A Clear Marketing Message Is the Foundation of Everything

Does your company have a clear message? Is it easy to understand?

Does it draw customers in?

Many clients come to us because their marketing isn't working as well as it should. Their websites aren't turning visitors into customers, and their emails are going unread.

They've seen how effective marketing can be, and they wonder why they're left behind.

If you find yourself in that situation, if your marketing efforts aren't getting results, the first place to start looking is your message.

It's time to get fundamental.

What Is Your Message?

Look at your messaging. What are you saying?

• Is most (or all) of your message about yourself, about your company?

• Do you spend most of your time telling customers how great your company is?

• Are you so focused on the services you offer that you've forgotten to tell customers what's in it for them?

In the language of StoryBrand Guides, we call that kind of company-centric message "hero language".

You've positioned your company as a hero who's here to save the day for customers.

Here's a secret: customers aren't interested in a hero.

What really speaks to customers, what makes your company sound appealing, is when you place yourself as a guide who's here to help them win the day.

The first step in positioning your company as the guide is to realize the story - your message - isn't about you. It's about your customers. Take a look at these paragraphs:

"Forty-five years ago, our founder set out to build an investment firm that would make a difference. We offer unmatched advising services that will grow your portfolio like never before."

Vs.

"You've worked hard for your wealth, but you still worry about the future. With advising from ABC Partners, Ltd, you will grow your portfolio so you can stop worrying and enjoy your golden years."

Do you see the change from the first paragraph to the second? It's all about addressing your customer as the hero and offering yourself as a guide who can help them achieve a successful future.

Say It Clearly

The mantra of StoryBrand Guides is "clarity, clarity, clarity".

Even when you think you've made it as clear as possible, go back and make it even more clear.

In fact, the first commandment in a StoryBrand holy text would be: "If you confuse, you'll lose."

Customers are people, and the one thing all people genuinely hate is feeling confused.

If it takes too much time or effort to understand something that should be simple - like a headline on a company's website - we immediately lose interest and tune out.

It's not that we're all slow or lazy. It's actually a survival mechanism built deep within us that seeks to preserve energy whenever possible. Since reading a website (probably) isn't a matter of life and death, we will automatically stop wasting energy on understanding confusing copy, especially if there's another website that's much more clear.

So, address your customer as the hero, and do it with absolute clarity.

Once you've filtered your message through those lenses, you're going to find that people react much more strongly to what you're trying to say.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a clear marketing message and why does it matter? A clear marketing message tells your ideal customer what you do, who you help, and what changes for them after they hire you, all in plain language they don't have to work to understand. It matters because people don't buy the best product or service. They buy the one they can understand fastest. If your website takes more than a few seconds to explain what you do, visitors leave.

How do I know if my company's marketing message is confusing? Ask someone who has never worked with you or heard your pitch to read your website homepage and then tell you what your company does in one sentence. If they can't, or if they get it wrong, your message needs work. Another test: if you've been in business for a few years and still have to explain what you do at networking events, the message you're putting out isn't sticking.

What's the difference between hero language and guide language in marketing? Hero language puts your company at the center of the story: "We've been serving West Michigan since 1978, and our award-winning team delivers unmatched results." Guide language puts the customer at the center: "You need more leads without wasting money on ads that don't work. We build marketing systems that bring in consistent business." One talks about you. The other talks about them.

How long should a company's core marketing message be? Short. Your main one-liner should fit in a sentence or two, max. Think of it as what you'd say to someone in a 30-second elevator ride who asks what you do. The full message behind that can be longer, but the version that goes on your website header and your email signature needs to be clear and fast. If you need a paragraph to explain your one-liner, you're not done yet.

How do I get started writing a clearer marketing message? Start with your customer's problem. What is the single biggest frustration they come to you with? Write one sentence that names that problem, then write one sentence that describes what life looks like after you solve it. Those two sentences are the skeleton of a clear message. Donald Miller's StoryBrand BrandScript process is one of the best structured ways to work through this if you want a more formal framework.