Brand Messaging: Communication that Connects With Your Audience
Madison Gosselin | InternA brand’s messaging is similar to making friends. Hear me out – how do you make friends? First you’re typically drawn in by something, whether it’s appearance (branding) or a connection (messaging); however, the ultimate deciding factor in most friendships is how a person makes you feel. A brand’s messaging is just that – how your company makes people feel through communication! Being able to communicate your brand, products, or services through text is like having a conversation with someone. It gives people a first impression and helps establish a connection with your audience while guiding customer decisions and differentiating you from the competition. Here are some of the key components of brand messaging.
Brand Attributes
First things first, what keywords do you want customers to use when they think or talk about your brand? Also called brand attributes, these adjectives should be the feelings and thoughts you want to invoke throughout your marketing, including your printed pieces, website and social media posts. Having a set of commonly used words keeps your messaging to your customers consistent and impactful.
You can determine your brand attributes by brainstorming with your team to see what words come to mind when you think of your brand. It might surprise you that, while some words will be the same and have the same feel, some can be completely different! Is your brand sassy and playful? Or is it a little more sophisticated and sincere? Once you have a consensus on what the brand attributes are, you’ll have a guide to communicate with consumers accordingly.
Narrative
The next component of messaging is the narrative, which is a written overview that dives into who your ideal customers are and how your company can help them. To develop this, you need to know who your customers are first. It’s easier to understand what problems they face and how they feel during their struggles when you identify who you are talking to. Next, look at how you, your services, or your products can help your customers solve their problems. This is where you get to talk about your great work and qualifications! Ask yourself how consumers will feel once they’ve experienced your services or used your product. What may happen if they don’t choose to work with you?
Pitchline
The pitchline is essentially your “elevator pitch,” or a summary of the narrative you came up with for your brand. You can think of this as a mission statement that tells who your brand is, what you do and why you do it. A pitchline is usually a quick, one-sentence description of your brand and its offering.
A brand’s messaging is one of the first things a consumer notices about a brand. What do you want people to think about your brand when they read your messaging and communications? Brand messaging guidelines help you and your team get on the same page and guide your efforts. Once you have your attributes and narrative, you can pull bits and pieces when you’re crafting your communications.
If you’re looking to fine-tune your brand’s messaging, MADE is here to help! Updating brand messaging guidelines can propel your brand forward for years to come. Contact us today about a brand messaging workshop to take your business and brand to the next level!