Photo of handshake and quote: Helping organizations better define who they are, what they do, how they do it, and why anyone should care!

Branding Bytes Archives

Issue 35:
Thoughts On Using Social Media

Issue 34:
Reigning in Public-Private Partnerships

Issue 33:
Seven Ways to Avoid Toxicity In the Workplace

Issue 32:
A Few Bad Apples Bruise the Brand

Issue 31:
Branding Beyond the Logo

Issue 30:
The Yin and Yang of Celebrity Leadership

Issue 29:
Want to Raise More Funds? SPEAK UP!

Issue 28:
Government Funding Cuts: Act!

Issue 27:
"We Are Sorry":
Your Brand is Your Behavior

Issue 26:
Tell Your Story

Issue 25:
Good Leaders

Issue 24:
Think "People,"
Not "Organization"

Issue 23:
What's in a Name?
Just about Everything!

Issue 22:
Is Your Mission
Getting Creepy?

Issue 21:
Welcome to the Age
of the New Normal

Issue 20:
"Receptionist" vs Director of First Brand Impressions

Issue 19:
It's Not About How Your Message is Delivered

Issue 18:
When it Comes to Your Brand, Details Matter

Issue 17:
A Good Brand Requires TLC: Just Ask My Wife!

Issue 16:
Toxic-Work-Environment Syndrome Can Tarnish Your Brand

Issue 15:
Adjusting to the
New Face of Need

Issue 14:
Tired of all the Doom and Gloom? This is Your Time!

Issue 13:
A New Year's Resolution: Don't Cut Off Your Nose

Issue 12:
What You Do Is
About All of Us

Issue 11:
Ethical Standards
and Your Organization

Issue 10:
Leadership: Whose Journey is it, Anyway?

Issue 9:
Giving Circles
and Branding

Issue 8:
The World's Richest Men
— and Philanthropy

Issue 7:
What is an External
Brand Audit?

Issue 6:
Keeping Everyone
on Brand Message

Issue 5:
What is an Internal
Brand Audit?

Issue 4:
Turn Board Members into Better Brand Ambassadors

Issue 3:
Leadership, Vision
— and Branding

Issue 2:
What's 1st—Organization or Brand? / Govt. Cuts?—Branding Helps

Issue 1:
Branding Myths

Issue 6, Spring 2007

Keeping Everyone on Brand Message

Q. How can we do a better job of keeping everyone in our organization on brand message?

A. It doesn't matter how good the choir is. If everyone is singing from different song sheets — it's just noise! The same holds true for an organization's brand. If everyone is sending out different messages, it confuses the audiences you are trying to reach. One of the best ways to keep everyone on message is to create a "messaging package."

A messaging package is simply a compilation of the core messages you want your brand to convey. Its purpose is to help you stay on message whenever you communicate information about your organization. A good messaging package answers the questions: Who are we? What do we do? How do we do it? And why should anyone care enough to support us. (NOTE: In my book, Branding for Success, I offer a five-step approach on how to actually go about creating your messages. Given limited space, here I will simply offer a brief description of each component of the package. For a more expanded view of message development, click on ABOUT.COM)

Your messaging package should include the following:

Tagline

A tagline is a catchy, quick-identifying reference, usually no more than five to seven words. A good tagline will trigger the imagination, interest and emotions of your target audiences. Think of Nike's "Just do it!" or the American Red Cross's "Together, we can save a life."

Your tagline should be incorporated into all your materials, including signage, stationery, banners, media materials, website, etc.

Positioning statement

A positioning statement is often referred to as an "elevator speech", something that can be delivered quickly to someone who knows little, if anything, about your organization. It is perhaps the most important component of your messaging package and should be short, compelling and to the point. For example:

"XYZ is a leading community-based nonprofit that helps place people into homes they can afford. Working collaboratively with others, last year we helped more than 200 families purchase their first homes and were responsible for more than $6 million worth of local economic activity."

When developing your positioning statement, keep in mind that its purpose is not to educate people about every program, service or product your organization offers. Rather it should be designed to interest them in your overall mission, to get them to care enough about what you do — and your importance to the community — so that they will want to learn more.

Supporting statements

Think of supporting statements as talking points to be included into your speeches, presentations, printed materials, website and elsewhere.

You can create three supporting statements; you can create dozens of supporting statements which can be selectively used to target different audiences.

Supporting statements may address:

In short, supporting statements are just that — they bolster the brand by providing additional facts about your organization to various targeted audiences.

Logo

Your logo is the design cornerstone that should give all of your materials a consistent look, style and feel so that people can identify immediately with your organization. (Think of McDonald's golden arches, Nike's swoosh, and the Red Cross's, well, red cross.)

In addition to being attractive and representative of your brand, think about the various ways you may use your logo and how difficult or expensive it may be to reproduce. Consider proportions, as well. A detailed logo that looks great on a large banner may not reproduce well when it is reduced small enough to fit on a business card. Also, how will it look in color, black and white, faxed, enlarged or reduced?

Your logo should be used uniformly and consistently on all your materials, including annual reports, brochures, flyers, report covers, press releases, video covers, etc.

Creating an effective messaging package will take some time, energy and resources. But if used consistently, it's a great way to get everyone singing from the same song sheet, a way to produce harmony instead of noise when it comes to explaining who you are, what you do, how you do it — and why anyone should care enough to support you.

As always, I look forward to receiving your feedback, questions, success stories and branding challenges. Also, if you are in need of a motivational speaker, trainer, branding consultant/coach, or management consultant who can help you answer the questions: Who are we? What do we do? How do we do it? And should anyone care? I invite you to for more information.

In the meantime, good luck with your branding! — Larry

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