Question: How can I communicate my company’s message so that it is memorable and effective?
Answer: The answer to this question is not straightforward since there are some variables that need to be taken into account in developing and delivering your message. Who is your specific target audience? What communication vehicle will best deliver your message? And what call to action are you seeking? There are variety of tools you have available to you to reach your target market:
Once you have answered these questions, you can then begin to look at how to craft a message that will stick.
First, you have to make sure the message you want to deliver is clear and easily internalized by your customers and prospects. If you follow the advice in Chip and Dan Evan’s landmark book Made to Stick, you’ll create a message that will be received, retained with sales to follow:
Make it Simple – the age old adage, Keep It Simple is really true. The more straightforward your message, the easier it will be to reach and make an impact on your customers and prospects.
Create unexpectedness – don’t say what everyone expects. Create an “ah-ha” moment in your messaging to create memorability.
Be concrete – messages that are not focused do not hit their mark and are not retained, so the call to action is executed. Avoid the abstract.
Be credible – when you see advertisements or marketing messages that are full of hyperboles and exaggerations they are not believable and are cast aside. Use client endorsements to help people believe your claims.
Seek an emotional connection – when you appeal to your target audience’s emotions that are likely to respond to your call to action. When you make people care, they will connect with you.
Tell stories – the issue all marketer’s face is to capture a prospect’s attention. Most products and services are viewed as commodities. We can capture buyer attention by being unexpected in our approach and weave a story around our message so that the message comes to life creating an event in the mind of the buyer.