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MDB Adds Four Susan
Salkind, PDM, Account Director Ryan Mach,
Account Executive Eric Reece,
Production Artist Blue M&M
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MESSAGING MATTERS: You have definitely thought about it. You've probably talked about it. You may have seen someone else's, but few of us manage to find the time to create a messages and positioning platform. Unfortunately, without a messages and positioning platform most organizations live in a state of inconsistent communications chaos. A platform helps to ensure that everyone from front line employees to the CEO reinforces the company's market position with every communication rather than undermining it. The 5 Steps Using an agency to build the platform provides
third-party objectivity and allows the in-house team to remain focused
on their core activities. If outsourcing isn't an option, the key is to
streamline the process, recognizing that during the six to 12 months following
the first approved draft the platform will be refined. This approach will
help keep an in-house effort manageable. Step 1: Discovery The essence of discovery is to review all the
written information about the organization — brochures, web
sites, research reports, etc. — and present the information
in a simple, mostly bullets, memorandum. Key areas to cover include:
Step 2: Internal Stakeholder Input Here the focus is on obtaining senior management
and other key internal stakeholder input. If appropriate for your organization,
it's also important to get input from employees who interact with customers.
Leveraging the memorandum developed in Step 1, there are two ways to proceed:
As an optional activity, input from external
stakeholders can be gathered as part of this step. This can include focus
groups with current or prospective customers as well as interviews with
the journalists or financial analysts who cover your industry. Step 3: Synthesis The most challenging step in the process, synthesis,
involves taking everything gathered to date and culling it down into a
succinct platform. Having a pre-determined structure is essential to creating
a viable platform. (See page 2 for a suggested structure.) Step 4: Refinement With platform in hand it is time to go back to the key internal stakeholders and get their reaction and input. Based on this input, the platform is revised in preparation for the last step. An optional activity at this step is testing through focus groups and surveys to gauge the effectiveness of the platform with key audience segments. This can be valuable if there is a concern that internal stakeholders are not well-aligned with the marketplace as testing will provide data that can be used to support certain platform positioning. Step 5: Roll-Out Now that you're done, you need to share it and get everyone from front line employees to the CEO on board. It's best here to outline a 90-day strategy that can include such tactics as: an all employee launch meeting, video training, posting of the platform on an intranet, special events and even contests.
A Messages & Positioning Platform Structure Who We Are Statement — Often called an "elevator pitch," it includes a tag line, the burning problem your organization solves, the opportunity this presents for prospects, what is unique about your organization, why prospects should care and a call to action. The challenge is to keep it short. No more than five sentences is a good rule of thumb. Key Messages — The top five messages that convey the essence of your organization and support the "Who We Are Statement." These should each be one sentence. This can be expanded to include an additional section of three to five sub-messages that support each key message. Proof Points — Solid facts such as customer quotes and verified results that support your key messages. The platform can be expanded to also include: Positioning Pitch — A story or narrative that illustrates what your organization accomplishes for its customers. Three Take-Aways — What you want every person who hears or reads about your organization to remember. Corporate Boilerplate — A straightforward explanation of your organization that usually appears at the end of news releases, fact sheets and biographies. Email this newsletter link
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