This document contains the presentation slides for a talk on messaging given by Roger Friedensen to the North Carolina chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (NC PRSA) on November 3, 2010. The presentation discusses the importance of effective messaging and outlines some key principles for crafting good messages, including that they should be clear, concise, compelling and answer questions about relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and other factors. It also discusses the three modes of persuasion - ethos, pathos and logos - and provides examples of how messages appeal to each. The overarching message is that effective messaging is the essential ingredient for successful public relations and marketing communications.

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1
Messaging
The
Essen,al
Ingredient
Roger
M.
Friedensen,
APR
President
|
CEO
roger@forgecommunica-ons.com
@ForgeComm
|
@RogerFriedensen
© 2010 Forge Communications LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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2
Once
upon
a
,me
.
.
.

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“You
must
remember
this
.
.
.”
• Effec2ve
messages
are
developed
through
a
planning
process
that
can
be
learned.
• Effec2ve
messages
are
based
on
primary
truths
about
who
we
are
as
humans.
• Effec2ve
messaging
is
the
fundamental
ingredient
in
successful
marke2ng
public
rela2ons,
regardless
of
the
channel.

4. PRESENTATION TO CLIENT NAME | CONFIDENTIAL | PAGE 4
What
is
a
message?

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More
specifically
.
.
.
• Informa2on
» Sent
to
» Received
by
• Noun
and
verb
» Something
we
create
» Something
we
do
» Both
involve
planning

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Messages
=
Ideas
(good
and
bad
.
.
.)

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All
in
all,
though,
a
message
is
.
.
.

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Messages

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Messages
are
founda,on
stones
• “We
are
a
good
neighbor.”
• “We
follow
all
environmental
laws
and
regula2ons.”
• “You
can
trust
us
with
your
family’s
investments.”
• “Using
this
body
wash
will
get
you
chicks.”
• “I
did
not
have
sex
with
that
woman.”

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Why
are
messages
important?

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Messages

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How
do
you
tell
good
messages
from
bad
ones?

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Good
messages
are
.
.
.
• Clear
• Concise
• Connec2ng
• Compelling
• Construc2ve

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Okay,
so
that’s
what
a
message
is
–
now
what?
Like,
what
makes
‘em
work?

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Good
messages
answer
these
ques,ons
• Rela2ve
advantage
» Is
it
be9er
than
what
I
have
now?
• Compa2bility
» Does
it
fit
with
my
world
view?
• Complexity
» Is
it
hard
to
use?
• Trialability
» How
easily
can
I
give
it
a
try?
• Observability
» How
visible
are
its
benefits
to
others?
Adapted
from
Evere_
Rogers,
Diffusion
of
Innova-on

17. PRESENTATION TO CLIENT NAME | CONFIDENTIAL | PAGE 17
What
do
we
find
persuasive?

18. PRESENTATION TO CLIENT NAME | CONFIDENTIAL | PAGE 18
What
do
we
find
persuasive?

19. PRESENTATION TO CLIENT NAME | CONFIDENTIAL | PAGE 19
”.
.
.the
ability,
in
each
par,cular
case,
to
see
the
available
means
of
persuasion."

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Ethos
ACME
Gizmotronics,
the
company
you've
trusted
for
over
100
years,
has
recently
entered
the
World
Wide
Web!
Now
you
can
purchase
our
fine
products
through
the
Internet.
Our
quality
gizmos,
widgets
and
thingamabobs
can
be
shipped
to
you
within
minutes.
All
come
with
the
famous
life,me
guarantee
that
makes
Acme
the
company
that
the
world
depends
on
for
its
gizmo
needs.
Our
spokesperson,
Mr.
Coyote
says
"I'm
not
really
a
coyote,
but
I
play
one
on
TV.
I've
used
Acme
products
for
years.
Their
slingshots,
rocket
launchers,
crowbars,
pogo
s-cks
and
power
pills
are
the
best
around.
And
don't
forget
their
high-­‐powered
dynamite!
I
buy
everything
from
Acme.
They
are
the
company
that
I
trust
the
most.”
ACME
is
currently
suppor,ng
research
into
a
form
of
clean,
ultra-­‐efficient,
cesium-­‐based
power
that
promises
to
usher
in
a
new
period
of
cheap,
globally
available
power.

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Logos
By
combining
cesium
and
dihydro-­‐oxide
in
laboratory
condi,ons
and
capturing
the
released
energy,
ACME
has
promised
to
lead
the
way
into
the
future.
Our
energy
source
is
clean,
safe
and
powerful.
No
pollutants
are
released
into
the
atmosphere.
The
world
will
soon
have
an
excellent
source
of
clean
energy.
ACME
is
currently
working
towards
a
patent
on
our
process.
Our
scien2sts
are
exploring
ways
to
use
the
process
in
cars,
houses,
airplanes
and
almost
anything
else
that
needs
power.
ACME
ba[eries
will
be
refi[ed
with
small
dihydro-­‐
cesium
reactors.
Once
the
en2re
world
is
powered
by
ACME's
generators,
we
can
all
relax
and
enjoy
a
much
easier
life.
Please
examine
more
detailed
informa2on
about
our
cesium
research
by
clicking
here.

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Pathos
A
baby
turtle
breaks
free
from
the
leathery
shell
of
its
egg,
catching
its
first
glimpse
of
its
first
sunrise.
It
pauses
a
moment
to
rest,
unaware
of
the
danger
that
lies
so
close
to
it.
As
the
2de
comes
in,
approaching
the
nest,
it
also
approaches
a
small
pile
of
metal
-­‐
cesium.
The
water
draws
closer
and
closer,
the
turtle
unsuspec2ng
of
the
danger.
Finally,
the
water
touches
the
cesium.
The
nest
is
torn
to
bits
in
the
resul2ng
explosion,
killing
one
the
young
baby.
Why
does
this
happen?
One
name:
Acme.
Acme
Gizmotronics
is
suppor2ng
a
dihydro-­‐cesium
reactor
to
squeeze
energy
out
of
such
destruc2ve
explosions.
And
they
are
dumping
waste
cesium
onto
the
shores
of
their
island,
threatening
the
environment.
Studies
have
shown
the
dihydro-­‐cesium
reactor
will
destroy
Costa
Rica’s
ecosphere
in
less
than
four
months!
How
can
they
get
away
with
this?
Costa
Rica
has
lax
environmental
laws,
allowing
Acme
to
do
whatever
they
want.
What
can
you
do
about
this?
Don't
let
them
get
away
with
it!
Boyco[
Acme
products!
And
call
your
representa2ves,
and
tell
them
you
support
stricter
regula2ons.

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Okay,
so
that’s
how
we’re
persuaded
–
what
mo3vates
us?

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Mo,va,ons
Pleasure
Pain
vs.

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Hope
Fear
vs.
Mo,va,ons

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Mo,va,ons
Acceptance
Rejec2on
vs.

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Mo,va,ons
Pride
Shame
vs.

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Feelings
change
aatudes/behavior
• Pleasure
–
Pain
• Hope
–
Fear
• Acceptance
–
Rejec2on
• Pride
–
Shame

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Tell
me
less
about
how
it
came
to
be
and
more
what
it
means
to
me.

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Crea,ng
effec,ve
messages:
A
12-­‐step
program

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Step
1:
Be
a
student
of
humans
• Study
and
be
fascinated
by
people
• Study
how
we
think
and
act
as
individuals/groups
» Psychology
» Philosophy
» Poli2cal
science
» Literature
» Sociology
» History
» Communica2on
» Persuasion

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Step
2:
Be
a
student
of
yourself

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Step
3:
Be
an
expert
• Know:
» Situa2on
» Organiza2on
» Environment
» Issue/Product
» Compe2ng
messages
» Past/present/future
• Your
business
• The
truth

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Step
4:
Try
on
someone
else’s
shoes

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Step
5:
Appeal
to
basic
human
ins,ncts
• What
happened?
• Are
my
family
and
I
safe?
• Is
this
good
or
bad
for
me
and
my
family?
My
friends?
• Is
this
good
or
bad
for
the
environment?
• Who
is
responsible?
• Who
should
be
rewarded
or
punished?
• How
and
when
are
things
going
to
be
fixed?
• What
will
this
do
for
me?
• Is
this
the
right
thing
to
do?

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Step
6:
KISS
• Brevity
is
the
soul
of
wit
–
and
effec2ve
messages
• If
it’s
easier
to:
» Write
• Then
it’s
easier
to:
» Adapt
• Which
makes
it
easier
to:
» Remember

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Step
7:
Take
it
for
a
test
drive

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Step
8:
Light
a
sparkler
or
two
• “ACME
is
a
good
neighbor.”
» “We
donate
more
than
$1.5
million
annually
to
organiza2ons
that
help
make
our
community
a
be_er
place
to
live
and
work.”
» “Our
3,200
employees
contributed
more
than
38,000
hours
last
year
to
build
homes
and
collect
food
for
the
needy.”

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Step
9:
Be
the
ball,
Danny

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Step
10:
Grab
the
remote

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Step
11:
Choose
wisely
and
adapt

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Step
12:
Go
forth
and
conquer

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Speaking
of
channels,
some
things
have
changed
.
.
.

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Communica,on
then
• Way
long
ago
.
.
.
» Word
of
mouth
» Parchment
» Walls
and
rocks
• Pre_y
long
ago
.
.
.
» Speeches
» Town
criers
» Handbills,
posters
» Newspapers
• Not
too
long
ago
.
.
.
» Newspapers,
TV
and
radio
» Billboards

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• Newspapers,
magazines
• Radio
+
satellite
• TV
• Websites/microsites/streams
• Phone,
fax
• Wall,
rocks
• Movies
• Brochures
• Planes,
trains
and
automobiles
• Skywri2ng
• Bathroom
urinals
• Point-­‐of-­‐purchase
displays
• Leaflets
• Cereal
boxes
• iPads
• Guerilla
marke2ng
• Billboards
• Blogs
• Posters
and
signs
• YouTube,
U-­‐Stream
• Direct
mail
• E-­‐mail
• Online
chats
• Annual
reports
• Newsgroups
• Posters
• Staged
events
• SMS/MMS
• MP
Games
• Sponsorships
• Facebook
• Twi_er
• LinkedIn
• Tumblr/Posterous
• FriendFeed
• Ning
• Mee2ngs
• Mobile
marke2ng
• Apps
• Sports
events
• Taxi
cabs
• Flash
mobs
• Tweet-­‐ups
• Coffee
cups
• Oh
yeah,
speeches,
too

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But
most
things
haven’t
changed

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Business
hasn’t
changed
“Benefits
should
be
conferred
gradually;
and
in
that
way
they
will
taste
be9er.”
“It
is
be9er
to
be
feared
than
loved,
if
you
cannot
be
both.”
“A
wise
ruler
ought
never
to
keep
faith
when
by
doing
so
it
would
be
against
his
interests.”
“Poli-cs
have
no
rela-on
to
morals.”
“The
new
ruler
must
determine
all
the
injuries
that
he
will
need
to
inflict.
He
must
inflict
them
once
and
for
all.”
“In
the
end,
you're
measured
not
by
how
much
you
undertake
but
by
what
you
finally
accomplish.”

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And
poli,cs
certainly
haven’t
changed

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49

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50
Early
tex2ng
Boring
guy
blathering
on
precursor
to
C-­‐Span
Opponent
hamming
it
up
for
camera
Empty
seats
of
senators
who
took
off
early
for
vaca2on.
Horse-­‐
trading
in
the
gallery

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Humans
haven’t
changed

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LLC.
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rights
reserved.
|
PRESENTATION
TO
NC
PRSA
|
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52
Play,me

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LLC.
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rights
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53
Why
I
love
my
job

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rights
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54
The
bo[om
line?
• New
tools
but
same
old
basics
• It’s
about
strategy,
not
tac2cs
• It’s
about
benefits,
not
features
• The
more
things
change,
the
more
they
stay
the
same

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55
I
hope
you
remember
this
.
.
.
• Effec2ve
messages
are
developed
through
a
planning
process
that
can
be
learned.
• Effec2ve
messages
are
based
on
primary
truths
about
who
we
are
as
humans.
• Effec2ve
messaging
is
the
fundamental
ingredient
in
successful
marke2ng
public
rela2ons,
regardless
of
the
channel.

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|
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56
(and
may
the
Forge
be
with
you)
Roger
M.
Friedensen,
APR
President
|
CEO
roger@forgecommunica-ons.com
@forgecomm
|
@RogerFriedensen
www.forgecommunica-ons.com
Thank
you!