Brand messaging is the story that you use to describe who you are as a brand, what you do and why it matters.

This sounds super-easy on the face of it. So why do so many businesses struggle to articulate their story?

The answer to that is because you’re too close to it – you know too much. It’s difficult to see what makes you different/special from an external perspective when you’re busy being the expert.

As the saying goes, “It’s impossible to read the label when you’re inside the jar“.

When your B2B messaging is working well, it helps you get remembered and recommended. The value of it compounds over time, so it’s crucial to get it right in the first place (as you’ll be seeing and saying it again and again!).

What makes B2B messaging effective?

The best B2B messaging aligns with the three Cs of copywriting: they’re Concise, Clear and Compelling (and I always add a fourth: Consistent).

Concise: Good brand messaging is short, memorable and to the point. It’s a waffle-free zone.

Clear: The best core messaging is crystal clear on your positioning, leaving no room for confusion.

Compelling: It’s interesting, persuasive or intriguing (or there could be an urgency to it).

Consistent: Once your brand messaging is developed, it should be used everywhere to help reinforce it.

Your messaging should be accessible and jargon-free (with the caveat that if you’re selling something specialist to a very clued-up audience then sometimes carefully used jargon can be appropriate).

If SEO/GEO is a consideration, then your messaging should also underpin your keyword strategy.

Why do brands invest in brand messaging?

Perhaps the biggest value of good B2B messaging and positioning is that, once it’s done, it’s simply a case of copying and pasting, rather than writing from scratch each time. It also means that you’ll be demonstrating your value more consistently wherever your brand shows up, whether that’s in proposals and sales pitches, on your LinkedIn profile, your website or even in person when you’re introducing yourself at a networking event.

Here are just a few more benefits of investing in brand messaging:

• Compete on the value you offer, rather just on price.
• Get clarity on your positioning and points of differentiation.
• Attract the right enquiries and clients, at the right price point.
• Get remembered (for the right things) and build brand familiarity over time
• Have ‘boilerplate’ content ready to use in a myriad of places.
• Be clear and consistent at every brand touchpoint (LinkedIn, website, proposals etc).
• Know what makes you the best choice, along with the benefits and value you offer.

What are the biggest mistakes brands make with their B2B messaging?

There are a few common pitfalls to avoid when developing B2B messaging. Here are some of them:

• Not gaining an external perspective. You may think you know what makes you stand out, but your customers may not agree.
• Using AI. Hopefully this goes without saying but if you want humans to connect with your brand, AI-generated words aren’t going to cut it.
• Trying to be all things to all people. Effective messaging sets you apart. It’s informed by a clear knowledge of who your target audience is and what they want to hear. If you try to appeal to everyone, you’ll appeal to no-one.
• Copying competitors. It’s good to check out what they’re up to, but the aim is not to sound like a carbon copy of them – it’s the opposite of that.
• Focusing on features rather than benefits. Copywriters and messaging strategists are obsessed with benefits – for good reason. So rather than saying, “Our six-week brand messaging project includes a workshop, kick-off call and two rounds of revisions”, we might flip it to something like, “In just six weeks you’ll have all the words you need to be fluent in your brand.” This way, the focus is on outcomes, not the process.

What does a B2B messaging strategist do (and not do)?

A brand messaging strategist is interested in what sets you apart. They work with you to uncover the things that make your brand unique and distinctive, and dig deep to understand your product/service and what makes it appealing to its target customers. They’ll reflect all that back to you, and then they’ll help you articulate it.

What a good messaging strategist won’t do is create and impose messaging ON you. It might sound impressive, but if it doesn’t feel like ‘you’ then it’ll miss the mark. So it’s vital that they bring you in on the process and get your input throughout.

How do I choose a good B2B messaging strategist?

A B2B messaging strategist who knows their onions will have some good case studies and strong testimonials from happy clients.

Ones like this one, from Live to Your Living Room‘s Founder and Creative Director, Cat McGill:

“It’s been a really great process to work through with you and it’s already changing the way I talk about LTYLR even in casual conversation. I feel like I can really get to the heart of what we do very quickly without stumbling round trying to find the words!”

Or like this one, from Karen Cairney, CEO of Cairney & Co:

“Olivia understands, and helps clients understand, what makes your company special and how to play to these strengths. Olivia is brilliant to work with; she is always efficient and full of innovative ideas that fit in with our brand.”

While every project is different, the process of a messaging project tends to pan out like this:

• Kick-off call
• Document review and competitor/marketplace research
• Messaging workshop
• Stakeholder interviews – for an external perspective, e.g., staff or clients.
• Messaging development
• Revisions and sign off

What deliverables can I expect from brand messaging?

This is different each time, but depending on needs and budget, your key messaging framework might contain some/all of the following:

• Guidance on brand name usage
• Strapline/tagline
• Mission, vision, values
• Positioning statement (who you are, what you do, why you do it and who you do it for). Also called a ‘brand essence’ statement, an ‘elevator pitch’, etc.
• Longer brand narrative (useful for your website’s About page)
• Competitor analysis
• Light-touch tone of voice guidance
• Summary of stakeholder interviews (e.g., clients, staff)
• 3-5 key messages with the main ‘headlines’ you’re always reinforcing
• Supporting messages split by audience group

More in-depth B2B messaging projects can also include comprehensive tone of voice guidelines, house style guidance or even a brand manifesto. It’s a good idea to agree the specific deliverables you need with your brand messaging strategist before you kick off, so you know exactly what you’ll be getting.

How much does brand messaging cost?

It’s a hard one to answer, because each project is so different. But if it helps you budget, my prices start from £1,280 for a brand messaging project and can go up to around £5k, depending on what’s needed.

My brand messaging services are always tailored to suit your individual needs. If you’d like to talk through what valuable messaging looks like to you, get in touch.