The Amazing Super Stem Cell of Business Messaging

Take Control of Your Communications in only a Handful of Words

It’s a curiosity of the communications world, that the fewest words can take the most work.

 

But they’re well worth the effort, because if you get them right they can provide the basis from which all your business’s messaging grows and flourishes. Just like a stem cell, no less.

 

I’m talking about the value proposition, or Core Message. The way to sum up the wonder, the glory, no less than the magnificence of your offering in no more than nine words.

 

Yes, you read that right. I did say Nine words.

 

I know what you’re thinking here. I see it on the face of every entrepreneur I work with when we begin this journey.

 

-       How can I possibly sum up all we do in just a few words? The brilliance of our concept, all the work we’ve put in, the potential of what we can achieve?

 

I get it. But it is possible, as I’ll show you here. And it’s very worthwhile.

 

Because everyone will get exactly what you do in an instant. And you’ll find yourself coming back to your Core message, time and again, in every part of your company’s communications.

 

The Magic Ingredients

It’s recipe time, of a commercial communications form, anyway. We’re going to cook up a sizzling value proposition for you, and there are five ingredients you need:

 

·       Enlightenment: telling me what the business is about

·       Distinction: positioning the company as a leader in its field

·       Emotion: producing a positive feeling by enhancing my life

·       Memorability: having the power to linger in the mind

·       Intrigue: making we want to find out more

 

You’re going to wonder if I’m a mind reader here, because once again I know what you’re thinking.

 

-       How can I possibly get all that into just nine words?

 

Follow me, and come see.

 

Cool Core Messages

To show it can be done, and in style, let’s have a look at some well-known value propositions.

 

They’ve become celebrated partly because of the success of the companies, but also because they’re darned good. Which means we can shamelessly learn how it’s done from them.

 

·       Tap the app, get a ride (Uber)

·       Create click-worthy links (Bitly)

·       Build your brand. Sell more stuff (MailChimp)

·       Music for everyone (Spotify)

·       Be more productive at work with less effort (Slack)

 

Look, admire, and adore. How smart is each and every one of these? And see also how they fulfil the five components.

 

Take Slack’s core message, a favourite of mine.

 

Firstly, and most importantly, Be more productive at work with less effort gets right to the heart of what the business does. It’s enlightening.

 

Secondly, it positions the company as a leader in its field. If Slack can achieve what they boast, they must be great. No doubt about it, right?

 

Thirdly, there’s a lovely buzz of positive emotion to that value proposition. Something as magical being more productive with less effort will sure as hell enhance your life.

 

Fourthly, it’s distinctive and memorable. Who’s going to forget that offering?

 

Fifthly and finally, (which I like as it reminds me of the legendary Scottish football result, East Fife four, Forfar five – excuse me, it’s a writer’s playing with words thing), the value proposition is intriguing. I doubt many people wouldn’t want to find out more once they’ve heard Slack’s.

 

And all that in just eight words. Only eight. Told you it could be done.

 

But now I can sense another question. Could it be… could it be…?

 

-       How do I create a core message like that for my business?

 

Well, since you ask, here’s what I’d suggest.

 

You’re a Hero

That heading got your attention, eh? And there’s a whole PhD in the importance of titles, but we’ll look at that another time.

 

If you’re wondering what I’m talking about now – and who would blame you? – this is how I start setting up a value proposition.

 

I call it the Heroes and Villains approach.

 

The villain is the problem your business is solving – and it’s a law of nature that there’s no business without a problem. You’re the hero, riding to our rescue, to save us from said problem.

 

Look at Uber’s core message, Tap the app, get a ride

 

The villain is a familiar foe, you can’t get a cab. As for the hero, here’s Uber, come to save us. With just the tap of an app. As easy as that.

 

Which, you have to admit, is pretty impressive.

 

Take my company, Creative Warehouse (stop groaning, cut me some slack, I’m giving you useful stuff here, I deserve to slip in a plug.)

 

Our villain is the whole range of business messaging, from value proposition to websites, public relations, videos, pitching and presenting training, the works. And we’re such heroes that we can sort all that in a one stop shop.

 

Plus, we’ve got some super talented people, because one of our selling points is a top quality service.

 

So our core message is, All your communication problems solved with style.

 

I love it. Well, I should, I wrote it. But I also love it because I know it works. Because people immediately get it, they smile when they hear it, they remember it, and best of all they use our services.

 

Heroes and villains is a lovely simple approach, and I like simple. Simplicity is a foundation of good communications, plus I can cope with it. Maybe it’s something to do with being called Simon.

 

Anyway, be that as it may, set yourself up as a hero, go kick the backside of your villain, and you’ll soon be shaping up a smart and shiny core message.

 

Core Message Quirks

Something else worth remembering is that a value proposition is not a slogan or catch line.

 

Think Nike’s, Just do it, or Never knowingly undersold, from John Lewis (before the disruptive old internet came along, and selfishly started underselling them, anyway.)

 

These might be punchy, catchy and memorable , but they don’t communicate what the company actually offers in terms of tangible products.

 

It’s equally worth mentioning that a core message can evolve with a business or its offerings.

 

Many companies never stop refreshing and renewing theirs in order to retain a competitive edge.

 

You can also have different core messages for different products or services within your company.

 

Uber are cute on this score. There’s the version for passengers we’ve already discussed, but also a specific offering for drivers, Get in the driver’s seat and get paid. 

 

Watch the Stem Cell Grow

I do understand that a mere handful of words isn’t enough to explain all the great things you do. But that’s not the point of the core message.

 

It’s designed to be both a hell of an introduction and a hook, a firework of words that draws attention to you in a frenetically busy and competitive modern world. And once you’ve got an audience hooked, you can go on to explain more about what you do.

 

Just as you would in a website, or a pitch, or so much else of your business communications. As we’ll explore in subsequent articles.

 

But first comes the stem cell of your core message. From there all else grows, so give it the time and love it deserves.

 

Firstly, because playing with words is a fun part of business, wouldn’t you say? Come on, you must admit, it’s better than staring at another spreadsheet full of figures, or sitting through yet another Zoom meeting.

 

But mostly because get your value proposition right, and you’re well on your way to become a mighty master of memorable messaging.