Creating a Winning Marketing Message

Before creating a winning marketing message, one must first understand the goal of that message. Some may think a company’s marketing communication strategy is consistently using their logo and slogan or a listing of accomplishments in their brochure and on their web site. Others may use their vision or mission statement to give a positive portrayal of the company's values. While these statements are important and should be used in marketing your company, alone they do not embody the real goal of what your marketing message should accomplish: TO GRAB YOUR PROSPECT’S ATTENTION.

Your marketing message should “speak” to your prospect. It should be written so the average person can understand. I'm not saying that to put down the intelligence of anyone, but many times business owners forget that not everyone understands the "trade lingo." Even more important, your marketing message should communicate “What’s in it for me?”. Often, companies make the mistake of describing “What We Do” rather than focusing on the benefits the prospect will receive from your product or service. To avoid this pitfall, after you have crafted your message, review it carefully with the intent to reduce or eliminate “we” and “our” and replace with statements that focus on “you” and “your.” When writing, I always like to put myself in the shoes of the person who would be buying a company's products or service. That way, I can craft language that is focused on the customer.

When creating that winning message also remember to:

1. Identify your target market. After you have narrowed down your prospects, it will be much easier to craft a winning communication strategy.
2. Identify the problems your target market experiences. One secret to writing a marketing message that catches the attention of your prospect is to identify their problem and let them know you understand and sympathize. Again... put yourself in their shoes.
   
3. Present your solution to the prospect’s problem and identify all of the benefits your solution can offer. Remember to focus on "you" and "your."
   
4. Present the results you have produced for other people in the same situation. Customer testimonials are a great way to give you credibility and let your prospects know you can accomplish results. Whenever possible, use video and audio to capture some real-life stories. Post these stories on your web site or use a CD-ROM business card to let your customers relate their personal experience with your company.
   
5. Finally, explain what makes you different from your competitors. Be careful here though. You don't want to bash your competition and you don't want to use the typical clichés like "We deliver on-time and on-budget." These are characteristics that should be part of any good product or service.

Writing benefits-oriented copy is a proven strategy for increasing sales response. Connect with your audience by understanding their pain points, tell your story with a fresh perspective, and eliminate vague copy. The result will be an irresistible message that will make your prospect want to know more!