Key messages are a major part of every communications plan we create, and we spend a lot of time working with our clients to ensure the key messages capture the heart of their business. In the plan, they’re usually written as five to seven bullet points that serve as a foundation and help create consistency over time.
The stronger your key messages are to begin with in your marketing strategy, the stronger your marketing messages will be over time and across multiple channels. They’re not meant to be copied and pasted, but rather serve as a starting point for the core of your message, which you can then modify as needed to fit a specific audience or specific channel.
These four steps can help you create and use key messages to strengthen your marketing.
Create your key messages
Set aside some time to think about the heart of your business. What are you trying to accomplish? How do you go about doing it? What’s most important to your business and to your customers? These are the types of things that will inform your key messages. Write down about five statements that capture the heart of what you do, why you do it, and how you help customers.
Reference your key messages regularly
Make sure to reference your key messages regularly. Read through them when you’re creating new marketing materials, doing a team retreat, or getting ready for a networking event. You invested the time and energy to create them, so be sure you’re referencing them regularly to keep your message consistent.
Share them with others
If you have team members, make sure they know your key messages so your entire team is on the same page with how you talk about your company. If you’re a solopreneur, share some of your key messages with your referral partners. If you’re a nonprofit, make sure your board and volunteers know the key messages and can talk confidently about your organization.
Update them as needed if things change
Like everything in marketing, be sure you’re checking in with your key messages regularly and adjusting when needed. You don’t want to change them every month based on a whim, but you also don’t want to view them as carved in stone. Things change and businesses change, so make sure your key messages change when major shifts happen in your business.
By taking some time to develop your key messages and use them as a starting point for marketing materials, you’ll naturally create a more cohesive and consistent message for your customers. If you need help getting started with key messages, reach out to us to learn more about our communications plan process.