When professionals first join a PR team, their more experienced colleagues often have a personal set of tips and tricks for developing successful marketing campaigns that they've built over their years in the industry. Learning what kind of language will work best to achieve certain marketing goals with specific audiences, and what messages might backfire, or worse, be offensive, is the key to continued success in this industry.
Members of the Forbes Communications Council know the common mistakes that can be made and what can be done to ensure your marketing messages are not only engaging and relevant, but effective as well. Below, participants discuss the steps to take when writing a marketing message so that the language is received correctly and makes the desired impression on the audience.
1. Think about your growing audience
Think about your audience, not the one you've been writing about in the last two or three years, but the one that has formed around you. Do your messages reflect the diversity of the communities you serve? Creating truly rich content takes time, thought, and advice. Create a diverse newsroom to share unique perspectives, challenge bias, respond to your message, and challenge your thinking. - Jess Willis, Cisione
2. Go to Why before adding context
Sometimes we forget the "why"! We're so focused on the call to action that we don't pay much attention to answering those questions from the audience: "Why should I care?" "Because it's important?" "Why should I care or do or act now?" "Why is this necessary?" and "Why do I lose if I don't?" Using the inverted pyramid, go to the "why" first, then add context or other information. - Heather Young, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST)
3. Don't go overboard or overdo it
Heed this old advice: Don't overpromise and don't deliver! When advertising and outreach are automated to support a strong multi-channel farming strategy, many find it difficult to stand out from the noise with unrealistic promises about products or services, or even how quickly they can process your order or return your call. Words matter and customers will ask you about what you promised in your advertisement. - Stacy Blick, Integrity Staffing Solutions
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4. Be inclusive
Understand how the words and images you use influence your current and future audiences and ask yourself, "Will this influence people in a positive way or will it make a difference?" - Heather Spilsbury, 50/50 women on board
5. Focus on the customer's problem
It's about them, your customers, not you or your product. Focus on the customer's problem and how it can be solved. We are so focused on clicks and leads that we forget we are creating messages for people. Show that you understand and care. Don't sell it. Show how you can help your customers. - Parna Sarkar-Basu, Brand and Buzz Marketing LLC.
6. Don't jump on every new trend
If your brand isn't trending, be careful not to jump into every conversation trying to get views or clicks. When you join the conversation with your marketing efforts, make sure your brand and voice already align with what you do, or you risk misleading people about who you are and what you stand for. - Jonathan Sasse, Methow
7. Avoid using negatives in your text
The general structure used in messages is "not only in X but also in Y". The intention is to double down on the value proposition, but for today's generation of speed readers, it dwarfs it. Don't risk people missing the wrong part of your message; keep it clear and positive. - Erica Morgenstern, Virgin Pulse
8. Avoid generalizations
Try to avoid generalizations wherever possible in your marketing message and language. The more specific information you can provide, the less guesswork your audience will have. If you write short text that gets to the point quickly, you have a much better chance of attracting and keeping your customers' attention. -Victoria Zelefsky, Menkiti Group
9. Create a table with three columns
Before creating your marketing message, create a three-column table with the headings "Problem", "Solution" and "Benefit". While the problem and solution are easy to list, the benefits are the marketing message that needs to be communicated. The "benefit" message should be clear, concise, and enthusiastic enough to elicit an emotional response. - Lauren Parr, Repu Gen
10. Check the language before investing in promotion
Test your message and language with your target audience before committing large advertising budgets. This can help you avoid any unintentional errors upfront and potentially identify opportunities for improvement through feedback. - Roshni Vijayasinha, Prosh Marketing
11. Use the customer's voice
It's important to use the customer's voice in your marketing messages. Too often, marketers get caught up in using internal company jargon in external messages instead of listening to their customers and tailoring their messages to their customers' language. By using the voice of the customer in your messages, you will create much more effective messages. - Lindsey Bayajian, conductor
12. Be aware of the different meanings
The slang has long been ignored, but in today's fast-paced, largely social and meme-based world, one also needs to be aware of the social or "urban" dictionary. Words have different meanings to different audiences. What might work for younger people might not work for your older customers. Dig deep and determine whether the latest buzzword is connecting you with many of your customers or alienating you. - Kimberly Osborne, UNC Greensboro
13. Focus on how good you can make your customers.
Focus on your customers and what they want and how you can make their life or work easier or better. Too many marketing approaches revolve around "check out my awesome company" instead of "check out how awesome we can make you." Marketers tend to talk about customer understanding as the cornerstone of all marketing (and sales) programs. It's time to go back to this approach. -Eric Brown, JumpCloud
14. Always give a sense of belonging
The purpose of marketing messages for brands is to give consumers a sense of belonging. While marketing tactics may vary by brand industry, the marketing messages themselves exist solely to evoke these emotions. Marketers shouldn't lose sight of this goal and get caught up in imaginative messages. - Mahesh Beli, Indio Software
15. Ignore political opinions
Your marketing message and language is about you, your audience, and their experience of your business, services, and products. Ignore political views unless they are part of your value proposition. No one wants to be trained by a company or business. -Molly Barnett, SMART Co.
16. Maintain neutrality and speak as honestly as possible.
Always try to stay neutral and sound as sincere as possible. People like unbiased viewpoints and it's always important to stick to the facts and make them clear to the audience you're trying to reach. - Christian Anderson, Lost Boy entertainment company