Know Your “Secret Sauce” – Craft Brand Messaging that Sets You Apart

When people speak of their organization’s “brand,” they’re often referring to the logo or graphic identity, not the brand messaging behind it. At Chartwell Agency, we talk about “Brand” (with a capital “B”) being your organization’s full story and the way that story is reflected in all your marketing. At its heart, Brand requires solid brand messaging. Messaging is ground zero for any marketing project we take on.

Crafting Brand messaging requires understanding what makes your organization unique and valuable. It’s how you represent your “special sauce” to potential customers, influencers, employees, and others. How confident are you that if we asked several employees throughout your organization about what makes you special, they would answer in a consistent way? (Don’t feel too badly if you can imagine wildly different perspectives – you’re definitely not alone!) However, think about the potential if everyone in the organization knew – and was delivering upon in their own way – the brand promise? Pretty important, wouldn’t you say?

So, here are some steps to craft Brand messaging that hits the mark.

Brand messaging highlights what is valuable to customers.

Your Brand messaging must resonate with your number one audience: current and prospective customers. What motivates customers to chose you? What need or pain point does your product or service meet? How are you making their lives better or easier?  If your brand promise doesn’t hit a big customer hot button, go back to the drawing board.

Brand messaging must be authentic.

Whatever your Brand promise, your organization must have the ability to deliver upon it. If you promote customer service, all operations and procedures need to facilitate quick and effective response to customer inquiries and needs. Imagine if Disneyworld promoted itself as the “happiest place on earth” and yet all its service points were difficult and frustrating to navigate? If it’s part of your Brand message, it’s central to the operational culture of the organization and it’s constantly monitored, measured, reported, and adjusted.

If you’ve got it, prove it!

Brand messaging is often big and bold – after all, you’re highlighting a big customer need. Odds are that others in your industry also are touting a similar message. So, how do you stand apart? Prove it! It’s not enough to say, “We offer great customer service.” (After all, who says their customer service isn’t great?) Better Brand messaging includes proof points to help your audiences believe the message. So, instead of “We offer great customer service,” you might consider a brand message like, “Our organization thrives on happy customers. There’s never a question on a return or refund, and each of our representatives has the power to make decisions to make a customer’s day.”

Make sure everyone knows it.

Knowing what makes you awesome is the first step, then getting everyone to share it consistently is the second. Solid Brand messaging drives more than your sales and marketing – it becomes central to your organizational DNA and becomes a litmus test for operations. Whatever you promise customers, you need to be able to deliver upon each day. That only happens when every employee knows what is important, why it’s important, and how they play a role in making the magic happen.

Brand messaging is one of the most critical elements of your Brand (with a capital “B”), so make sure it’s meaningfully and thoughtfully incorporated into everything you do. It’s your “special sauce,” and makes you delectable to your customers. Need help getting started? Give the message mavens at Chartwell Agency a call!