The Product Marketer's Guide to Punchy Messaging

Introduction

“The company story is the company strategy.” – Ben Horowitz, Andreessen-Horowitz

When I work with marketers and startup founders on messaging and positioning, they ask me the same questions:

“How do we make our product sound less complicated?” “How do we differentiate from similar solutions?” “How do we know if our message will resonate?”

(Maybe you’ve asked yourself these questions too.)

The answer to all three questions is deceptively simple: to create messaging that revolves around your customer’s world. Some might call this a “customer-centric” approach to messaging but, man, I hate that jargon. (More on that later.)

Too many companies talk about themselves, when they should be talking about their customers. Awesome messaging prioritizes your customer’s needs over your product’s best features. This book will show you how. Who is this book for? This book is for marketers of tech or tech-enabled products who want a simple approach to creating a messaging strategy that’s clear and compelling. You know your product is amazing. You know your story matters. But getting it down on paper is harder than a year- old Twizzler. Are you ready to communicate the awesomeness of your product in a new and meaningful way? Then let’s get down to business.

What you’ll learn This book gives you a step-by-step approach to creating a messaging strategy, from understanding your customer to bringing your framework to life and everything in between. I’ve used this same approach with many startups over the years – from early to hyper-growth stages. And lemme tell you: this sh*t works.

Sound good? Then let’s do this thing.

Emma O’Brien Founder & Chief Strategist, Punchy

Contents

1. What is a messaging strategy, exactly? page 3

2. Meaningful Messaging is everything page 6

3. Know your customers before you write a single word page 8

4. Check out your competition page 14

5. Creating your messaging framework page 17

6. Writing rules to live by page 26

7. How to bring your messaging strategy to life page 32

Chapter 1

What is a messaging strategy, exactly?

Have you ever read a website that felt like it was written just for you? Instead of bouncing to another site in 2 nanoseconds, you decide to keep reading.

The copy brings up things you’ve actually thought about, and presents benefits that sound really, really good to you.

You’re not someone who falls for marketing – you’re a smart marketer after all – but you feel like this company actually gets it. Maybe they have something you’re looking for. So you click that button to buy now, book a demo or learn more.

If that’s ever happened to you (like it’s happened to me) then you experienced a great messaging strategy in action. It wasn’t a fluke. The company told a story that got your attention, resonated with you on a deeper level and inspired you to consider the offer.

A messaging strategy articulates the value and vision of your product in a way that hits home with your ideal customers.

It boils down the awesomeness of your product into a clear and consistent story that you retell across marketing and sales activities.

Simplicity is key here, especially when your product is super innovative and complex. Simple messaging enables people to easily understand what your product is and why it matters, without an engineering degree as a prerequisite.

However, it’s not always easy to connect the dots between complex technology and a customer’s everyday life. Companies everywhere struggle to communicate the value of their products in a way that actually means something to customers.

Houston, we have a messaging problem I once worked with the CEO of a fintech company that was blowin’ up the status quo of investment management. His SaaS platform was so ahead of its time that prospects struggled to get their heads around it.

During sales pitches, he could tell by the faces in the room that prospects were thinking: “What the hell is this guy talking about?!”

He could usually get them to see the light after 20 minutes of explaining.

“But what really keeps me up at night is our website,” he told me. “I wonder how many prospects come to our site, don’t understand a thing they’re reading and then go away forever.”

The CEO was right to wake up at 3am in a cold sweat. This scenario was playing out on his website every day. And it’s happening on countless other websites at this moment.

Weak messaging is like spraying customer repellent all over your website. It has the power to confuse, bore and turn away prospects from your product forever. Even if your product is the answer to his or her prayers.

The tech industry is awash with weak messaging that features buzzwords, technical jargon and chest-beating about features. It’s creating a ton of noise that prospects don’t fully understand, automatically tune out or straight up ignore – which has catastrophic effects on business performance.

Here are some common signs that your company has a messaging problem:

Spotty marketing performance Product marketing is about putting simple, repeatable and consistent messages into the market to attract your ideal customer. If your marketing messages aren’t something your prospects care about, they won’t take any notice of it. Poor performance will ensue.

Longer sales cycles The right messaging speeds up your sales cycle by attracting the right kind of customers to your business – the ones most likely to buy – and clarifying your product’s value before prospects get on the phone with you. If your messaging isn’t on point, you’ll attract a hodgepodge of prospects who aren’t a good fit, wreaking havoc on your sales cycle and close rates.

Sounding like everyone else Without a clear messaging strategy that highlights the unique value of your product, it’s easy to fall into the trap of mimicking what competitors are saying. This makes your solution indistinguishable from other players. When you sound like everyone else, it’s hard to convince prospects that your product truly is different.

Losing to inferior products Unfortunately, it’s not enough to have the best technology. (If it was, I’d be out of a job.) To be successful, you’ve got to be the best at conveying the value of your technology. If your competitor does a better job, they’ll beat you – even if your product is better. It happens all the time.

Marketing legend Jack Trout said: “Better products don’t win. Better perceptions tend to be the winner. Truth will not win out without help along the way.”

I worked with a client who was a category creator and market leader. Analysts agreed their platform was “the best.” However, the company’s messaging was dense, complicated and overwhelming to read. This created a perception that their product was super advanced and hard to use.

Their competitor took a simpler, more human approach with its messaging. Instead of talking about the robust features, they unpacked the problems it solved in a simple way. People assumed this meant the product was simpler to use. And the company overtook the other that was technically a better product.

While my client’s messaging was fighting against them, their competitor used the power of great messaging to get ahead. And you can too.

Chapter 2

Meaningful Messaging is everything

For your messaging to stand out and attract the right customers, you’ve got to challenge the status quo of buzzwords, jargon and death-by-features. How? By embracing a new approach that puts your customer first.

I call it Meaningful Messaging, and it’s a simple approach to creating messaging that actually means something to the people you’re trying to reach.

So much messaging out there makes the product the star of the show. Hence all the glamor shots of UIs (and even worse, code!) plastered across software homepage marquees ‘round the world.

This ignores a fundamental truth: Customers don’t buy technology. They buy better outcomes: the ability to make better business decisions, to become more productive, to look like a rockstar in front of their boss.

Meaningful messaging connects your prospect’s hopes, needs and desires to your product’s capabilities.

It deals in truth and instantly makes your technology mean something real to people.

Here’s how it’s different from the typical approach to messaging in tech:

Customer-first, not product-first Your customer – not your product, technology or company – must be the hero of the story. Instead of regurgitating features, champion your customer’s aspirations. Show prospects how they can change for the better with the support of your product. That’s way more compelling than any feature.

Simple, not complex Your product aims to be user-friendly. Similarly, your messaging must be reader-friendly or else your visitors will be left scratching their heads. Dense, technical language creates the perception that your product is complicated or hard to implement. Meaningful messaging simplifies complexity by speaking your customer’s language. It makes the core value of your product nice ‘n’ easy to grasp. And when it comes to messaging, there isn’t a person alive who doesn’t like nice ’n’ easy.

Emotional, not just technical Businesses don’t read your messaging – people do. So write for people, not robots or brick walls. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Think about what’s at stake for them. Align with their greater aspirations. When your messaging reflects your prospect’s reality, you naturally build trust with them. When they feel understood, they start to believe that you might have a worthwhile solution.

Chapter 3

Know your customers before you write a single word

If you want to create meaningful messaging, then you have to get crystal clear on what matters to your customers. Otherwise, you’re just guessing. Maybe you’ll get it right. Maybe you won’t.

Thousands of companies make this gamble every day. But not you.

All it takes is a willingness to step into the shoes of your customers, and to see things from their point of view.

This chapter gives you a 3-step approach to understanding your customers on a deeper level, so you can create a messaging strategy that hits home.

Not only does it take the guesswork out of what to say to your customers – it will shed light on your broader sales, marketing and product decisions.

Step 1: Know your raving fans

“Everyone is not your customer.” – Seth Godin

If your company is early stage, you might be considering a variety of buyer personas or verticals, because you want as many opportunities to sell your product as possible.

So you try to find the perfect message that doesn’t exclude anyone. But when you speak to everyone, you speak to no one. Your messaging gets so broad and generic that it doesn’t resonate with anyone. It goes beige.

Specificity is the key to meaningful messaging.

While many people could use your product, only a subset of customers will be truly obsessed with your product. And those are the people you want to talk to: your raving fans.

Raving fans are the customers most likely to buy your product, love it and refer it to their friends.

You don’t have to convince this guy to care about your product. He already values your offer. He’s heading straight for your mosh pit and singing along with every word.

When your messaging focuses on your raving fan customer, you can speak to their unique wants, needs and desires. You can use the same phrases they do. You can connect the dots between your product and their world.

A clear understanding of your raving fan customer is the foundation of your messaging strategy. Without it, the whole thing crumbles.

Action step: Get up close and personal with your raving fan customer

Imagine someone who best represents your raving fan customer. Picture him or her as a real-life person. (If you know someone like them, even better.) Give him or her a name, age, job title and location. Then go beyond typical demographics and answer the following (as it relates to your product):

What are their goals? What do they value? What challenges do they face? What motivates them? What do they like and dislike? What are their attitudes and beliefs?

What if I don’t have any customers yet? No problemo – you can still do this exercise. (You didn’t think I was going to let you sit this one out, did you?) If you don’t have customers yet, make your best hypothesis of who your raving fan customer would be. If you have a few different types of customers in mind, hone in on the segment who would find your product the most valuable. Then get out there and start talking to people who represent this raving fan customer.

What if I have different buyer personas? Easy. If your product serves different personas, or you’re a two-sided marketplace, treat each segment as a raving fan. You’ll want to do this, and all the following exercises, for each segment.

Step 2: Know their smack-in-the-face problems

“Success is not delivering a feature, it is learning how to solve the customer’s problem." – Eric Ries

Now that you’ve focused on your raving fan customer, it’s time to get real about the problems they’re facing.

I call them smack-in-the-face problems: noticeable issues or challenges that your customer is up against. They could be daily annoyances, like having to sign in to an app twice. Or they could be much bigger, like feeling out of control of their personal finances. Big or small, these challenges are unique to your customer and motivate them to make a change.

Smack-in-the-face problems are WAY more specific than the generic business problems you see in a lot of B2B messaging, like: silos, complexity, lack of visibility, not enough time, friction, etc.

While these generic-sounding business challenges do exist, they won’t stir anything inside your reader because they’re not really talking to him or her. They’re talking to “the business,” which is missing a trick because (let’s remind ourselves) businesses don’t read your messaging – people do.

And people don’t see their own problems from the high-level perspective of “the business.”

For example, I worked with a SaaS founder who created a portal for social workers. In her eyes, the problem her software solved was the lack of a secure and centralized database.

But no social worker on the planet thinks they have this problem! The problem smacking them in the face each day was paperwork hell. Specifically, digging around for papers in the back seat of their car, or tackling the menacing stack of files on their desk.

When the founder stopped talking about the generic business challenge – lack of a secure, centralized database – and started talking about how her software slayed the oppressive stack of paperwork, her marketing messaging attracted way more prospects.

Referencing your customer’s smack-in-the-face problems in your messaging shows that you understand their world. And this starts to build trust before they even think about getting on the phone or filling out a form.

Action step: Prioritize your customer’s smack- in-the-face problems

Brainstorm your customer’s biggest smack-in-the-face problems, as they relate to your product. Start with the rational ones (e.g. “not enough resources”) and then the inner, emotional ones (e.g. “feeling scattered and ineffective”). Describe them in words your customer would likely use.

When you have them down, think about the most motivating ones. Prioritize them from the most commonly referenced to the least. We’ll deal with these later with key benefits.

What if I don’t know that much about my customer? If you don’t know this level of detail about your customers, then you must find it. Pick up the phone and call a few. (Again, if you don’t have customers, call people who represent your ideal customer.) Ask them:

What was happening in their life that inspired them to invest in a solution? How do they describe their most pressing challenges? What exactly is getting in their way? How does it make them feel?

Don’t forget to capture the exact language your customer or ideal prospect uses. You’re going to need that later on.

For my handy reference on customer interviews, go to punchy.co/resources

Step 3: Know the big transformation

"People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.” – Theodore Levitt

You’re not selling a widget, a platform or a solution. You’re selling a transformation in your customer. That’s what your customer is *actually* buying.

This principle applies to almost everything we buy. The most obvious examples come from the consumer world, like health and beauty products.

For example, men aren’t desperate to buy the latest quadruple-blade razor. They want a smoother, easier shave.

Women aren’t looking for the most advanced retinol skin cream. They want a smooth, line-free face.

These products sell the customer’s aspiration – a transformation they really value. As human beings, we all want to continually improve and become better. It’s how we’re wired. So your messaging must spell out the transformation they’ll experience, with the help of your product.

Action step: Describe your customer’s before-and-after transformation

Imagine a suspension bridge across a canyon. Your customer is on the near side. He or she wants to get to the far side. Your product is the bridge.

Write down what their current situation looks like, including their:

Daily routine Social status Everyday life Money situation Emotions or mood

Now, picture what the far side looks like for them. How have those “before” states changed? Brainstorm all the transformations. Then circle the most powerful and valuable one for your customer.

Chapter 4

Check out your competition

Now you have a clear picture of your raving fan customer, their smack-in-the-face problems and how your product can help them transform into a better version of themselves.

I bet you’re chomping at the bit to turn that goodness into a messaging strategy. But first, let’s take a quick peek at what your competitors are saying.

A competitive messaging audit gives you a bird’s-eye view of how similar products position themselves in the market, so you can find opportunities to zig where others zag.

Many startups and companies are obsessed with what their competitors are saying. A little too obsessed. I remember a past client thinking they couldn’t use the word “growth” anywhere in their messaging because their competitor said it too. And another client insisting on putting “cloud” everywhere because that’s what their biggest competitor was doing. Even though prospects didn’t really understand what it was. (This was 2013!)

That’s not what this audit is for.

Your messaging shouldn’t be defined by what your competitors are saying. However, understanding your competitors’ positioning and key messages provides helpful context as you craft your messaging.

How to create a competitive messaging audit Choose your main direct competitors and head to their websites. Capture the following messages for each company:

Homepage headline and subhead is where the company’s core positioning and value proposition typically comes to life. This gives you a quick read on how the company is positioning itself in the market, and the ultimate value it’s promising.

Stake in the ground is a concept or point of view that the company stands for, and is woven throughout the messaging. For example, a marketing automation product could have a theme of “engagement” that comes up again and again. (Not all companies have a stake in the ground.)

Top benefits are the most prominent outcomes mentioned on the homepage or main product page. Think of it as the top 3 or 4 things the product says it does for customers.

Personality is how you would describe the tone of the writing. Is it friendly and simple? Dry and technical? Direct and straightforward?

Pop your answers into a table like this:

Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Competitor 4

Homepage headline + subhead Stake in the ground 1. Main benefits 2. 3. 4. 5.

Personality

Things to watch for in your messaging audit When you have everyone’s messages side-by-side, you can quickly spot repetition, common themes and – most importantly – opportunities to stand out. Look out for:

Similar headlines: If companies are essentially saying the same thing in their headlines, you want to make sure you take a different approach. You have an opportunity to show how your product is unique.

Repetitive benefits: Seeing the same benefits everywhere? Do they align with what you know about your raving fan customer? Are they table stakes in your industry? Think about how you can be more specific.

Missing benefits: Is there little or no mention of an important product benefit? This could be an opportunity to elevate the benefit in your messaging, if it’s compelling to your customer.

No stakes in the ground: Are these cells blank? That’s common – many companies fail to communicate a clear point of view. It’s an opportunity to focus your messaging around a core belief. If you had to stand for one thing, what would it be?

Weak personalities: If everyone’s copy sounds dry and corporate, you would really stand out with a fresh, modern voice. Brand voice is a great way to differentiate your message.

Chapter 5

Creating your messaging framework

Now that you’ve sorted out the pieces of the strategy, it’s time to put all that good stuff into a messaging framework.

People often ask me what a framework should look like: A deck? A table? A Google Doc?

There is no right or wrong answer – use whatever works best for your company. Personally, my brain works best in Google Docs, so that’s where I go first. But you might prefer slides or spreadsheets. Use whatever medium you prefer – it’s the message that really matters.

Here’s a sample format of the core elements:

Company Description Your intro. Long + short

Value proposition Your “pinky promise to customers.Main headline + subhead

Tagline

Key Benefits 1. 2. 3. Top reasons customers choose you

Brand Traits Tone of our communications

Now, let’s dive into the different messages to put inside your framework; how to write them; and how they’re used in your marketing.

Value Proposition Your “pinky promise” to prospects This is hands-down the most important thing to nail in your messaging strategy. Your value proposition is a snappy sentence that sums up the value you offer your customers. Think of it as the #1 reason someone should buy from you.

Some people mistake value propositions for taglines or slogans, like Nike’s “Just Do It” or Zoom’s “Meet Happy.” Taglines are meant to give people a general impression of your brand. A value proposition’s job is to communicate tangible value that your raving fan customers really, really care about – which gives them a clear signal to choose you over your competitors.

Your value proposition should be three things:

1.Clear so a 4th grader could understand it 2.Unique so you stand out from the herd 3.Specific so the value is concrete and compelling

Value propositions come in all shapes and sizes – there’s no rule about how to write one, as long as it achieves the above.

Here are some different examples of effective value propositions:

Wealthsimple inspires action Leading with a verb, this value prop invites you to consider the unique value they offer: to grow rich over time. Nice, right? Who wouldn’t want that?

Wealthsimple.com (2020)

Milkshake makes a simple promise You don’t have to get fancy or clever. Milkshake clearly states what it can do for you, in just a few words.

Milkshake.app (2020)

NewRelic.com (2020)

New Relic gets aspirational Solving problems ultimately helps your customer change for the better. New Relic connects the dots between its product benefits and their customers’ greater aspirations.

How to write your value proposition Go back to your answers for step #3 where you explored your customer’s transformations. Choose the one that:

Your customers really want and value Sets you apart from competitors

Remember to make it clear, unique and specific. Generic statements like “grow your business” or “save time and money” are too vague and overused. A million companies and products could claim this too. We can do better than that!

Need a hand? Try my Value Prop Builder at punchy.co/resources for a Mad Libs-style approach to brainstorming your value prop.

What you do with a value proposition Your value proposition should come to life as your homepage headline and subhead, so any prospect arriving on your site can see what your company is about in 5 seconds or less.

It can also be used as a headline in awareness ads, trade show signage, social bios and other top-of-funnel marketing assets.

Key benefits Top reasons customers choose you Key benefits are the top reasons to choose your product or service. Together, they support the promise made in your value proposition. Benefits are about outcomes, not features, and they should be ultra-compelling to your customers.

How to write your key benefits Aim to create 3-5 key benefits. For each, craft a headline and supporting copy to bring the concept to life in marketing-ready language.

Head back to step #2 about your customer’s smack-in-the-face problems. Choose the top 3 or 4 challenges your customers most commonly face. You may be able to group related challenges into broad themes. Once you have those problems, think of how your product uniquely solves each. Flip each challenge into a benefit statement.

Here are 2 fantastic examples:

Simple.com (2020)

Simple offers easy-peasy budgeting tools in its app. But instead of talking about how intuitive the tool is, Simple hones in on its target customer’s smack-in-the-face problem: fear of checking your balance because you’re crap at personal finances. (I know this because that was me in my 20s!)

Bidsketch offers proposal software. A major smack-in-the-face problem for customers is sending out proposals into a black hole and having no idea whether the recipient has even opened it, let alone considered it. So Bidsketch addresses that in its key benefit: “Know what clients do with your proposals.”

Bidsketch.com (2020)

What you do with key benefits Key benefits help guide the content of your marketing to ensure you’re consistently highlighting the right aspects of your product. They should be prominent on your homepage or product page, so readers can quickly see how your product can help. Clarifying your key benefits makes it easy to build repeatability and simplicity into your overall messaging.

Company description (long and short) Your basic intro This is a clear and concise description of your company, which serves as a boilerplate introduction in sales and marketing materials. Now, I’m not talking about a cringe- inducing sales pitch aboard a rapidly descending elevator. Your company description gives a simple overview on what your company does – anyone should be able to read it and grasp what you do.

How to write your company description You’ll want two versions on hand for different applications: long (a paragraph with no more than 4 sentences) and short (around 25 words).

Your company description should answer the basics – who you are, what you offer and the people you serve – in a clear and concise paragraph. It should include your product category, value proposition, a few key benefits and your target customers. Here’s an example:

Long version:

Sagacity helps daily-fee golf courses unlock new revenue in everyday tasks. Its pricing and promotion software enables golf course owners and managers to price tee times with confidence, stay on track with bookings and gain new insight into their course’s performance. Powered by historical data and current demand, Sagacity is a never-before- seen window into your golf course’s earning potential. Learn more at www.sagacitygolf.com.

Short version:

Sagacity pricing and promotion software enables daily-fee golf courses to unlock new revenue in everyday tasks. Learn more at www.sagacitygolf.com.

What you do with a company description It appears on your homepage description (what comes up on Google), press releases, partner materials, directory listings, social media bios – basically any piece of sales or marketing that needs a quick overview about your company.

Brand voice traits The style and personality of your written communications Brand voice traits are 3-4 adjectives that define that style, and serve as a guideline for anyone writing on behalf of your brand. This ensures a consistent voice across channels and touchpoints. Without brand voice traits, employees will use different writing styles for different communications, and your brand could come off as having an identity crisis. This is a real brand killer.

How to find your brand voice traits Your brand voice must reflect both who you are as a company, and jive with your customers. Imagine your brand as a person. Think about how they would look, speak and act. Choose adjectives that describe his or her voice, then whittle it down to the 4 best ones. Go for traits that naturally translate into writing style, like “simple”, “friendly” or “upbeat.” Avoid adjectives that are hard to picture, like “confident” or “interesting.”

For example:

A Cloud Guru’s brand voice traits are: relatable & refreshing

This comes to life in a friendly and conversational tone that anyone can relate to; and also a bit of warmth and wit that’s refreshing in their industry.

ACloud.guru (2020)

Stuck on which traits to consider? Download my Brand Voice Trait Compilation at punchy.co/resources.

What to do with brand voice traits Brand voice traits are for anyone who writes for your brand – that means EVERYONE in your company. It’s not just for the marketing department – brand voice actually plays a huge role in customer success and sales, too. Lots of folks write to customers all day, every day, so throw them a nice juicy bone. Give them the traits and offer examples of what your brand voice looks like in action.

A mini rant about taglines Many people confuse taglines with value propositions. They are very different. Typically 3-5 words, a tagline is a slogan or campaign headline, like Nike’s “Just Do It.” You might see it on a trade show sign or next to your logo. While they can be descriptive or motivational, they don’t clarify the value you offer. In my opinion, a tagline isn’t a super important – or even necessary – part of your messaging strategy. In tech, they’re often vague, throwaway phrases that are REALLY hard to align on internally.

If you do want to go for a tagline, try and focus it around the way a customer will feel using your product. Something emotive and aspirational. Like Zoom’s “Meet Happy.”

Zoom.us (2020)

Chapter 6

A few writing rules to live by

Now that you have your strategy down, it’s time to massage it into messaging that resonates with your audience.

In this chapter, I’ll share some of my favorite writing tips to help you craft effective messaging – even if you flunked highschool English.

Because here’s the thing: You don’t have to be a pro copywriter to do an amazing job.

You just need to be clear, human and helpful.

Here are some easy tricks that will serve you well in product messaging and beyond.

Tip #1: Write like you speak The fast-track to better messaging is to write like you speak – even if it’s not always 100% grammatically correct. When writing on behalf of a business, many feel like they must don their “serious writer hat” to make sure everything sounds professional and intelligent. This leads straight to uptight copy.

Just be yourself when you write about your product or service. Think about how you’d naturally explain it in conversation, then put it on the page. I promise you that it will sound simpler and more approachable than typical business writing. You might even be impressed with yourself!

Mailchimp.com (2020)

Tip #2: Break a few grammar rules* That’s right, I’m giving you permission to break a few of the rules you learned in high school English. Because conversational language doesn’t always follow good grammar.

You can start a sentence with and, but, because, so or however. You can split infinitives (e.g. you can say “to boldly go”). You can end a sentence with a preposition. (In fact, it is something we should stand up for.)

Heck, let’s go wild: you can even – gasp – use the same word twice in a sentence if you can't find a better word. Does that make you feel uncomfortable? Good! That means you’re growing.

Shopify.com (2020)

*Apologies to my 5th grade teacher and grammarian, Mrs. Wentzel.

Tip #3: Use everyday English Business jargon is pervasive. Like weeds, words like “synergy” and “seamless” pop up in work emails, conversations and other communications. It’s easy to fall into the trap of business jargon. Everyone else is doing it.

Whenever possible, use everyday English. Y’know, regular words instead of fancy ones. It lends itself to more approachable, simpler and more direct writing. When editing your work, ask yourself if there’s a simpler way to get your points across.

Everyday English alternatives

alternatively or

currently now

ensure make sure

implement do

objective aim

provide give

utilize use

Download the full guide of alternatives from the wonderful Plain English Campaign here: plainenglish.co.uk/files/alternative.pdf Pin it up. Live by it. Share with friends!

Tip #4: Steal the words right out of your customers’ mouths If your product serves HR administrators, then your messaging shouldn’t use terminology that only engineers would understand. Always speak the same language as your customers. This makes it easy for them to understand what you’re talking about, and also proves that you get their situation.

Not sure how your customers talk? Product review sites like G2, TrustRadius, Capterra and Trust Pilot are an amazing place to find snippets of customer language. Check out reviews for your product and competitors. Make note of how they describe the challenges they solve or the features they love.

Asana.com (2020)

Tip #5: Say “you” instead of “users” Give your writing a more personal touch by calling the reader “you” and your company “we.” It makes your company sound like a human rather than a corporate overlord. Also, it cuts down on terms like “customer” and “user” – two things no one likes to be called.

Pipedrive.com (2020)

Tip #6: Beware of buzzwords Best-in-class. Disruptive. Platform. Engagement. ROI. Merriam Webster could dedicate a whole dictionary to tech buzzwords. These words are so omnipresent and overused that they’ve lost all semblance of meaning. And yet, they continue to take center stage in lots of product marketing.

Do your best to avoid buzzwords, at least in your high-level messaging. Some will inevitably appear in secondary messages and feature descriptions. But they don’t belong in your headlines, and god forbid in your value proposition.

Words on my s**tlist

Seamless

Personalization

Innovative

Transform

Frictionless

Scalable

Actionable

End-to-end

Platform

Real-time

Please feel free to add your own

Tip #7: Keep it “pacy” This is the antidote to long-winded copy and walls of text on websites. Simply vary the length of your sentences as you go. For example, if one sentence has, say, 20 words in it, write a shorter one after it. Like this one. It helps keep the pace and draws your reader through.

While you’re at it, challenge yourself to use short words and sentences. Avoid unnecessary descriptors. A good sentence length is 15 to 20 words.

Wix.com (2020)

A final parting word

“The first draft of anything is s**t” – Ernest Hemingway

I hope you find that as liberating as I do!

Chapter 7

How to bring your messaging strategy to life

In businesses around the world, countless strategies languish in the dark recesses of drives, doomed to never see the light of day. Sadly, many of them are messaging frameworks and brand books. I’ve seen it with my own eyes!

It’s not because they were ineffective or wrong – they just weren’t executed.

I don’t want this to happen to all your hard work! Your messaging strategy is just the beginning. To reap the benefits, you must execute it across your sales and marketing. Heck, across your whole company, whether you’re a 10-person startup or a 10,000-strong enterprise.

Everyone needs to be on the same page around the company’s core message and work together to put it out there into the world.

So grab your shiny, brand-new messaging framework, and check off the following:

Walk through it with sales and marketing Put time in the calendar to share the messaging framework with your sales and marketing teams. Walk them through the experience and how you arrived at the strategy. Together, start brainstorming ideas about what you can do with the new messaging.

Update marketing materials to reflect new messaging You’ll need to update all marketing assets to reflect your new messaging. Your website is typically the most important. Start with the highest priority assets and move down the chain.

Update sales decks and playbooks Sales will also need to update their decks, playbooks and enablement materials to reflect the new messaging. It’s important that sales and marketing speak the same language.

Give it a fun, internal launch Announce the launch of new messaging and share it with the company. A webinar or presentation is a great way to do it. And make it fun. You could tell the story of how you got there, etc. Let your enthusiasm show, and everyone will feel it too. Follow up by giving everyone a nicely designed PDF that highlights the messaging.

Keep testing, keep evolving, keep refining As you implement your new messaging across sales and marketing, check in with your colleagues to see how it's landing in prospect conversations, campaigns and pitches. What makes people nod their heads in agreement? What gets high conversions? What falls flat or creates confusion? Use this feedback to fine-tune your messaging. Then stick with it for at least 6 months, to accurately gauge its effectiveness. Resist the temptation to continually tweak and wordsmith. Just because you’re bored of seeing it doesn’t mean it’s not working.

Tell the story only you can tell There’s no word or phrase powerful enough to differentiate a company. Headlines can be ripped off. Phrases can be repeated. Words can be copied. It’s pointless trying to win that game.

Meaningful messaging plays an entirely different game. Instead of focusing on your unique features, it focuses on your customer’s needs and aspirations. By making your customer the hero of your story, you make it easier for them to see why your product matters. It inspires people to change – and resistance to change is often your company’s biggest competitor.

When your messaging speaks directly to your raving fan customers, your company becomes the obvious choice. It’s a whole new level of differentiation.

Work with Emma O’Brien to nail your messaging strategy in 6 weeks

It’s not enough to have the best technology.

You have to be the best at conveying your product’s value and vision.

You have to make your technology meaningful to your audience in a way that your competitors don’t.

Your messaging has to be informed and intentional – giving your company the clarity, conviction and confidence to compete and win.

Emma O’Brien and Punchy works with product marketers and executive teams at startups and established companies to create a Meaningful Messaging Strategy – one that *truly* hits home with customers and prospects.

Our proven approach enables you to simplify complex offerings, differentiate from competitors and convey real value to customers.

Not only that, we make the internal process easy and give you and your team the tools you need to succeed.

If you need this, like, yesterday, get in touch.

Learn more at punchy.co

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