Speak Boldly

This is the fifth installment of a seven part blog series called “Keys for a Comeback” written to help businesses and non-profits dealing with challenges due to COVID-19.

If you’ve ever watched the Academy Awards, you know the value of a captive audience. Oscar recipients are notorious for waxing eloquently and waffling on. As a business owner or the leader of an organization, you don’t have that luxury. The most effective brand communication is both short and evocative.

A few years ago I heard a TED Talk about memory. My biggest takeaway was that it’s easier to remember a piece of information if it’s paired with an emotion. The average person cannot remember the ingredients in a dish they tried, the technique their plumber used to fix a leak, or the details of a price list. However, a clever brand message that makes them smile, laugh, or reflect on life can create a positive subconscious association with that brand.     

If you’re not able to hire an advertising professional, here’s how you can create a powerful brand message in four steps: 1) Start by writing a bullet list of all of the details regarding your sales proposition or promotion. 2) In one succinct sentence, summarize how this information brings value to the customer. 3) Imagine you’re a customer who is trying to get the attention of a close friend to tell them about this great product or service. What would you say to catch your friend’s attention in a unique way? You now have a three-tier brand message. 4) Turn it upside down. The relatable, emotional attention grabber will be your headline. The one sentence summary of your sales proposition will be your explanation. And finally, a high-level list of the pertinent details in bullet form (if there’s space) in case your reader wants to know more.    

The takeaway here is to lead with the bold, emotional message and not the details. Memory science tells us that it’s better to be thought-provoking and evocative than to try and educate someone right away. By creating a memory, you create an opportunity to speak with consumers over and over again.