Creating new messaging for your product or company can be a game changer for your sales trajectory. But the success of that new messaging will depend on how it gets launched.
I hate to admit it, but I’ve helped a number of clients create powerful messages that never had the impact they should have. The new messaging strongly resonated with buyers. But once I handed it off, it got delivered like a wet noodle.
The main culprit: Some CEOs believe that creating some new words will result in a miracle event – like their own Field of Dreams.
These CEOs think, “If we just build a great message, the buyers will come.”
But just having a great message on your website won’t have much of an impact. A great message requires great execution.
So before activating your new messaging, prepare a comprehensive communication plan for all your target audiences – starting with your employees.
Messaging is the soul of a company
Your messaging is central to your brand. It’s the soul of your company. That’s why every one of your employees needs to embrace and internalize it.
Every department needs to be aligned. Yes, even those engineers in the back room. After all, they should be building a solution that aligns with your customers’ needs – which is exactly what your messaging represents.
Let’s face it: Your company has one small voice in the cacophony of your industry. To be noticed, everyone needs to be singing the same song – especially your salespeople and executives, with a chorus from marketing. That’s going to make it much easier for your external audiences – analysts, journalists, influencers, partners and buyers – to understand and remember what you’re about.
The CEO must carry the flag
Messaging is strategic and requires companywide buy-in. So the CEO needs to own it. They should introduce it to their employees with logic, and sell it with passion.
Then repeat, repeat, repeat the message until all your customer-facing employees are able to do the same.
Think of this as an internal campaign. First you need to establish internal understanding of your message. Then it’s time to point that campaign to the market.
Your messaging launch checklist
- Develop a Messaging Map: A Messaging Map is an internal document that contains your new messaging (differentiation, value prop, brand promise, etc.). It is a “raw” document that the marketing team owns and translates into product brochures, website content, and other assets.
- Create internal cheat sheets: Build messaging cheat sheets that are tailored to your sales reps and selling partners based on the Messaging Map. Below is an example I created for Netuitive some years ago.
- Align your product team: Your product development team needs to internalize your value proposition to ensure that your products are aligned with it. Explain that all products must be built based on what the market cares about.
- Roll out to your employees: Hold an all-hands meeting to announce the messaging. Follow it up with an email from the CEO that includes the cheat sheet. Record the session and keep for new hires to see.
- Train your sales reps: Make sure your sales reps can comfortably pitch the value proposition and address objections. Instead of making them memorize a script, train them using a memorable acronym (see ADDF in the above cheat sheet). You also want to arm them with provocative questions that draw out pain points. Then have them roll-play sales calls and critique one another.
- Build an internal campaign: And make it fun and memorable! One of my clients was launching an add-on product. I told the sales reps to think (but not ask), “Would you like fries with that?” On the day of the launch, I brought in bags of McDonald’s French fries for everyone.
- Update your external messages: Now that you have internal buy-in, it’s finally time to update your website, social media channels, email templates, etc.
- Announce the messaging to partners, customers, and the media: A “new” message is not newsworthy by itself, so introduce it through a new customer acquisition or product launch. Explain your new message through use cases and customer examples.
- Execute. Execute. Execute: Keep repeating the new message until everyone in your company is bored with it. Because just as they’re getting bored, the marketplace is beginning to remember it.
Align your company, then launch the messaging
Even the best messaging needs to be executed well. It’s never going to take off with just a few new phrases on your website. To take flight, your new message needs a thoughtful and comprehensive execution plan. This means you need to have all your forces educated and aligned – especially your sales, marketing and product teams – to make a meaningful impact.