This lecture focuses on defining the field of marketing communications with a particular emphasis on technology start-ups. This lecture focuses on the importance of strong messaging for entrepreneurs marketing their ventures. It examines what messaging is, why it is valuable, how to best create it and what you need to produce.

1. Messaging
101
January
22,
2014

3. “You
can
have
everything
in
life
you
want,
if
you
will
just
help
other
people
get
what
they
want.”
-­‐
Zig
Ziglar

4. How
are
you
unique?
What
do
you
do?
Why
should
I
care?

5. What
is
Messaging?
Lets
companies
effecDvely
talk
about
their
products
and
the
key
benefits
to
the
right
target
audiences.

6. Messaging
(aka
Core
Messaging)

7. Why
is
Messaging
Important?
•
•
•
•
Answers
the
“So
What?”
ques4on
Highlights
your
unique
quali4es
Differen4ates
you
from
rivals
Posi4ons
you
within
the
marketplace

8. Sets
the
Table
for
MarkeDng

9. PercepDon
is
Reality
Photo
credit:
hEp://bit.ly/1fRu9fK

11. Why
is
Messaging
So
Challenging?

12. A
Lack
of
PerspecDve

13. Sadly….It’s
All
About
You

14. "I
don't
know
how
to
put
this,
but
I'm
kind
of
a
big
deal.”
-­‐
Ron
Burgundy

15. Unclear
What
You
Actually
Do

18. Spotlight
on
Features,
Not
Benefits
Features
vs.
Benefits

19. How
to
Messaging

20. Make
the
Customer
King

21. Put
Yourself
in
the
Other
Person’s
Shoes
Photo
credit:
hEp://bit.ly/1jofiaF

22. Collect
Ideas
from
Everyone

23. 100
blog
post
ideas
in
less
than
5
hours
–
via
Marcus
Sheridan
(aka
The
Sales
Lion)

24. Be Open to New

25. Get
Unbiased
PerspecDve

26. The
Messaging
Process

27. Discovery

28. What
do
you
do?

29. What
do
you
do?
What
problems
are
you
solving?

30. What
do
you
do?
Who
needs
it?
What
problem
are
you
solving?

31. What
do
you
do?
What
problem
are
you
solving?
What’s
in
it
for
me?
Who
needs
it?

34. CompeDDve
Ecosystem
 Financial
management
 Financial
soWware
 School
fund
accoun4ng
needs
 Integrate
important
financial,
budge4ng
and
procurement
data
 Centralize
tasks
and
processes
 Real-­‐4me
insight
 Solu4ons
that
help
schools
to
maximize
their
resources
 Seamless
integra4on
 Integrated
solu4on
 Control
of
budgets
&
spending
 Sophis4cated
workflow
 Integrated
accoun4ng
and
payment
plaorm
 Fraud
preven4on
 Clean
audits
 Amazing
produc4vity
 BeEer
technology

35. Talk
to
Customers
or
PotenDal
Customers

36. Target
Audiences

40. Be
Different,
Unique…or
Both
Photo
credit:
hEp://bit.ly/1eNhhBZ

47. Draw
a
Line
in
the
Sand

48. Messaging
What
are
the
goals
for
the
blog?
How
will
you
measure
its
success?

49. Value
ProposiDons
Key
Benefits
Leading
Features

50. PosiDoning
Statement
Boilerplate
Elevator
Pitch

51. The
Three
C’s

52. One More
Thing………

53. Never.
Stop.
Tweaking.

54. Thanks!
www.markevans.ca
@markevans
mark@markevans.ca
hdp://bit.ly/startupscanada

55. Resources
How to come up with value propositions when what you sell isn’t unique
http://bit.ly/1hVbvU8
SWOT Analysis – How to do it properly!
http://bit.ly/1dOD8qQ
The value of value propositions
http://www.markevans.ca/2013/10/29/value-value-propositions/
For startups, perceptions is reality
http://www.markevans.ca/2014/01/14/perception/
Why Simple Websites are Scientifically Better
http://conversionxl.com/why-simple-websites-are-scientifically-better/