Has Your Marketing Message Gone Stale?

Messaging is a critical part of your brand's success—it's important to take the time to get it right. It is essential that you define and communicate your benefits in a way that captures your prospect's attention.

In creating, defining and refining your firm's message, your first goal is to make crystal clear what you do. The second is to pique the reader's interest, leaving him feeling as if he might be making a mistake if he doesn't at least find out more about you. Many businesses spend weeks and months focusing on precise messaging and getting their benefit statements clear and correct. Why? Because ultimately it makes a huge difference in closing more sales.

Before you do any marketing, conduct your own messaging strategy session by asking the following five questions:

1. What are the challenges our product, service or firm can help prospects overcome?
2. What are the words our prospects use to describe their challenges?
3. What is our solution (using words prospects can relate to)?
4. What are the specific benefits of our product, service or firm? (Use the answers above and put yourself in your prospects' shoes by asking "So what?" and "Why should I care?")
5. List your benefits with clear messaging targeted to each prospect.

Your message is your first impression. Make sure it's one that gets people coming back to find out more.