On the message
What’s Your Branding Message?
Presented by The
Milagro Strategy Group
What are your key messages?
The takeaway, master narrative,
elevator pitch; essence of what you
want to communicate.
What’s needed to engage people.
Bite-sized summations that articulate:
what you do, what you stand for, how
you are different and what value you
bring to stakeholders.
Milagro Strategy Group
Communications cannot always be
controlled; key messages can.
Prioritize and crystallize
information.
Ensure consistency, continuity and
accuracy.
Measure and track success.
Stay focused when speaking with
media or stakeholders.
Milagro Strategy Group
Three steps before you gather the
troops to brainstorm
Revisit city goals and objectives to ensure
key messages align with overall business
strategy.
Identify brand vocabulary, considering
words and phrases you want associated
with your brand and their SEO implications.
Conduct a competitive analysis to avoid
creating key messages in a vacuum or too
close to competitors.
Milagro Strategy Group
What are the attributes of key messages?
Concise: Optimally three key messages on one
page; each statement only one to three
sentences in length or under 30 seconds
when spoken.
Strategic: Define, differentiate and address
benefits/value proposition.
Relevant: Balance what you need to
communicate with what your audience needs
to know.
Compelling: Meaningful information designed
to stimulate action.
.
Milagro Strategy Group
What are the attributes of key messages?
Simple: Easy-to-understand language; avoid
jargon and acronyms.
Memorable: Easy to recall and repeat;
avoid run-on sentences.
Real: Active rather than passive voice; no
advertising slogans.
Tailored: Effectively communicates with
different target audiences, adapting
language and depth of information.
Milagro Strategy Group
Final thoughts
Identify your messaging needs, considering if
they are evergreen or need to support a
specific offering, issue, situation or
combination of topics.
Verify your target audiences.
Determine if one-size communication fits all.
Milagro Strategy Group
Final thoughts
Prepare key messages that are strategic
Describe an organization, product, service,
program or point of view.
Differentiate it and showcase strategic
leadership.
Focus on benefits, highlighting your value
proposition and stating the WIFM (What’s In It For
Me) for target audiences.
Prove your points with supporting information to
substantiate, distinguish and add credibility.
Milagro Strategy Group