Telling your brand’s story in a compelling, engaging, and effective way is tough. Telling others what your business means, what it believes in, and what services are on offer – among other things – might seem like a near-impossible task. But, lucky for you, it doesn’t have to be! That’s where a well-crafted brand messaging framework comes in.
But what exactly is a brand messaging framework? And where do you even start to create one? Keep reading to find out!
What is a brand messaging framework?
In short, a brand messaging framework is a structured document that outlines what your business is all about and what it stands for.
The content you produce is always, whether you’re aware of it or not, a representation of what your brand is. And, when it comes to storytelling through content, we already know that staying consistent is key. With your brand voice, brand personality, and so on.
This is where a brand messaging framework comes in. Whether you’re working on creating content, designing a website, producing packing, or even organizing an event, a brand messaging framework ensures that everyone on your team is aligned, connected, and effective.
Why does a brand messaging framework matter?
You might be wondering why exactly a brand messaging framework matters, and how it can impact your business for the better.
Here are a few reasons why should consider having one:
01. It keeps your team organized and connected
You might have a clear idea in your head about what your business is, what it stands for, and how you wish it will come across publicly. But what do you think would happen if you walked up to other members of the team and asked them to describe this? You might hear a few different answers that will vary from person to person and area to area.
A brand messaging framework guarantees that this doesn’t happen.
With the whole team having access to a clear outline of important information, it will be much easier for everyone to be on the same page and stay consistent. There will be less back-and-forth between teams, fewer doubts as to where to begin, and a strong base from which to continue building something great. Can you say TEAM SYNERGY?!
Whether it’s your copywriter, designer, or marketing chief when everyone on the team has a clear understanding of these important points, life will be easier for you, them, and your audience.
02. It keeps your message consistent
A single document that outlines what your brand is about means…
- There’s no need to play the guessing game with what words to use
- What phrases are off the table
- What tone is appropriate
- What visual vibe you want to portray
…the list is endless. Having everyone on the same page doesn’t just boost a team’s productivity like highlighted above, it also helps your brand stay consistent in terms of communication.
Staying consistent is essential to a brand because it helps the audience connect with it on a deeper level.
Picture this: you meet someone today and then tomorrow, when you run into them again, they’ve completely changed.
The same thing happens three days later, and then five, and then two weeks…it’s confusing, right? Trying to connect with someone who is constantly changing who they are, how they talk, and what they like leaves no room for a proper connection to ever happen. The same thing happens between consumers and a brand: if a brand is constantly flip-flopping, consumers will feel disconnected and might pass it on for a brand that stays true to itself.
Are you looking for a little help when it comes to your branding strategy? Our team is here to help you get started with all the right tools. Let’s work together!
This, in turn, will help spike your $$. According to Forbes, brands with a consistent message across all their channels can increase their revenue by 23%!
How can I create a brand messaging framework for my business?
There are four essential parts to any brand messaging framework:
01. A mission statement
02. A tagline
03. A value proposition
04. Your brand pillars
Here’s what each of these refers to and how you can uncover them (if you haven’t done so already!):
01. Defining your mission statement
A mission statement is a reflection of your company’s goals. It’s usually very short, hyper-specific, and explains exactly what your business does and why it does it.
In order to define your brand’s mission statement, ask yourself these questions:
- What do I do?
- Why do I do it?
- Who do I help?
- How do I help them?
A mission statement gets to the heart of a company and goes beneath the surface to truly understand its purpose and its place within the market. Having a concise mission statement also helps employees and other team members understand exactly what it is they’re working towards – what the company’s goals truly are – and incites a sense of purpose, belonging, and kinship among everyone in the company.
02. Coming up with a tagline
While mission statements have a lot more room for expression, taglines are usually super punchy and focus mostly on emotions. Great taglines usually encompass a brand’s essence, its personality, and helps them stand out from the rest of the competition. Punchy taglines are memorable, relatable, and speak directly about the brand or company.
One way to get started with writing a tagline is to ask yourself:
- What do I want people to feel when they read my tagline?
- How do I hope an audience will react when they see my tagline?
Once you’ve figured out what you hope to achieve, it’s time to let your inner Don Draper shine 😉
03. Uncovering your value proposition (aka what we like to call your ‘fierce factor’)
A value proposition sits at the core of your business: it’s a representation of how your brand solves a customer’s pain points (their issues, struggles, etc.) and what potential customers can get from it if they take the plunge and make a purchase.
A great way to organize your value proposition is with entrepreneur Steve Blank’s XYZ method:
We help X do Y by doing Z.
Remember that having an articulate value proposition (let’s just call it a ‘fierce factor’ moving forward!) will be extremely important in the long-run when it comes to your communication strategy. From pitching to a new client to designing your website and producing high-quality and high-value content, your fierce factor will be a guiding light in terms of what to say, how to say it, and when to say it.
04. Choosing your brand pillars
Up until now, your brand messaging framework lives more in a conceptual world than in a physical one. This is why brand pillars are so important: they help bring your messaging down to earth.
Think of your brand pillars as the three most important selling points of your business: they’re what sets you apart from your competitors. Brand pillars are usually elements that most consumers find important: reliability, innovation, convenience, etc. These pillars will, in turn, be supported by a set of points that hope to explain how you achieve the things you’re promising your audience.
Download our Heartfelt Copywriting Bundle!
If all of this seems like a lot and you’re looking for a place to start, our Heartfelt Copywriting Bundle has all the elements you need to organize your thoughts and put them on paper.
Download the bundle, work through the content by yourself or alongside your team, and get ready to start writing high-converting website copy that attracts your ideal clients!
How to implement your brand messaging framework
Creating a brand messaging framework is one thing, but what happens when it comes time to implement it?
Luckily, this is one of those things where implementation doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. It’s ongoing, evolving, and continuously growing alongside your business. A brand messaging framework is always lurking right beneath the surface: when you’re writing an email, when you’re posting on your blog, when you’re adding a new product to your catalog. It’s the base for all of these things…and more!
READ: The 3-Step Formula To Create A Powerful Brand Message For Small Businesses
So, how do you start to implement your new brand messaging framework? By…starting!
- Share the document with your team and watch how they get the ball rolling in their respective areas.
- Use it as the basis for a new marketing campaign
- Design a new landing page based on your brand pillars
- Or refer to your mission statement and tagline when writing your next blog.
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to keep going back to your brand messaging framework for guidance and inspiration.
Know we know…
Now that we’ve been through the basics, creating a brand messaging framework doesn’t seem all too difficult, right? While it might be time-consuming, it’s also an essential part of any strong, well-structured business that is looking to succeed in the long run.
We now know that a brand messaging framework is important for your brand in order to
- Help keep your team organized and connected
- Make sure your messaging stays consistent throughout all channels
We also learned that a good brand messaging framework is composed of four essential parts:
01. A mission statement
02. A tagline
03. A value proposition
04. Your brand pillars
Now that you have these tools, it’s time to sit down with your team and run through each section to help define them. Once you’ve written it up, the rest will come with time.
Have you ever created a brand messaging framework? What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you started? Let us know in the comments!
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