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New Customers Are Not Only Target Audience

April 17, 2018 by Richard Abels

An organization succeeds when it reaches the right target audiences with clear, concise messages about its product or service. It also has to know how to build positive brand awareness while solving internal and customer-facing problems.

This achievement starts with a strategic business plan – the road-map for “who to reach, what to say and where to say it.” After all, an effective marketing or communications program without a strategic foundation is the same as not having a flight plan when flying a plane.

However, even with a strategic plan, many business, non-profit or government organizations only focus on potential new customers (a.k.a. donors, revenue-generators etc.). This is 100% wrong!

The following activities are critical in ensuring overall success:

First identify goals, target audiences, messages, timetables and budgets; then implement the tactics.
Communicate with new prospects plus employees, former & current clients, business & community leaders, legislative & regulatory officials, industry groups, key influencers, news media, neighborhood groups, referral partners and more.
Materials must focus on the needs of each target audience and articulate how you specifically help solve a problem.
Crisis response is most effective when an organization plans in advance for things to go wrong. Know how to reach all important stakeholders when it does because your response directly affects your brand.

You may already have a great product or service. In order to grow your organization, be sure to communicate with all key target audiences – not just “new customers”.

Richard Abels

Effective Messaging Drives Marketing Success

January 17, 2018 by Richard Abels

As your organization tackles new or ongoing marketing, messaging, communications, outreach and retention initiatives this year, here are some important facts to remember.

Content Reigns Over Format

Social, digital and mobile platforms are surpassing some traditional media in “eyeballs”. However, don’t knee-jerk your marketing to focus only on social. Successful organizations first prioritize audiences, develop core messaging and then determine the best tactics to meet their objectives.

Weak Messaging and Clutter Destroy Awareness and Response

When messaging is vague, too complex and sporadic, stakeholders can’t comprehend what you are trying to say. Clear, concise, consistent and coordinated language cuts through the clutter and helps all of your marketing efforts get heard.

Explain How You Help Solve a Stakeholder Problem

Messaging and copy have to address the audience’s needs. Don’t just list your own virtues; inform each audience how you help them succeed.

Three-year Shelf Life

If it’s been three or more years since a marketing communications audit was conducted, your materials are no longer optimized for today’s marketplace.

Next Steps

Success starts with knowing where you are today and where you need to go tomorrow. Give us a call to get the ball rolling with a comprehensive evaluation of your current marketing program as well as revisiting goals, messaging, opportunities and tactics. You’ll be glad you did.

Richard Abels

Abels Communication Company

(303) 779-6292

rabels@AbelsComm.com

January 2018

AbelsComm’s Four Messaging Cs Help You Stand Out

September 20, 2017 by Richard Abels

“Effective Messaging Combats Clutter, Builds Awareness & Increases Understanding”

In today’s crowded marketplace, your messaging has to work harder than ever to cut through the noise and build, maintain or increase awareness.

To do so, I present our Four Messaging Cs for all of external and internal communications – Clear, Concise, Consistent and Coordinated.

Clear – Be specific in explaining how stakeholders benefit from your product, service or efforts. Do not use complex language.
Concise – Identify the top three ways how you help customers solve a problem. Keep it short yet impactful and get to the point quickly.
Consistent – Do not change language too frequently as effectiveness is diluted. People need to hear/see information multiple times before it sinks in.
Coordinated – Targeted stakeholders better understand how you help them when core talking points are in all customer, prospect and employee materials.

These Four Cs sharpen communications and marketing effectiveness especially when working with the highly successful Four Marketing Ps – Product, Price, Promotion and Place.

In the end, using Clear, Concise, Consistent and Coordinated messaging helps stakeholders better understand your organization and how you add value to their efforts.

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