This presentation includes the actionable information you need to improve messaging across the 6 Dimensions of Messaging Effectiveness: Alignment, Relevance, Uniqueness, Consistency, Recall and Value. In this presentation OnMessage shares specific methods and tools for assessing critical aspects of each dimension and specific steps you can take to improve the impact your messaging has in the market. The information and insight shared during this event will enable you to evaluate and answer fundamental questions like… > How closely aligned is our messaging with our business strategy? > Does our messaging resonate and connect with our target audience's needs? > Is our messaging ownable and truly different than our competitors? > How can we deliver our messaging across the organization on a more consistent basis? > Is the message we are sending really what our target audience is hearing? > How quickly and clearly are we communicating the value we deliver?

2. ABOUT YOUR HOST:
James F. O’Gara is a seasoned marketing professional and
entrepreneur. At OnMessage, Mr. O’Gara is responsible for
building collaborative relationships with clients that result
in highly effective go-to-market, messaging/positioning,
and demand generation strategies.
As the president and founder of OnMessage, James brings
a wealth of entrepreneurial, strategic marketing, and
business leadership expertise to every client engagement.

3. DID YOU KNOW?
According to research among executive B2B
decision makers:
Conversations with prospects account for
53% of the reason they decide whether to
choose your company over your competition.

4. YET IT’S STAGGERING THAT...
Only 3% of B2B sales and marketing
professionals use a repeatable process
when creating messaging across the
enterprise.
Source: Marketingprofs.com

5. WHY IS THIS WHEN MESSAGING HAS
PROVEN TO BE A DIFFERENCE MAKER?
Companies that develop and infuse effective messaging:
- outpace other firms in quota achievement by 25%
- have win rates that are 20% higher
Source: CSO Insights Study

6. WE BELIEVE IT COMES DOWN TO...
philosophy
discipline
commitment

7. We believe … messaging is strategic and intrinsically
linked to financial performance.
We believe … messaging must be woven into the fabric of
the organization and delivered consistently throughout the
customer experience.
We believe … messaging management is a journey that
requires the unwavering support of leadership. There are
no short cuts.

8. ALIGNMENT RELEVANCE UNIQUENESS
CONSISTENCY RECALL VALUE

9. ALIGNMENT
how closely aligned is our messaging with our business strategy?

10. ALIGNMENT
How closely aligned is our messaging with our business strategy?
SALES MODELS AND ORGANIZATIONS
challenge:
major changes in the business TARGET MARKETS
create gaps between your story: CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
what you do, what you offer, and
the customer experience. PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
COMPETITIVE PRESSURES LEADERSHIP AND GROWTH STRATEGY

11. ALIGNMENT
How closely aligned is our messaging with our business strategy?
VISION / STRATEGY PRODUCTS
(how has it changed?) (are new products, features part of our story?)
your BUSINESS GOALS
(does our messaging strategy align with key
SERVICES
(are hard/soft services represented in
alignment business drivers?) messaging?)
checklist: SALES PROCESS
(does messaging tie to sales strategies, stages
and activities?)
MARKETS
geographies)?)
TARGET AUDIENCE COMPETITORS
(are we speaking to the most critical decision (are there new players? what advancements have
they made?)

12. ALIGNMENT
How closely aligned is our messaging with our business strategy?
your ESTABLISH BASELINE
conduct strategy alignment session with key executives (1/2 - 1 day)
action
CONDUCT AUDIT
plan audit your messaging across all communication vehicles.
compare and contrast. identify gaps.
CONNECT THE DOTS
state of the business” and your messaging.

13. RELEVANCE
does our message resonate and connect with customer needs?

14. RELEVANCE
does our message resonate and connect with customer needs?
GOV/INDUSTRY REGULATIONS
BUDGET ALLOCATIONS
challenge: JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
people change. preferences BUSINESS PROCESSES
change. priorities change. your PURCHASING PRIORITIES
message must keep pace. DOWNSIZING / REORGS
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
MARKET DYNAMICS
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
KEY PERFORMANCE METRICS

15. RELEVANCE
does our message resonate and connect with customer needs?
KNOW WHO
your
make sure your message speaks directly to these individuals.
relevance KNOW WHAT
checklist: clearly identify what you do or provide that is the most meaningful to them.
KNOW WHY
describe in practical terms why they need/must have what you are offering.
ensure this is at the forefront of your message and delivered consistently.

16. RELEVANCE
does our message resonate and connect with customer needs?
your SURVEY CUSTOMERS
craft and launch a survey to assess the current needs of target audience.
action
VALIDATE WITH PROSPECTS
plan shape key messages that align what you do with these needs.
test these messages in controlled surveys or interviews with prospects.
INFUSE & MONITOR
decide how these messages will play a role in your overall message.
infuse core messages into a fully aligned messaging platform.
conduct relevance assessment surveys on an annual basis.

17. UNIQUENESS
is our message ownable and truly different from our competitors?

18. UNIQUENESS
is our message ownable and truly different from our competitors?
“it’s our
“it’s QUALITY” PEOPLE”
can you demonstrate and
everyone says this. what is
challenge:
substantiate better
quality in a way that makes it about your people that
a difference to your customer? makes a difference to
the customer?
common. it takes discipline and
creativity to establish and “it’s our
SERVICE”
customers expect good service. its a
baseline. how can you communicate
quality of service or experience
without the customer experiencing it?

19. UNIQUENESS
is our message truly different from our competitors?
OWNABLE
is there an element of what you do or offer that is truly different?
can others in your industry claim to provide the same thing?
your
is this uniqueness quickly and clearly communicated in your message?
DEFENSIBLE
uniqueness
checklist:
TRUE
does everyone believe in and deliver this message with passion?

20. UNIQUENESS
is our message ownable and truly different from our competitors?
your compile a key messages comparison chart between you and your competition.
action
plan REALITY CHECK
keep it real by surveying customers. validate if they see this aspect of your business
as truly meaningful and different from others.
LOCK AND LOAD
lock in on your point(s) of difference and ensure they are consistently
conveyed in all communication vehicles.

21. CONSISTENCY
how consistently is your message delivered inside and
outside of your organization?

22. CONSISTENCY
how consistently is your message delivered inside and outside of your organization?
challenge: “It’s time for P&G to rethink what its one message should be. For an organization
known for its superior marketing and business discipline, it’s time for it to focus
messaging when not managed on one unique and meaningful message. We call this the “meaning message,” a
and monitored takes on a life of concise, commonly understood statement that highlights the true meaning of the
organization and which serves to inspire and provide direction.”
its own. it becomes a barrier to
engagement and business
success.

23. CONSISTENCY
how consistently is your message delivered inside and outside of your organization?
WHO YOU ARE
your
does your company clearly and consistently answer this question: “we are a ...?”
consistency WHAT YOU DO
when you describe what you do - do you use consistent words and terminology?
checklist: WHY SHOULD CUSTOMERS CARE
customers need or should want your product/service?

24. CONSISTENCY
how consistently is your message delivered inside and outside of your organization?
INSPECT WEB PRESENCE
your the most basic yet powerful step you can take is to audit your web presence.
how many different ways do you state who you are, what you do and the value you
action deliver? this will be quite telling. to improve consistency dimension these must be
stated in a clear, consistent manner across all customer touch points.
plan
EVALUATE COLLATERAL
review messaging across all communication vehicles (collateral, press releases,
presentations, etc.). look for inconsistent language, style, personality.
INTERVIEW EMPLOYEES
deliver as an organization.” if these answers are inconsistent - you can bet the rest

25. RECALL
is the message you are sending really what your audience hears?

26. RECALL
is the message you are sending really what your audience hears?
CLASSIC
OGILVY AD
challenge:
consumers are hit with 300 to
3000 messages each and
every day. how can you make
your message memorable?

27. RECALL
is the message you are sending really what your audience hears?
STREAMLINE
your get to the point as quickly as possible.
recall SIMPLIFY
look for ways to make the message easier to consume: remove the cliches, me too
checklist: verbiage, and industry slang.
SEQUENCE
evaluate the sequence of your story and be sure you are making quick, logical
connections between the various layers/level of your messaging.

28. RECALL
is the message you are sending really what your audience hears?
your interview customers and prospects. ask them the one word that comes to mind
action
when they think of your company. if there is a positive common thread - make
sure this language is present in your messaging.
plan ISOLATE THE NOISE
review your messaging and identify the non-value added content that is not
sticking in the market place. gut it immediately.
LEVERAGE REPETITION

29. VALUE
is the value you deliver clear and compelling to your target audience?

30. VALUE
is the value you deliver clear and compelling to your target audience?
challenge:
establishing differentiated value
75%
marketing and
of
is a challenge in and of itself.
once in place - getting people to salespeople are
stick with it can be even harder. unable to consistently
and effectively articulate
their value propositions.
Marketing Alignment Benchmark Study ~ Holden Corporation

31. VALUE
is the value you deliver clear and compelling to your target audience?
IS THERE ONE
messaging? Yes I said 1 ... not 10.
your
CREATE ONE
value
checklist:
a common thread. can it be bubbled up and still be meaningful. one core value is
critical.
STICK WITH ONE
conduct training and education classes across the enterprise to make it stick.

32. VALUE
is the value you deliver clear and compelling to your target audience?
KEEP IT CLEAR
your make sure your value is clearly stated - not buried in your story. leverage visuals and
action other methods of communicating value (testimonials, metrics, etc.).
plan KEEP IT CONSISTENT
your core value. communicate it the same way consistently across all
communication vehicles.
KEEP IT CURRENT
people change. priorities change. make sure the value you communicate remains
relevant and compelling to your target audience. keep asking if it is meaningful
and true.

33. ALIGNMENT RELEVANCE UNIQUENESS
CONSISTENCY RECALL VALUE

34. ESTABLISH A STRATEGIC
MESSAGING MIND-SET
IT IS MORE IT IS AN INSIDE IT TAKES
THAN WORDS OUT JOB COMMITMENT
For too many years, Anything worth doing is
Messaging must be woven
messaging has been driven worth doing right. There are
into the fabric of your
by tactics and vehicles (i.e.
organization. It is no longer no short cuts. Strategic
we need a new ad, new sales
presentation, new brochure).
messaging management is
This fragmented, ad hoc responsibility. Messaging a journey that requires the
must be delivered unwavering support of
to harness the true power of consistently throughout the senior leadership. It means
messaging. We believe entire customer experience. taking the time to lay the
messaging is strategically Every interaction is an necessary groundwork and
opportunity to strengthen consistently manage its
performance. And it can make your market position or lose application.
the difference between market share.
market laggards and market
leaders.

35. ONMESSAGE.
WEB: itsonmessage.com
It embodies our singular purpose and mission… PHONE: 214.438.1106
EMAIL: jogara@itsonmessage.com
To change how leaders infuse messaging into their company,
culture and customers.
OnMessage is a messaging infusion company with a proven model for helping
you develop a clear, compelling and consistent message. Our methodology
needs to create a messaging platform that elicits optimal engagement across
all communication channels. This methodology, when combined with our
employee training programs and demand generation services, enables you to
achieve the highest return on every connection you make by infusing effective
messaging into your company, culture and customers.

36. thank you.