Explain what you do
and make people care
People remember what they care about and the right message makes them care.
We help define your key messages so you can market on the value you provide, not a list of your features.
Our Key Message Workshop fixes all your problems*
Our Key Message Workshop is a collaborative half-day experience designed to:
Discover and document the specific pains your ideal customer personas experience
Specify exactly how your products/services address those pain points
Prioritize what you say to provide clarity when buyers encounter your brand
Define what you say to prospects and how you say it
The results include increased brand engagement, reaching your audience and resonating with them.
* NOTE: Key message workshop does not fix all your problems, but it does provide a lot of clarity. 😊
1: Pre-workshop questionnaire
Before the workshop, you and your team answer a variety of questions about your business (what you do and how), goals, your products and services, ideal customers, their pain points, how you fulfill them, and your competitors.
Your answers serve as an input to the workshop itself. It takes at least an hour to complete the questionnaire for each person who contributes.
Want to see our intake form? We’re happy to send a copy via email.
2: Set a date and time
We recommend no more than 4 people attend the workshop. They should be most important people for your business decision-making and product/service management. We absolutely recommend having someone who truly understand the customer and your products/services.
The workshop is very important, so please emphasize attendance. The workshop doesn’t go well if people don’t show up.
And yes, it’s better to do these in person, but we can do them remotely (if we have to).
3: Do the workshop
Plan to be in the workshop for 4 hours, even though that rarely happens. Most times, our workshops run 2-3 hours. Some tips and expectations:
Complete the pre-workshop questionnaire. This is so important.
Come prepared with as much customer and product knowledge as possible.
Be present! There are breaks for checking email. We understand your schedule and work are important, but you’re spending thousands on this workshop, too.
Sometimes there are arguments and disagreements. This is a good thing. We always work out the conflict in the session.
4: Post-workshop analysis
This is where the magic happens. About a week after your workshop, you’ll get a deliverable that clearly lays out everything from the workshop:
Persona descriptions
Target products or services
Positioning statements
Value propositions
Persona pain points
Proof points by pain point
Key message by pain point
NOTE: Key messages are not marketing copy. This document will provide the basis or foundation for writing marketing copy.
Key messages are the foundation of your marketing strategy
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What is a key message?
A key message is a specific thing you want your audience to remember about you that also explains the value or service you provide.
A key message tells people what you do, what you offer, and why they should buy from you.
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Why are key messages important?
Key messages are critical to a successful brand, effective content strategy, and marketing that delivers results. Brands, products, and companies without key messages are forgettable, ignorable, and lackluster.
Without key messages, no one will know how great your product is.
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What do I get from your workshop?
We help you create an ecosystem of key messages that speak to your personas and form the backbone of your marketing and content strategy. You get clear, consistent messaging that helps you meet your goals.
Added bonus: You’ll finally stop hearing, “What does your company do again?”
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Why do I need a key message workshop?
We always recommend a workshop to new clients. It’s a great way to begin a long-term relationship built on high-value, actionable content.
In our experience, nearly everyone who reaches out to us needs help with their key messages.
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What is the process like?
Pre-work: We ask questions to get you thinking and gather the information we need.
The workshop: 3-4 hours with a small team of your stakeholders. We use a digital whiteboard for remote collaboration.
Analysis/delivery: We look at the data and identify key messages, then build a framework for you to work from.
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What are my options for the workshop?
You can hire us to personally shepherd you through the process and build your messages, or you can go through it yourself on your own time with our course, Make Your Marketing Memorable.
FAQs
What will I receive after the workshop?
About a week after the workshop, we’ll deliver a document that presents value propositions, positioning, and key messages by persona. We’ll also include proof points and pain points that map to each key message.
How do I use the document after the workshop?
Your messaging document will help inform all of your content. For example, if you want to update the copy on your website, this messaging document will provide clear guidance in what to say about products and how to talk about it to different personas.
Writers are notoriously imaginative creatures. This document ensures they have direction in creating effective, consistent content for everything from your website to blog posts to emails.
Is the workshop in person or online?
We absolutely prefer running Key Message Workshops in person. However, we run plenty of workshops online over Zoom, and we use Miro Board for collaboration and affinity mapping. For clients who are local or for those willing to cover travel costs for 2 of our team members, we gladly host the workshop in person!
Who should attend the workshop?
It’s best to have four or five representatives from your company attend. We suggest including poeple with knowledge in product, marketing, and sales. Ideally, at least two people should be directly customer facing and at least one should be part of your leadership organization.
Can I do the workshop myself?
Yes you can! We have a course that walks you through the entire process, including the questions we ask and the tools we use, and we even have videos showing you what we do. Reach out to discuss.
