Brand messaging is a beast—it’s true. But it’s an important one. And, unfortunately, messaging and messaging strategy is often entirely misunderstood. 

But that doesn’t mean you can continue to ignore it!

I’ve been a copywriter for coaches and messaging strategist for over 8 years now. And the #1 thing I hear from business owners is that they know what they want to say, but when it comes to actually getting their thoughts out there and communicating that message in the way their ideal clients vibe with…they go blank.

Tell me if this sounds like you… 

→ You second guess everything you write. You’re all: “ugh, is this copy even getting the right message across??”

→ Overthinking and a lack of direction leads to major procrastination and it takes you HOURS just to write a few simple captions or emails.

→ You don’t feel confident in what you’re saying & how you’re saying it (so much so that sometimes—despite putting in the time and effort to write something—you end up not even posting anything at all).

→ Yes, you know the importance of copy and content in your biz, but you’re overwhelmed wondering where to start and if you’re even on the right track.

If that sounds about right, stick around, I’m about to drop some bombs!

What is brand messaging actually?

Are you sick of hearing coaches and service pros preaching to “master your messaging” but you’re stuck wondering, “ok…but wtf does that even MEAN???”

I feel that. Because, honestly, if I didn’t do this for a living, I’d have no idea what the hell “brand messaging” meant and the difference between that and copywriting.

So let’s clear things up once and for all!

You can google this term and find a variety of definitions, but here’s the gist → Brand messaging is the foundational communication strategy for a business that defines:

1. Who you are
2. Who your perfect people (your ideal clients/audience) are
3. And then connects the dots between those two, giving you the path to show up and present yourself to the world in a way that works.

I’m a visual person, so let’s break it down into an equation. 

You/your brand are one entity. And your audience—filled with dream clients—is another. 

To genuinely connect your brand with your perfect people and sell your sh*t, you need to be able to close the gap between these two entities. The bridge that allows you to do that is your brand messaging strategy.

Brand messaging vs copywriting

Now don’t panic, but I have another bomb to drop → messaging and copywriting are NOT the same thing. But they do work ~*together*~.

Basically, your messaging is your blueprint of putting who you are, what you do, and why anyone should give a f*ck, into words. It’s that underlying strategy that fuels your copywriting by telling you what you should be writing and HOW you should be writing it. 

I like to look at it this way… 

If copywriting = strategic, conversion-driven writing (writing with a goal of getting a person to take a specific action)

Then brand messaging = the ideas, values, and personality—ultimately, the direction—that is able to drive that writing. 

Where do you use brand messaging?

Since your messaging is how you communicate your value in a way ultra unique to you/your brand and your specific audience, you’ll find it everywhere.

Think about where and how your brand communicates with your audience. Where is there copy, content, and interaction in general? 

Your brand messaging is (our at least, should be) at the base of alllllllll that.

Why do we care SO much about messaging?

Your messaging strategy is the foundation for everything—every connection, every conversation, and every conversion. 

If you feel like you’re a good writer, but you don’t know how to translate that ability into copy that really resonates with potential clients…it’s because you haven’t yet nailed down your brand messaging.

And if you’re thinking, “well, maybe I just need more templates or better templates to work from and customize”…you need to first think about what it is you’re plugging into those templates. 

My favorite way to explain the importance of brand messaging is this:

You can purchase a purrtty lil conversion copywriting template all day errr day. But unless you have the proper messaging to actually plug into those templates to fill in the blanks…you’re no closer to reaching your copy goals than you were before dropping some cash on those one-and-done resources.

Because the fact is, templates won’t do sh*t for you unless you have the right messaging to customize them with.

As I mentioned earlier, your brand messaging is what drives your copy. So, running with that car reference, think of it this way…

You can have the cutest lil vehicle there ever was. But I don’t care if you’ve got a punch buggie or a bugatti—a car without fuel is *literally* not going to get you anywhere.

You might look fly as hell sitting behind the wheel. And sure, you’ll turn a few heads and walk away with some super cute selfies…but that’s about it. Because at the end of the day, you’ll still be in the same exact spot.

Why brand messaging comes FIRST

Your brand messaging ALWAYS comes first—before you can start consistently writing copy that converts (DIY style) AND before you can successfully outsource your copy to a professional to do it for you.

Because without having your messaging strategy clearly defined for yourself, how can you really expect anyone you hire (copywriters, SMMs, VAs, blog writers, OBMs, content strategists, etc.) to get it…?

Hiring someone else to write your copy WITHOUT having your foundational brand messaging established first, is like putting a bandaid over a bullet hole. Until you understand and solidify your messaging, you’re going to continue to waste time and money on external “solutions.” 

This is why I offer my Brand Messaging Makeovers, where I create your entire, research-backed brand messaging strategy inside your custom Brand Messaging Bible for you. I *always* recommend having this (or something like it) BEFORE signing up for one of my VIP Weeks or retainers!

[BOOK A CALL BANNER]

The 4 parts of a messaging strategy (the 4 P’s)

If you’re kicking yourself like, “this is something I should just know how to do or automatically be good at!” and you feel like you’re just “missing something”…the truth is that most people don’t understand brand messaging—where to start or what it even is! And that can make it feel really complicated and really overwhelming. 

Take one of my recent clients as an example—we’ll call her Jane. Jane is a marketing coach. And as such, she thought, ya know, I should just KNOW all this! 

When she came to me to create her custom Brand Messaging Bible, she was overwhelmed with questions. She told me, “I don’t know who I am, I don’t know what I’m doing. I just feel like I’m throwing spaghetti at the wall with everything.”

So before I got started on any of the work for her, I explained to her how I simplify brand messaging to create a clear strategy that’s comprehensive but still simple enough for my clients to confidently execute.

I call this process my Signature Master Your Messaging^ⓒ Approach or ~*The 4 P’s*~

Here’s a breakdown of the 4 P’s and what you’ll need for each portion of your brand messaging strategy: 

01: PROMISE

You are the heart and soul of your brand.

The kind of messaging strategy that supports a legacy you can love and sustain over time starts by looking at where you’re at now and where you want to go. So you can build a unique + authentic AF brand that grows with you regardless of where you go.

This is where your brand basics come in to help you articulate who you are, what you do, and why. (Think—your elevator pitch, mission, vision, values, brand story, etc.)

02: PEOPLE

There are always two parts to the conversion equation—your brand plus your audience.

Ask yourself: “who are the people I do all this for?”

In order to know what to say and how to say it to connect + convert, you need to know who you’re talking to, what makes them *tick*, and what makes a message *click*.

This is where building your client journey and developing your ideal client avatars come in.  

03: POSITIONING

Your offer might be transformational AF, but without positioning that accurately captures that experience, the value it holds for your client, AND clearly articulates why it’s you that’s the obvious choice…you can’t expect to stand out or sell.

If phase one of your brand messaging strategy is about who you are, what you do, and why…

And phase two is about WHO you do it for…

Then this third phase is all about HOW you do it. 

This is where you’ll want to develop your individual offer positioning, your point of difference, and your signature approach.

04: PERSONALITY

Would you vibe with your current copy enough to stick around?

This fourth and final phase is all about how you are. This is where your brand voice, personality and tone come into play!

These elements are what allow you to stand out to the *right* people and sell without sounding like you’re selling.

Want me to do all this for you to create your research-backed Brand Messaging Bible? Explore my Brand Messaging Makeover offer, and book a call when you’re ready to chat!

Brand messaging examples

The foundational brand messaging that fuels your copywriting is made up of a combination of elements that come from working through the 4 P’s listed above. 

These are things like:

• Brand & offer positioning positioning
• Your brand voice and personality
• Competitive differentiators
• Value propositions
• Etc.

Check out the pic below for a real-life example of the individual messaging strategy elements that go into my clients’ Brand Messaging Bibles!

The Gist

Again, brand messaging as a beast. Truly. It’s different from copywriting and content creation. And it can be hella confusing to grasp when you don’t have a simple, clear cut process/approach to follow. 

Here’s a quick recap of today’s key takeaways:

• What is Brand Messaging? → Your brand messaging is how you communicate your value in a way ultra unique to you/your brand and your specific audience.
  
• The difference between brand messaging and copywriting = brand messaging is the underlying strategy that fuels your copywriting by telling you what you should be writing and HOW you should be writing it. (Your copywriting is how you execute your messaging strategy)

• FACT: Templates won’t do sh*t for you unless you have the right messaging to customize them with. And outsourcing your copy won’t be successful until you have your brand messaging foundation established FIRST.
  
• The 4 parts of a successful brand messaging strategy (aka the 4 P’s) include: Promise, People, Positioning, and Personality.

What now?

If thinking of this kind of clarity and direction for your messaging gets you all hot and bothered, then you need your own Brand Messaging Bible (your step-by-step blueprint of what to say and how to say it for every. single. piece. of copy and content within your biz). 

Ready to master your messaging for good? Book a call to see if you’re a good match for my Brand Messaging Makeover offer. (This is where I develop each portion of your messaging strategy and create your custom Brand Messaging Bible ~for~ you!)