OUR APPROACH

HOW WE DEVELOP MESSAGING PLATFORMS

How We Deliver This Service

Our approach to producing powerful messages includes these key phases:

• Review of your Ideal Client Profile (ICP) from our Positioning service
• Definition of the messages that need to be created for your messaging platform
• Interviews with your executives to develop ideas for company and services messages
• Interviews with clients who have acquired each service you want to profile
• Development of messaging architecture
• Development of core messages
• Setup of messaging repository on your internal systems

Review of your ICP from our Positioning Service

In this phase, we review the ICP we created for you from our Positioning service. If you have not acquired this service, we strongly recommend it as a precursor to effective messaging.

Definition Of The Messages That Need To Be Created For Your Messaging Platform

In this phase, we carefully examine what messages you need to create and build a list of those messages. Usually clients want messages about their firm and about their services. Yet there are other types of messages that can be created, based on your unique needs. See our Storytelling service for examples of this. We also make recommendations about the kinds of messages you should be telling based on our deep experience with the professional service market. The result of this phase is that we will mutually identify the messages that you need for all points of exposure to your brand.

Interviews With Your Executives To Develop Ideas For Company And Services Messages

In this phase, we interview your top executives and ask them a series of questions. Out of these interviews, we develop an initial idea list of how to describe your firm and your services. The result of this phase is that you will have a strong set of ideas to shape the messages for each service and your company.

Interviews With Clients Who Have Acquired Each Service You Want To Profile

In this phase, we interview a handful of clients who have acquired each of the service you chose to add to the platform. We come to understand why they bought that service from your firm, the outcomes they realized from the service and what they’ve found to be valuable. We also seek to understand why they chose your firm.

The result of this phase is that we bring an additional and valuable set of ideas to the table to shape your messages – ideas that come from the market. We also capture the organic language the clients use to describe your firm and services. This can prove invaluable in being persuasive to other like-minded people.

Development Of Messaging Architecture

In this phase, we develop a high-level architecture that includes elevator pitches for your firm and services. These pitches allow your staff to practice and be ready for those moments when someone asks: “who do you work for” or “what do you do?” Elevator pitches are very important for those brief moments when you need a quick, accurate and compelling response.

The result of this phase is that you will have simple and compelling messages available at the fingertips of everyone in your firm.

Development Of Core Messages

In this phase, we draft the core messages for your organization. Usually professional service organizations need company messages and services messages.

Our company-oriented messages tell:

• Your origin story – how your firm came into existence
• Who you are – your values, credentials, capabilities and reason to exist as a business
• What you do – the services you offer and why those services are valuable
• Who you serve – the goals, opportunities and challenges of ideal clients
• How you impact clients – why they buy your services and how this helps them

Our service-oriented messages provide (for each service to be profiled):

• A high-level overview of the service – the elevator pitch
• The value proposition of the service – the core reason that clients buy the service
• The results your service will deliver – the outcomes you can promise
• Your approach to delivering the service – the methodology the client can expect
• The benefits of the service – the cluster of value points that motivate service buyers
• The deliverables of the service – what the client will take possession of from the service

The result of this phase is that you will have messaging that is compelling and infused with organic language from your clients. The messages we develop simply work.

Setup Of Messaging Repository On Your Internal Systems

In this phase, we recommend strategies for how to use the messages we create, and specifically, how and where to locate them within your internal operating environment. When sales people and executives are in the middle of building slide decks, proposals, email communications and other materials, they don’t have time to go hunting for these messages. We show you how to make it fast and easy for them to integrate your messages into whatever documents they are creating.

The result of this phase is that you will have the messages you need at everyone’s fingertips just when they need them.

See What Can You Expect for details about the outcomes of this service.

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