Signs The Messaging is Unclear in Your Arts-Based Business
Messaging is one of those vague marketing terms that gets thrown around quite a bit. But if you aren’t sure what it is, then how can you know if your brand needs to strengthen it? Let’s dive into this concept and discuss the signs that a company’s message is confusing its audience. Get this right and you’ll make it considerably easier to do business with you.
Seriously, what the heck is “messaging”
You know how when you go to a restaurant and you ask where the bathroom is, everyone on the staff will say the same thing? “Down the hall and to your left.” They all know where the restroom is, they have figured out a succinct way to explain it, and so everyone does it the same way. When it comes to giving directions, they’re all on the same page.
Messaging is like that for your brand. Imagine that no matter where people interact with your company - on social media, on the phone, in the lobby, or in-person - they hear the same words. Not only do they hear the same words, those words are clear and succinct so that your audience knows what you do, how it makes their lives better, and how they can get it.
That’s messaging.
When you nail your messaging, it becomes easy for people to do business with you.
How to Tell If Your Messaging is Unclear
Now that you know what messaging is, let’s identify some signs that your company’s messaging is unclear.
People - whether the general public or your staff - can’t easily identify what you do.
No one can identify what problem you solve to make their lives better.
No two people in your company explain what you do the same way.
When someone asks about your company, you want to respond with, “Well, okay, it’s a little complicated, but here goes.”
Anytime someone asks you for a blurb that describes your company, you start from scratch and provide something new every time.
A Personalized Messaging Assessment
Besides this quick list, you can also take the StoryBrand Marketing Assessment. This personalized assessment will give you a clearer picture of the health of your company’s messaging, but your company’s email marketing efforts, social media efforts and other marketing elements.
What to Do If Your Messaging is Unclear
If this list or your StoryBrand Marketing Report make it seem like your messaging is unclear it’s time to fix it!
Here’s are some options for how to do that:
Read the book Building a StoryBrand to get a framework that will clarify your message.
Take the Building a StoryBrand messaging course in Business Made Simple.
Attend a StoryBrand Marketing Livestream to get not only your messaging clearer, but a 5 point marketing plan.
Schedule an Intro Call and we’ll talk through how I can create your messaging for your brand.
Benefits of Clear Messaging
Good marketing is an exercise in memorization, says Donald Miller, the creator of the StoryBrand Marketing framework. By having a clear message - and making it obvious to anyone who comes into contact with your company - the general pubic will understand what you do, how it makes people’s lives better, and how they can get it. When you nail down those elements, spreading the word about what you do becomes effortless, which in turn brings in more business.
