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Building Your Startup Brand with Effective Messaging & Positioning
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BUIDING YOUR STARTUP BRAND WITH
EFFECTIVE MESSAGING AND
POSITIONING NATALIE NATHANSON, AUGUST 2013
Building your startup brand
What goes into a Startup Brand?
A bit about me…
Agenda: Messaging to Build your Startup Brand
• Overview of Messaging• Key Elements• Tone & Voice• Unique Value Proposition• Taglines• Positioning
• Bringing it Together - Messaging frameworks
Why is messaging important?
1. Articulates your unique value proposition – what you do and why you’re better than your competition
2. Makes sure you are communicating your value in your customer’s language
3. Ensures all stakeholders clearly understand what you do - investors, potential customers, partners
4. Provides you with a guide for consistent communication – particularly important for a startup!
To develop your startup brand…
Your messaging should answer:1. What do you do?2. For whom do you do it?3. Why is it unique?4. Why us?
What do they do?For whom do they do it?
Why is it unique?Why them?
To do this you must…
• Know your target customer• Know your ecosystem/competitors• Know how you compare
Messaging Tone & Voice Unique Value Proposition Taglines Positioning/Market Segmentation Competitive Advantage
Terms to Know
Tone & Voice: Verbal Branding
Tone & Voice Impacts a Startup Brand
What different brands did these 3 companies develop?
Tone & Voice Impacts a Startup Brand
REI: “At REI, we love to get outside and play, and we know first-hand the importance of quality outdoor gear. We stand behind all our products with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we design our own line of award-winning REI brand gear and clothing. Whether you’re new to outdoor adventure or a seasoned pro, we gladly share our enthusiasm for our products and the trails, slopes and waterways where we play…”
BassPro: “In 1971, young Johnny Morris, frustrated by the lack of tackle in local stores, rented a U-Haul trailer and took off across the country filling it with the newest premium fishing tackle he could find. When he returned home to Springfield, Missouri, Johnny started in the fishing business… Today, outdoor enthusiasts around the world look forward to opening the mail and getting their favorite Bass Pro Shops catalog, while many enjoy visiting and shopping basspro.com…”
Moosejaw: “If you’re trying to figure out what 877-Moosejaw is on your Blackberry right now you can’t do it because the numbers and letters don’t match like a normal phone. So, instead of restoring to a landline please call 877-666-7352... If you’re interested in a little Moosejaw history, please read on. If not, please shut your eyes…
2001 - We opened our sixth shop in Deerfield, Illinois. At this point, we were too big and we started recommending that customers shop elsewhere. I considered a nose job to make my nose bigger. ”
What is a Unique Value Proposition?
Elements of a Unique Value Proposition
The pain points or industry problem that your product addresses
UVP ELEMENTS
DESCRIPTIONS
Product Category
Target Audiences
Pain Points Addressed
Approach(How it works)
Benefits
Proof Points (Evidence)
What business category your product fits into
The target roles, industries, demographics, behavioral profiles served
How your product addresses pain point
The business benefit of the product
Data points or customer testimonials that back up your benefits
The pain points or industry problem that your product addresses
Elements of a Unique Value Proposition
Marketo uniquely provides an easy-to-use, powerful and complete marketing software platform that propels fast-growing small companies and global enterprises alike. Marketo® marketing automation and sales effectiveness software streamlines marketing processes, delivers more campaigns, generates more win-ready leads, and improves sales performance. With proven technology, comprehensive services and expert guidance, Marketo helps thousands of companies around the world turn marketing from a cost center into a revenue driver.
Known for providing breakthrough innovation and fueling growth, in both 2011 and 2012 Marketo received the CRM Market Leaders Awards Winner for Marketing Solutions by CRM Magazine. Salesforce.com customers also honored the company with the AppExchange Customer Choice Awards for 2012 in the marketing category.
Example of a Unique Value Proposition
Marketo uniquely provides an easy-to-use, powerful and complete marketing software platform that propels fast-growing small companies and global enterprises alike. Marketo® marketing automation and sales effectiveness software streamlines marketing processes, delivers more campaigns, generates more win-ready leads, and improves sales performance. With proven technology, comprehensive services and expert guidance, Marketo helps thousands of companies around the world turn marketing from a cost center into a revenue driver.
Known for providing breakthrough innovation and fueling growth, in both 2011 and 2012 Marketo received the CRM Market Leaders Awards Winner for Marketing Solutions by CRM Magazine. Salesforce.com customers also honored the company with the AppExchange Customer Choice Awards for 2012 in the marketing category.
Product Category
Target Audiences
Pain Points Addressed
Approach/how it works
Benefits
Proof Points
Marketo UVP
Marketo uniquely provides an easy-to-use, powerful and complete marketing software platform that propels fast-growing small companies and global enterprises alike. Marketo® marketing automation and sales effectiveness software streamlines marketing processes, delivers more campaigns, generates more win-ready leads, and improves sales performance. With proven technology, comprehensive services and expert guidance, Marketo helps thousands of companies around the world turn marketing from a cost center into a revenue driver.
Known for providing breakthrough innovation and fueling growth, in both 2011 and 2012 Marketo received the CRM Market Leaders Awards Winner for Marketing Solutions by CRM Magazine. Salesforce.com customers also honored the company with the AppExchange Customer Choice Awards for 2012 in the marketing category.
Where does
the UVP go?
Elements of a Unique Value Proposition
The pain points or industry problem that your product addresses
UVP ELEMENTS
DESCRIPTIONS
Product Category
Target Audiences
Pain Points Addressed
Approach(How it works)
Benefits
Proof Points (Evidence)
Creating a Unique Value Proposition
Taglines & Descriptors
TaglineA well-crafted tagline that resonates with your
audience anchors your startup brand.
A tagline helps you differentiate yourselves from your competitors.
Descriptor A phrase summarizing your product helps you communicate who you are and what you do efficiently
Example Tagline & Descriptor
Making Your Tagline Stick
Don’t leave home without it
Think different
Melts in your mouth, not in your hand
Just do it
1. There are no rules2. Watch out for buzzwords3. Embrace serendipity 4. Elicit emotion5. Evolution is O.K.
Rules for Tagline Development
3. Role4. Competitive
1. Value2. Quality
Role Positioning at Apple
Desired Takeaway(what you want them to remember)
Features ofRole-positioning
Example Role: StudentExample Product: Mac
Positioning(framing the value to the audience)
Proof Point: Support for your positioning with three message pillars and the evidence of features, facts, testimonials, etc.
Proof Point #1Example:
Rated #1 by 8 out of 10 students in a recent poll
Proof Point #2Example:
Proof Point #3Example:
A Mac automatically finds Wi-Fi hotspots and connects to your school network
Macs include built-in software that lets you do incredible things with your photos, videos, presentations
The Mac is as easy to use as it is powerful.
A Mac helps you create amazing projects for school and beyond.
Role-positioning at Apple
Find your Competitive Sweet SpotImportance of feature/benefit to your marketStrong ability & assurance to deliverWeaker position by major competitors
Bring it all together to strengthen your startup brand
