mind your messaging - olwen dawe

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Mind Your Message!

Olwen Dawe, Irish Business Intelligence

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

A bit about me…Business Partner to SMEs, focusing on developing businesses through:

•Hands-on, practical support and advice driving businesses forward through;

•Enhanced business models & business strategy;

•Strategic planning advice & tactical communications methods.

•Average pipeline growth x 2 – 3.

Coach & Mentor to Start-Ups;

Project Manager & Advisor to Enterprise Agencies [such as Leader / Westbic].

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

When you think of messaging, what do you think of?

Marketing?

Communications systems?

HRM?

PR?

Internal communications?

Sales?

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

OK – it’s actually…… something that appears in a lot of

places in our businesses…

The term itself is utilised in marketing – however messaging, itself ‘crops up’ a

lot…

Starting in our business strategy

For me, it’s part of your philosophy in business… striving for clarity in every way.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

SO…When we start up in business, we develop a service or product for market, which has a set of values attached to it – focused on:

Customers + Competition + Market Position

and

Goals + Vision + Mission + Planning

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

The important bit!What we really need to establish when

we set up and grow, is whether our message is clear to those who need to

hear it most.

That’s what I am going to talk to you about tonight.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Oh! And before I go on…Other places messaging pops up over

time as we develop?

Policies & Procedures

Norms / Culture

Growth Strategy

HRM

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

So… what is messaging about?Messsaging is the implied or inferred ‘messages’ a

business sends to its customers – internally and externally.

WE’RE TALKING EXTERNAL…

It focuses on informing clearly the value proposition of the business, product or service – the what, how and why.

It educates individuals on the merits, outcomes and benefits of the product or service.

It is a key part of the sales transaction process – attracting and informing the customer.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

So… what is messaging about?Your messaging allows you to efficiently communicate:

USP & Value Proposition: how am I going to provide you with the outcomes you want [remember: customers buy

outcomes]

Features & Benefits: what it is that makes your product or service special [be compelling!]

REMEMBER: focus on your NOSE [Needs, Outcomes, Solutions & Evidence]

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

So, how does this link to business strategy & planning?

Show of hands… who has a LIVING business plan?!!

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

It’s all about strategy…

I’m only too aware that not everyone sees the value of having one – HOWEVER – they are extremely important… WHY?

Because having a business plan / business strategy provides you with a roadmap for development and measurement of success and growth…

Back to the messaging…

Part of understanding your business is understanding your message. SO, when you’re in planning mode, you are evaluating your message.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Let’s make this simple…

Are you articulating a clear, succinct and relevant message to your customer?

You need to check.

Are you communicating or targeting the right customer?

Do you know your customer well? Who is he/she or who are they?

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Step-by-step…

The messaging ‘temperature check’…

1. What is our strategy? Who do we want to be?

2. Who is our customer? Are we sure we’re right?

3. Do we have the market we think we have? How do we know?

4. Is our productisation or ‘packaging’ right? Are we delivering our customers’ needs in the way they want them?

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Step-by-step…

… and most importantly… the meat in the sandwich!

Do we have a compelling value proposition?

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Huh?

A summation of the what, how and when – in a snappy, short manner?

Try to set yourself apart by innovating and adding features and benefits not already available in the market.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Take a few moments…

What is different or compelling about YOUR product or

service?

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Another good messaging tool?

Positioning.

How do you want to be seen? Expert? Thought leader? Traditional, reliable company?

All part of your messaging.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

What?

Hands up – who engages in PR activity as part of their business promotion?Have you ever thought about the indelible mark it leaves on your consumers’ memory?

Yes, PR is good to promote new offerings or deals – it is also a great tool for positioning.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Talking strategy again?

When we get to grips with business strategy we look at where we want the business to be positioned, and how we want it to be perceived. Don’t underestimate the power of PR in your business’s positioning.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

At the speed of light…

We’re returning to your business.

Have you recently thought about how it’s shaping up versus where you want it to be?

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Message & Strategy

Can you see how your message could be causing you a problem?

Let’s talk briefly about what you can do to make sure YOU have clarity of purpose and vision, enabling you to make sure your business is sending the right message…

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Go back to the start – AS IS & TO BE:

AS IS: Is the business operating at the level I want it? Are the goals I’ve set out being achieved? Where are we ‘positioned’? TO BE: Be bold… what do we want to achieve? Clients, positioning, finance [income], staff etc.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

The next step?

Identify the gaps… and build the ‘scaffolding’ [e.g. plan] to achieve your ‘To Be’ goals. Go SMART [Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed]!

Don’t be complacent – Plan, Do, Review… every three months.

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Phew! Joined-up thinking in business…

… means we look at each part of our plan in the context of the business as a whole… so messaging

and strategy are inextricably linked!

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

… and finally…

Remember…

Plan & Purpose: have you got one? Is your purpose clear?

Message: is it clear? Review: Ongoing!

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Hope you’re not too dizzy after that!

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com Is your business sending the right message?

Thank you for your time!

@OlwenIBI Facebook.com/OlwenIBI

Olwen Dawe

www.irishbusinessintelligence.com

www.olwendawe.com