What Is Brand Messaging?

Brand messaging is the way your brand “talks” to your target audience. It tells your brand story … why your brand matters, what your values are, and what sets you apart from your competitors. Brand messaging is most effective when it’s simple, clear, and aligned with the goals and needs of your ideal customer.

Your brand messaging lets your clients and leads know HOW your product or service will be the solution to their problems. Remember: It’s not the actual product or service that matters to your client, it’s the value they receive. Effective, spot-on brand messaging communicates value. 

The key elements of brand messaging are:

• Your company’s values
• Unique value proposition (UVP) — what sets you apart from your competitors
• Mission, vision, goals & objectives
• Ideal customer profile/your target audience

Why Brand Messaging Matters

Your brand messaging matters because it creates value (as just mentioned) which ultimately leads to trust, loyalty, and a long-term relationship. This is exactly the kind of relationship you want for sales, for customer retention, and for a business model that creates a sense of community.

When brands are created well, they naturally build community because the brand exudes a persona that customers engage with and vibe with. When you connect to a brand, you feel a sense of belonging. An environmentally conscious person feels good purchasing Patagonia gear that’s sustainably made. An Apple device user feels in on the most innovative technology. You get the idea. Your purchase makes you feel connected to a company that shares your values. 

I repeat “feel” a lot in the above paragraph because customers quickly engage with the feel or vibe of a brand whereas it may take them more time to verbalize what it is that they like about the brand. Your brand messaging and visual identity are critical because when we’re talking about leads, you may have only seconds for that vibe to work its magic before they turn to your competitors.

How to Create Your Brand Messaging 

BEFORE you create your brand messaging, you need to do A LOT of homework so you can answer these 3 key questions:

1. What’s your big WHY? 

Why are you in business? What really matters to you? What is the aspirational thing you’re trying to achieve? What’s the important vision for your business (and maybe you personally if you’re a solo entrepreneur or small business where your own values come through)? This needs to be a really deep dive into what tugs at your heart strings instead of just platitudes and business/marketing jargon. Understanding your why and communicating it throughout all your messaging and marketing content is the goal. 

2. Who is your target audience?

There’s a common saying in marketing: If you’re marketing to everyone, you’re marketing to no one. You need to figure out your ideal customer profile and your target audience. (If you haven’t already, grab my Create Your Ideal Customer Profile in 6 Easy Steps guide!) ALL of your content on all of your platforms needs to convey your messaging and be directed to this specific audience.

3. What is your UVP?

Your Unique Value Proposition (UVP) is what makes your business different from your competitors. Here at Message Artist Creative Group (MACG), we KNOW we’re not the only ones around offering marketing strategies and content. But what do we do really well? We dive deep into the WHY behind your business. We LOVE learning you and your business and creating a story that resonates with your customers/clients. One of the many things I bring to MACG is a Masters in journalism. Why does this matter? Well, I gained some really good interviewing skills … I know how to ask good questions. I know how to talk with people so they’re comfortable and feel supported. And I’ve a LOT of practice! So, I (and the project team) will always take time to have a comprehensive interview conversation with clients. Additionally, I make sure that anyone I bring onto my team is equally eager to dive deep into the why to share our customers’ stories.

Your Brand Messaging In Action!

When your messaging is perfected and on-target for your ideal customer is when you can contact a designer if you need one. I’ve seen SO MANY businesses get so excited about the visual elements of logos and websites that they quickly connect with a designer but the designer can’t work with them yet because their messaging isn’t in place. (I know because I get a lot of referrals from the designers of these very clients. LOL!)

So now your messaging is finally ready! Where/how do you use it? On every single communication you have, whether that’s a business card, a tweet, a direct mailing, an email, or a lead generator (aka “freebie”). ALL of these communications drive your leads to your website. Your website is your best marketing tool because it’s here that you really have the space for all the components of your message: mission, vision, goals, values, company story, as well as your product/service offerings. Your website is where leads can learn everything about you and take that important next step: contacting you, learning more about your offerings and values, maybe making a reservation, and ultimately making a purchase.

I’m going to be honest … developing your brand messaging requires expertise. I advise people not to put money into marketing before they get the messaging right because that marketing is likely NOT going to deliver the ROI you need. But I also get that you gotta do what you gotta do to get some steady cash when you’re just starting. If that’s you, take the time to get the revenue rolling and set it aside so you can get help with your messaging and branding. Spot-on messaging will lead to much greater ROI.

How Can We Help You?

Brand messaging is our passion here at Message Artist Creative Group. “Messaging” … it’s even in our name and it’s a cornerstone of the business. Simply put, we’re all about conveying YOUR message to your ideal audience.

Whether you’re developing a message or tweaking it, starting over or refreshing, we’ll work with you to make sure your WHY and your values reach your ideal customer. Simply schedule a discovery call to get started.