In product management and marketing the problem isn’t just to send or broadcast another piece of message; the main goal is to make sure that your product messaging cuts through the noise, leaving a lasting impression on your target audience.
But how can you do this? How can your information manage to stick with your readers and make it unforgettable? Everything falls back to having a creative messaging framework.
What is product messaging?
Product messaging is a communication strategy that describes how you tell your target audience about the features and advantages of your product.
Product messaging is present everywhere you engage and connect with both current and potential users. All forms of communication—including emails, social media, release notes, in-app messaging, and more are included in product messaging.
What does a product messaging framework include?
There are several factors to consider when creating a product messaging strategy that will explain your features, address user pain points, and persuade potential customers.
It involves a careful analysis and you must be able to answer the following questions;
1. Define your product
Honestly evaluate the capabilities of your product and make sure you’re not promising more than you can fulfill. Be clear from the beginning and define your product in a simple way not complicate things.
2. What will you do?
Think of the main benefits you will provide to users. Consider this the result of comparing the lives of your users before and after. Clearly state what your product is bringing to the market, make sure you are concise, and focus on the benefits that matter most to your customers.
3. Why should your target audience choose you over others
Make a list of your unique selling point, something that others don’t have, and make sure it addresses the pain point of your customers, and only your product can solve it. These unique qualities make you stand out and entice your customers to choose you over your competitors.
4. Why should they trust you?
You can earn credibility by using case studies, brand ambassadors, media attention, accolades and recognitions, and user reviews- Insert a tone of credibility into your messages.
5. Why now?
Make your product seem urgent, then provide evidence to support it- Let them be ready to use your product just by emphasizing their pain point. You can draw their attention by offering limited-time offers, exclusive features, or limited editions.
Product messaging framework template
Although there are different product messaging frameworks available, they have some common elements which are;
1. Problem
List the 3 top problems your customers might be facing, what are their problems, what are they looking for, and what they need.
2. Persona
A persona is a representation of your ideal customer that is obtained from market research and both qualitative and quantitative data on current customers.
Write the use cases for each of the main user personas that you have identified for your product and provide a customized list of value propositions for every user segment.
3. Solution
How will your product help in solving their problems? Jot down every solution for each problem.
4. Market position
How do you want your product to be perceived in the market? A strong market positioning strategy should have a clear value proposition and a strong marketing strategy for building and communicating your product.
5. Key advantage
Write the things that make your product beneficial to your customers, things that they won’t get from your competitors. What makes you ahead of your competitors?
6. Value Proposition
Write a value statement outlining your product benefit to your customers. Make sure these value propositions are clear and relevant to your users’ problems.
7. Write an elevator pitch
Jot down a short paragraph about the main features and advantages of your product. For example, something you can say in 30 seconds to persuade someone to invest in your product.
8. Message pillars
Write down the main things or features that make your product unique. The foundation of your messaging strategy should be these pillars.
9. Proof points
An example of how to prove a point is by stating how your product is valuable through social proof and feedback.
10. Brand tone
What impression do you wish to give your customers about your product message? Is it bold, fierce, professional, conversational, friendly, or something else? To discover your voice, consider your brand’s personality., then in all of your messages, stick to that voice.
Why infomercials are the best marketing message example?
An infomercial is a longer-form television or video ad that promotes a product or service and includes a call to action. Infomercials will provide you with more time to exhibit your product, show off how it functions, and make a strong call to action (CTA).
You can create your messaging and marketing plan by using infomercials as an example. Why?;
- It grabs the prospective customer’s attention fast
- It arouses their emotions to encourage a purchase,
- It removes any doubts that would prevent them from making a purchase.
In addition, Infomercials are the king of memorable marketing since they know how to employ important brand messages to keep viewers thinking about the product even after it ends.
5 key ingredients for crafting memorable brand messages
These five components are precisely what you need for your brand messaging and will serve as a guide;
1. On-screen tagline
The on-screen tagline serves as the ever-present hook. It should say exactly what your audience needs to know to keep them interested in reading further this to be your brand promise or value proposition, it should be brief and to the point and also emphasize a significant benefit that will immediately spike the interest of any new viewer.
2. Use storytelling
People are story lovers by nature. Stories that ignite feelings, and are relatable are most likely to resonate with your readers. You can emotionally connect with them by telling a story that combines the qualities and benefits of your product, sharing stories of how your product has improved people’s lives, or how it was created out of a desire to address a pressing issue.
3. Key selling features
Every successful company must determine what makes its products stand out. When you’ve carefully taken into account each of these most amazing features, your product or service will always have an engaged audience that is ready to buy.
4. Unique Differentiators
Emphasizing how your product differs from your competitors will increase your conversion rate and position it as the only answer to their problem.
5. The Objection Crusher
There is always a point in every infomercial where the host asks their guest a question that they know the viewers at home are wondering. You also try thinking about the biggest concerns of your target audience that might be stopping them from taking action. Put yourself in their shoes.
Your brand messaging needs to have clear responses ready to go that will remove doubts in the minds of your audience.
How to use the marketing message framework?
This is how you should use marketing messaging to develop your brand’s message and grow your product. To make the process simpler, make sure to follow this order;
Step 1: Identify 3–5 Key Selling Features
Think about the three to five advantages that your product provides to attract and retain customers. Think about:
- Where your target audience is compared to their desired location,
- Or how they feel presently versus how they want to fee
Look for top highlights about your product that you can infuse into your messaging that will keep your audience engaged.
Step 2: Write 3 Problem Story Arcs
a. Identify the functional and emotional issues they are facing.
The best way to do this is to list all of the issues your audience has with your product, it is better to go deeper into this.
Find a corresponding emotion issue from each functional problem they have, remember that our actions are motivated by our emotions.
b. Write your product messaging story arcs
Write a little story for each of the three problems that you believe will resonate with your readers. Each one of them must have:
- The issue (the start of the story),
- the resolution (the midpoint),
- and the change (the joyful conclusion)
When it comes to brand marketing, the actual money maker is the transformation-People purchase the transformation rather than the solution.
Step 3: Identify 2–3 Unique Differentiators to Position your Brand Messaging
Knowing your competitive landscape will always make your brand positioning and message more memorable and effective. Consider this:
- Who are you being compared to by potential consumers or clients?
- What do your rivals have to offer?
- What do your target customers or ideal clients typically see?
- Why are they still unable to resolve their issue?
Determine two or three ways your product or service is different from the competition using the facts above as fuel for difference and make sure it is in line with their values and desires.
Step 4: Write your brand promise
Your brand promise is just like a hook, very concise but memorable. In an infomercial. For your brand messaging, it will be the hook in your messages and communicate what your product can do for them!
How to write a memorable brand promise:
- what you do
- who it’s for
- the benefit it delivers
Remember to put yourself in the shoes of your ideal customers, just to make sure you’re touching on exactly what they need to hear to feel confident you’ll be worth their time.
Step 5: Identify 3–5 Objections and Counter Responses
Make a list of all the worries that your customers might have that are preventing them from making a purchase or taking action. Write an honest answer for each one you have that will overcome their doubt and give them the confidence to use your product.
Why is it important to have a product messaging framework?
Having a product messaging framework is important because it helps you achieve clarity, and consistency and also impacts how you communicate about your product across different channels and stages of your customer journey. The following are reasons why you need a product messaging framework:
1. Efficient content creation
A messaging framework will help you streamline your content creation process because you already have a set guideline when creating the framework –Consider the framework as an outline, all you need to do is just follow through.
2. Improved customer understanding
One of the goals of sending a message to your audience is to communicate the values of the product and encourage them to have a deeper understanding of how your product will help them. When you have a framework it helps you focus more on customer benefits rather than product features, because the framework is the phase where you spend your time on market research.
3. Measurable impact
Having a framework allows you to measure the growth of your messaging–You can access which messages resonate with your audience and why, because you already have a set framework consisting of your vision, message hierarchy, customer pain point, and many more.
4. It helps you stay consistent
A product messaging framework ensures that all messaging about your product, whether on your website, in marketing materials, or through sales pitches, is consistent. This consistency will help reinforce your brand’s message and values, making it easier for customers to understand and remember what you stand for.
5. It makes you more aligned with your target audience
When you have a framework in place, you will always want to ensure that your product messaging aligns with the needs, interests, and pain points of your target audience. This alignment is important for creating messages that resonate with your audience.
The most creative way to make your product messaging unforgettable
1. Tell a Story
Talk about your product like it’s a character in a story. This helps people remember it.
For example, if you’re selling a vacuum cleaner, you could tell a story about how a busy mom was able to clean her house quickly and spend more time with her kids thanks to your product.
2. Feelings Matter
Link your product with feelings. When people feel something about your product, they remember it.
For instance, if you’re selling a luxury car, you could talk about the feeling of prestige and success that owning such a car brings.
3. What’s Special?
Say what’s special about your product and why it’s good. Keep it short and easy to remember.
If you’re selling a unique type of coffee, you could say “Our coffee beans are handpicked from the highlands of Colombia, giving you the freshest and most aromatic coffee experience.”
4. Same Message, Everywhere
Use the same message about your product everywhere. This helps people remember it.
If your product is a fitness app, make sure to consistently communicate its key feature, like “Get fit in just 20 minutes a day”, across all platforms – website, social media, ads, etc.
5. Use Pictures
Use pictures to help explain your product. People often remember pictures better than words.
If you’re selling a DIY furniture kit, use step-by-step pictures showing how to assemble the furniture.
6. Say it Again
Keep repeating your main message in different ways and places. This helps people remember it.
If you’re selling a skincare product, keep repeating its main benefit, like “Get glowing skin in 30 days”, in your social media posts, email newsletters, and website.
7. Fun and Games
Make fun games or quizzes about your product. This makes your product memorable and enjoyable.
If you’re promoting a new book, create a quiz like “Which character from our book are you?” and share it on social media.
8. What Others Say
Show what other people say about your product. This builds trust and helps people remember your product.
If you’re selling a course, show testimonials from students who have benefited from the course. This could be in the form of quotes, video testimonials, or reviews on your website.
9. Add customer stories and testimonials
According to Nielsen research, 92% of people will trust a recommendation from a peer, and 70% of people will trust a recommendation from someone they don’t even know. This is huge because customers like feedback from other customers to help them decide whether to take action or not.
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