Positioning And Messaging May 2009

Who Are You? No, Really…Positioning and Messaging for

Greater InfluenceFor The Non Profit Sector

Suzanne E. HenryFour Leaf Public Relations LLC

May 2009

Clarity. Creativity. Connection. Care.

What We’ll Cover Today Importance of proactive positioning and messaging

Getting Ready Questions to ask Intelligence to gather Messages to determine

Message Development Recipe for success Exercises Outcomes

Implementation

Who Are You?

If you are not communicating who you are, Either someone else will

(and, they will likely be wrong)Or

Indifference sets in(which is hard to shake)

• Increasing competition

• Falling value proposition(s)

• Invisibility

• Negative member or customer feedback

Challenges Addressed by Proactive Messaging

• Staff disconnections/lack of communication

• Diminishing participation, memberships or sales

• Other falling statistics

• “Gut” feeling of being off the mark

• Why am I thinking about my message or my story?

• What do I want my audience to do?

• How much do I know about my audience?

First Questions to Answer

Messaging Process Internal Look

Current message audit Self perception analysis

External Look Competitive message analysis Target audience research

Message Development (message summits) Target audience description Concept pyramid Good word, bad word list Positioning statement Elevator pitch/60 second story Tag line Power bites Take-away statements Corporate boilerplate Value messages

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Testing and Refreshing




Message Development (message summits) Target audience description Concept pyramid Good word, bad word list Positioning statement Elevator pitch/ 60 second story Tag line Power bites Take-away statements Corporate boilerplate Value messages

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Internal Look Current message audit

Web site Printed materials, i.e. brochures, annual reports PowerPoint presentations Press coverage E-mail messages More…

Self perception analysis Staff Board members Committee chairs Key partners, investors, and other stakeholders

External Look

Competitive message analysis Who or what can people choose over you?

Other nonprofits Other organizations in your interest area Other factors: state of the economy, inertia, personal/family

commitments, other

Target audience research Market research





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Concept PyramidWho are you?

CONCEPT

What do you do?

CONCEPT

How do you do it?

CONCEPTWhy do you do

this?CONCEPT

Why would someone get involved with you?CONCEPT

Why else would someone get involved?CONCEPT

Concept Pyramid: NewEnergyFocus, Inc.

Who are you?A non-profit org committed to encouraging tomorrow’s engineers to find

alternative energy solutions

What do you do?We hook up universities and colleges with experts and current alternative

energy engineers (as visiting professors) and provide curriculum on alternative energy topics

How do you do it?We identify, fund and place these current experts– for 2 week stints – at a university or

college; we also help them develop the curriculum to deliver their expertise to the students

Why do you do this? We believe educational institutions can impact and accelerate our ability to develop

alternative energy technology; we also believe our program helps produce more scientists and engineers due to the “hot” nature of this topic

Why would someone get involved with you?The “visiting professors” get attention for their companies and expertise; the investors get

attention for funding an “action-oriented” program around our energy dilemma

Why else would someone get involved?Its “future” orientation is naturally appealing; alternative energy topics are “hot”; the early

players will gain fame

Good Word – Bad Word List

Good Words

Avoid overused words, such as “professional” and “excellent”

Choose strong words, such as “formidable” and “catalyst”

Bad Words

Identify jargon, such as “solutions”

Identify words someone might use, but you would rather they did not

Putting Pen to Paper

After you have assessed your landscape (research)

- and –

After you have identified your focus (exercises)

What is a Powerful Message or Story?

Key Characteristics of a Powerful Message

Compelling

Truthful/Appropriate

Differentiating

Effectiveness

• Clear• Concise• Candy bite-sized• Consistent

What is a Message that Works?

A mix of authenticity and eloquence

about something that is relevant to your audience

and which sets you apart from the competition

And, it’s clear

“The truth is more important than the facts."

- Frank Lloyd Wright

http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Frank_Lloyd_Wright

Compelling, Truthful, DifferentiatingIn Action

Good

CVG is the business organization created by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs

Not So Good

CVG is a membership group created to address the need for educating and promoting the Charlottesville entrepreneurial community

Key Messages Internal Look



Message Development (message summits) Target audience description Concept pyramid Good word, bad word list Positioning statement Elevator pitch/ 60 second story Tag line Power bites Take-away statements Corporate boilerplate Value messages

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Yet Another Key Characteristic of a Powerful Message or Story

NOUNS

Positioning Statement

Elevator Pitch


• Describes who you are Does not necessarily describe what you do

• Describes who you are in relationship to everything else Refers to the competition without actually addressing it

Answer These Questions Who do you serve?

Who are these people? What is happening to them that makes you an answered prayer?

How are you unique? Really…

Who says? What feedback have you received to date (from your target audience)? How can you prove your claims?

Where do you want to be? What are you trying to make happen?

Where are you currently? What are you actually making happen?

Positioning Statements

Charlottesville Venture Group: A business organization that was created by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs

• Ipsos: is the largest market research firm in the world, owned and operated by market research professionals

• The Greenscape Business Alliance: advocates the value of properly managed turf and landscapes for our communities

• The Southern Environmental Law Center: is the largest, non profit environmental advocacy organization dedicated solely to preserving and protecting the Southeast


Who do you serve?

How are you unique?

Who says?

Where do you want to be?

Where are you currently?

Elevator Pitch/60 Second Story

A 60 second, verbal answer to: Who are you and what do you do?

Successful Pitch

• Creates curiosity– Causes your listener to question, to want to

learn more

• Provides direction: – Gives enough information that your listeners

walk away with the right idea about you

Elements of the Pitch

1. Tag Line

2. Challenge (facing your target audience)

3. Unique Opportunity (for you)

4. What You Do

5. Benefit(s) (you bring)

6. Call to Action

The Pitch

Elements:1. Tag Line2. Challenge (facing your target audience) 3. Unique Opportunity (for you)4. What You Do5. Benefit(s) (you bring)6. Call to Action

Tag Line Shows your energy Addresses the “heart” of the organization

Nike: Just do it

EarthJustice: Because the Earth Needs a Good Lawyer

VPTC: Technology Advancing Our Community

Equipment Leasing and Finance Foundation: Your Eye on the Future

The Pitch


Challenge

• What is your audience facing?

• What is keeping them up at night?

The Pitch


Unique Opportunity

• Emerging trends• Challenges your audience faces (that you help solve)• New developments within your organization (that

your audience would respond to)

What is happening in the world that would have someone say,

Wow, I am so glad you are here!

The Pitch


What You Do

• Basic description – We make widgets

The Pitch


Benefits

• What is your magic wand? – We make widgets that never fail

What do you do that helps your audience overcome their challenges?

What do you do that helps your audience avail themselves of opportunities?

Call To Action

• End with a question– Who handles your XYZ?

• End with a direction – Visit our Web site

The Foundation’s PitchThe Foundation is a nonprofit organization with an eye on the leasing industry’s

future. Thanks to donors, we are able to produce research and publications that give an in-depth, independent look at various industry topics, like the Industry Future Council Report and the State of the Industry Report.

Many people think we are part of the Equipment Leasing Association, but in fact we are separate, and we are the only organization 100 percent dedicated to future-focused research to help you with business and strategic planning.

Corporate donors of $2,500 or more receive five, free, early-release reports a year. Others will need to pay $200 for Foundation reports.

Have you ever donated to the Foundation? (Or, insert other call to action.)

Tag Line: Your Eye on the Future

The coalition is a national group of organizations whose members are in the business of providing and maintaining greenscapes. We communicate the value of properly managing lawns and landscapes based on years of practical experience and hard scientific research.

Greenscapes have significant economic and environmental benefits –cleans the air,

cools the cities , traps run-off, filters rainwater, pulls down dust, absorbs carbon (CO2) and generates oxygen…But, only if done right.

We, essentially, are dispelling the notion that “brown” is the new “green.” We have reliable information on how to responsibly manage these green investments, and why...

Would you like to see some of this data?

The Greenscape Business Alliance’s Pitch

The Pitch

• Burning Problem – What is your audience facing?

• Unique Opportunity – What is happening in the world where you are the answered prayer (or at least a good answer)?

• What You Do – What do you actually provide?

• Benefit(s) – Why should someone choose you over another choice?

• Call to Action – What do you want them to do?

Key Messages Internal Look




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Power Bites

• These messages constitute the large story • Three step process:– List the 10 questions you know you’ll be asked– Develop 1-2 sentence answers that follow the CTD

formula, if possible– Include proof points under each power bite

Take Away Statements

• What are the three things you want to leave people with?

• Must give these 3 messages at least 3 times in a longer conversation

Organizational Boilerplate

• One, factual paragraph: the who, what, when, where, why, and location of your business

• Not your mission statement• Not your positioning statement• NOT your elevator pitch

Value Messages

• What three values you would you never compromise?

Tag Line

Who are you? Really…

Outcome: Control

Faster and more effective action by members or clients

Conviction and clarity for and from team members Viral effect, repeatability Stronger marketing efforts, overall Enhanced reputation and image Buzz

Next Steps in Messaging

• Use it all the time

• Get buy-in from the folks that matter

• Reinforce internally and externally

• Update all collateral

• Keep current and keep revising

• Become an evangelist!

How Do We Use Messaging?

• Web site, corporate collateral and giveaways and marketing materials

• Press materials

• Letterhead and stationery

• Speeches and presentations

How Else?• Media interviews• Message at a glance document for staff• Networking and social gatherings• Interviewing prospective employees• PowerPoint templates• Receptionist greeting• Sales calls• Business cards• E-mail message signature• Voicemail messages

Contact Us

Suzanne E. HenryPresident, Four Leaf Public Relations [email protected]

www.FourLeafPR.com

Clarity. Creativity. Connection. Care.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.fourleafpr.com/

Positioning And Messaging May 2009

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