We’re in the midst of back to school season, with families rushing to finish buying new supplies and hoping their kids are ready to re-focus on the school year ahead.
For the business world, it’s a helpful reminder that corporate identities can benefit from a refresher too. Perhaps you’ve been using the same boilerplate for more than a year or key industry pain points have evolved beyond your current materials. Don’t be afraid to take a pause, look in the mirror and decide if some updates are in order.
Here are three quick tips for getting started on a corporate messaging update. Be sure to involve both the PR and marketing teams, as well as key executives, to ensure everyone is onboard with implementing the changes across all materials.
1) Clear Out the Jargon – Industry jargon and acronyms can be helpful for brevity in conversations with colleagues, but they can also create confusion when trying to communicate the value of your business. Clear, simple language resonates far better when describing what your organization offers the marketplace to solve its most pressing challenges.
2) Listen to Customer Feedback – Current customers are a valuable resource for evaluating performance feedback. Do you know why your customers chose your solution or services? Ask them which differentiators moved the needle and why they’ve remained a loyal customer. Their responses can help you select the most important messages for reaching today’s marketplace.
3) Track Analyst Reports – Industry analysts and influencers have a tremendous impact on the path of particular industries. Keep a pulse on the major analysts’ reports and stay engaged in opportunities for vendor participation to maintain two-way dialogue and gather industry insights about important trends and competitive market changes. These insights can help inform possible new areas for growth and expansion.