venue), but in any communication and on any materials your company disseminates. Advertisements, news releases, promotional items, trade show literature, letterheads-- everything! If you’re not vigilant, you’ll be surprised how fast and how far you can drift off message.

In any competitive situation, it matters what you say. Make sure you’re saying what you want to about your company, brand or product. It will pay off!

If you’d like assistance in staying on message, YOUR CMO is here, and happy to help