Ways to Effectively Communicate Your ‘Why’ Message

Last week, Fire Enterprises Inc. (FEI) marketing whiz Marka showed savvy salesperson Zoot how leading with “Why” in company messaging can improve sales. This week, Marka gives Zoot and FEI President Org actionable tips for putting FEI’s “Why” message to use in marketing communications. Remember, fire = print.

The morning after Zoot and Marka came up with FEI’s new “Why” message, an excited Marka barged into Org’s office to propose it. Zoot stood by and listened.

Org rubbed his hairy chin, thinking over Marka’s idea. “‘Everything FEI does is to help make you and your customers happy,’” Org mused. “Well, it’s certainly compelling. But what exactly do we do with it?”

“Glad you asked,” Marka said. “I have a few ideas up my sleeve.” Without even asking for permission, the impetuous Marka started scribbling on the whiteboard in the corner of Org’s office.

How to Communicate FEI’s ‘Why’ Message to the Marketplace:

• Video content

“FEI could create a brief flash video that concisely and compellingly answers the ‘why-how-what’ question,” Marka explained. “This will engage our customers and prospects more than another “History of X Fire Company” corporate video on O-Tube.”

• Web, O-cial media, and collateral materials

“Our ‘Why’ message is short enough that we can print it on every employee’s business cards. Let’s also print it on our company letterhead, invoices, brochures and other collateral materials,” she continued.

• Outbound marketing

“FEI’s marketing department should give every promotional message this simple test: Does this support and further our ‘why’ statement? If not, we’ll redo it,” Marka asserted

• Case studies/testimonials

“Details still matter,” pointed out the marketing exec. “FEI should make ‘why’ real for our customers with case studies, testimonials and other proof points.”

• Internal messaging

“Let’s drive home our ‘why, how and what’ messaging with employees by giving them a simple, one-page document that contains these messages. If our ‘why, how and what’ can’t fit on one page, we need to simplify it,” Marka concluded.