A look at how startups can create clear and well-articulated messaging. This presentation explores the value and challenges in creating messaging, as well the processes to create it.

1. Messaging 101
January 22, 2014

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

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

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

5. Messaging
(aka Core Messaging)

6. Why is Messaging Important?
•
•
•
•
Answers the “So What?” question
Highlights your unique qualities
Differentiates your from rivals
Positions you within the marketplace

7. Sets the Table for Marketing

8. Perception is Reality
Photo credit: http://bit.ly/1fRu9fK

10. Why is Messaging So Challenging?

11. A Lack of Perspective

12. Sadly….It’s All About You

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

14. Unclear What You Actually Do

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

18. How to
Messaging

19. Make the Customer King

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

21. Collect Ideas from Everyone

22. 100 blog post
ideas in less
than 5 hours –
via Marcus
Sheridan (aka
The Sales Lion)

23. Be Open to New

24. Get Unbiased Perspective

25. The Messaging Process

26. Discovery

27. What do
you do?

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

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

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

33. Competitive Ecosystem
 Financial
management
 Financial software • Solutions that help
schools to maximize their
 School fund
resources
accounting needs
• Seamless integration
• Integrate important
financial, budgeting and
procurement data
• Centralize tasks and
processes
• Real-time insight
• Integrated
accounting and
payment platform
• Fraud prevention
• Clean audits
• Integrated solution
• Control of budgets
& spending
• Sophisticated
workflow
• Amazing productivity
• Better technology

34. Talk to Customers or Potential Customers

35. Target Audiences

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

46. Draw a Line in the Sand

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

48. Value
Propositions
Key Benefits
Leading
Features

49. Positioning
Statement
Boilerplate
Elevator Pitch

50. The Three
C’s

51. One More
Thing………

52. Never. Stop. Tweaking.

53. Thanks!
www.markevans.ca
@markevans
mark@markevans.ca
http://bit.ly/startupscanada

54. 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/