"You can have the best product in the entire world, but if you're talking about it in a way that doesn't resonate, that doesn't make sense, your business will die."

In this episode of Inside the Process, Mallory and Shawn sit down with Diane Wiredu, the founder of LionWords and an expert in messaging strategy. Diane shares her journey, insights, and actionable advice on how companies can develop a messaging playbook that not only aligns internal teams but also resonates with customers.

Diane talks about the significance of clear and effective messaging for businesses. She explains how a well-crafted messaging strategy is essential for aligning internal teams and resonating with customers — as well as the importance of avoiding buzzwords and fluff. Throughout, Diane underscores the critical role that clear and consistent messaging plays in driving business success.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand that messaging is about what you say, while copywriting is about how you say it. Messaging should articulate the most important aspects of your company, product, or service, and why it matters to your audience — strong messaging forms the foundation for effective copy.
• Build a messaging playbook, AKA a practical guide for your business to create consistency in communication. Foundational elements such as brand positioning, values, buyer personas, and key differentiators are super important.
• Cut out the buzzwords that dilute your message. Instead, focus on specific, clear language that directly speaks to your audience’s needs and challenges.
• Regularly engage with your customers to keep your messaging relevant and aligned with their evolving needs. Deep customer research ensures your messaging resonates and achieves message-market fit.
• Use AI with caution. While AI can be a useful tool for brainstorming and process improvements, it cannot replace the need for human insight and a deep understanding of your audience.

Chapter Markers:

[03:26] The difference between messaging and copywriting and why clarity in messaging is essential.

[05:33] The key elements of a messaging playbook, from brand positioning to value propositions.

[07:59] What constitutes "fluffy" messaging and the issues it creates for businesses.

[12:11] The concept of "message-market fit" and its importance in ensuring messaging resonates with the audience.

[17:59] The Value Proposition Framework for developing compelling value propositions, including the old way, customer pain, product capability, and customer gain.

[25:09] How humor can be used effectively in messaging to connect with the audience while maintaining brand integrity.

[28:37] How to truly understand your audience, emphasizing customer research and interviews.

[36:11] How AI can be used in messaging, its limitations, and how to integrate it cautiously into the process.

[44:33] The importance of messaging hierarchy and how it guides customers through a website or communication process.

[51:07] How to measure whether a messaging strategy is working, including metrics and feedback loops.

Resources:

Want more resources from this episode? We’ve got an episode recap, replay and every template, process, and resource we covered right here: https://hubs.li/Q02C6rhq0

Got a taste and hungry for more? Join us at Playbook 2024 for three days of game-changing strategies, hands-on workshops, and real-time wins that'll supercharge your business. Get your tickets now!

Trainual

Inside The Process provides solutions for every aspect of the business — from process headaches and system improvement to self-management and leveling up as a leader.

Mallory Glessner and Shawn Jensen sit down with some of the brightest business minds and unpack their specialized insights to help you improve and level up the work you’re doing.

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This is one of a few podcasts from Trainual, a software platform that helps businesses build playbooks to train and grow their team. You can check out the rest of our shows here: https://trainual.com/category/podcasts