Message MapA better way to communicate

A Critical Part of Leadership

• A leader establishes themselves through concise communication

• A leader is able to succinctly and articulately tell their personal story in an engaging way

• A leader needs a personal message map!

• Message Mapping simplifies large volumes of complex information into a concise story that helps guide a host story telling

– Media interviews– Advertising– In-store POP materials– Sales presentations– Speeches – Digital & social channels

• Through Message Mapping, we extract the most compelling messages and positive points about your brand or your campaign

– Organize them in a diagram to show how each message fits into the larger context of your strategy

– Focus on consistent messages across the entire organization

• It’s important to convert marketing language and strategy into language that can grab consumer attention and inspire conversation and story-sharing about the brand through PR and social media channels

• It’s critical to achieve consensus among internal parties on the story

Why?Why?

• Simple• Organized • Flexible: update it when you need toBecause you must tell a compelling story, quickly,

to break through to consumers and other audiences

It Helps You Break Through

Proof Points:1.____________2.____________3.____________

Proof Points:1.____________2.____________3.____________

Home Base Message

State your goal or missionShould be ownable and

provocative

Get into more detail about it – the features, the

innovative attributesHow are you doing it? Describe the product

or service

Your ResponseWhat you’re doing

The LandscapeExpresses the

marketplace needThe Pay-offYour chance to strut your stuff a bit, cite

your credentials

Message Map Model

Proof Points:1.____________2.____________3.____________

Proof Points:1.____________2.____________3.____________

Proof Points:1.____________2.____________3.____________

Keys to Success

• Avoid marketing jargon

• Avoid “brand speak”

• Know and keep in mind your audience

• Message Map should be able to be used as an “elevator speech” or for a media interview or to guide content of advertising or other marketing tools

Message Mapping – How do we do it?

• Facilitated group conversation• Primary audience filter

– 3rd parties• Build simple, compelling messages • White board supports the process• Don’t give up!• Leave if you must; be present while in the room

X brand health and wellness products are

pharmacist-recommended to help people and

communities live well, stay well and get well for less

PHILANTHROPYX brand health and wellness

products will bring free preventive health services to communities thru the X brand

Community FundTM

PRODUCTSX Store is more closely

aligning its brand of health and wellness

products with its mission to be a retail health and

daily living store

X Store is tapping its 110 years of expertise to educate consumers , support community

wellness and be a more active partner in helping

people stay well.

Today’s consumers are concerned and

confused about how to get the most for

their limited healthcare dollars

X brand health and wellness products and the pharmacists who

back them are proof of the company’s

commitment to help people live happy,

healthy lives.

• Over time, the X brand will be solely focused on health and wellness

products•X store has a wide variety of products

to meet all your daily needs (pain, allergy, digestive, baby care, sun care,

dental, etc.)• Compare active ingredients as other

leading brands• Pharmacist recommended

(pharmacists surveyed cite quality and price as basis for recommendation

• 100% satisfaction guarantee• On average, X brand costs

20-30% less than other national brands for the same quality

Retail Store Message Map

• In 2011, 1¢ from the purchase of every X brand health & wellness product, up to $3 million annually, will support preventive wellness services in communities through the X brand Community Fund.

•The Fund will offer free preventive health tests, services and education via the Wellness Tour Bus and vouchers redeemable in stores•X is the only brand to support local health & wellness initiatives at this level

• 25,000 certified immunizing pharmacists

•7,600 stores; a store within 3 miles of 63% of the U.S.

population• Pharmacist Live Chat

• RX Interactions counsel

• Product recalls have seeded doubt and concern about many name brand products

• Overwhelming explosion of online information (millions of health Web sites; 82% of Americans w/ Internet access in ‘08 (61% of all adults) had searched for health information online)

• Consumers want more control over their health & their healthcare choices

PHARMACISTSEveryday people rely on the expertise of X brand pharmacists to

help manage their health

* Since 1801, X store has been helping keep people well

Home Base MessageI’m a communications

professional who thrives on helping clients break

through today’s cluttered marketplace with bold

stories told in engaging ways. I use a planning

process aimed at getting buy-in and scoring quick wins

early and measurable, meaningful results

later

I seek creative inspiration everywhere

I tap my years of experience and mine multiple sources for

creative strategies and tactics that command

attention

Today’s consumers are hit with more than

5,000 commercial messages a day, plus

hundreds of social media messages. I complement my

professional passion with other interests

and activities to bring rounded thinking to

every situation

Technology has led to increased consumer

expectations and demands.

Consuming media, brainstorming, traveling, vacationing, listening to

music, cooking, shopping, gardening, talking to neighbors

Playing music, practicing yoga,

blogging, cooking, entertaining

From silly to scientific

My Message Map The Landscape

Your Response

Capitalize on proven, best

practices

Tap experts, internal & externalStudy the

competition, the consumer and the

marketplace

How?

How?

What Else?

Now you try it!

First steps

• Identify your strengths (and weaknesses)– Define what your bring to the market place– Make it ownable– Make it interesting– Make someone want to know more

Consider the landscape• What about the

marketplace sets up your own unique offering?

• Competitive environment?

• Changing communication landscape?

• Lack of creativity?

And in response to that, you…

• Do or bring what?– Insight– Skills– Experience– Interest or enthusiasm or desire

• How do you do it or bring it?

One Last Thing…

• If someone were to ask you: what else should I know? – What’s that last statement that makes you

unique?• Outside interests?• Multi-lingual?• Educational creds?• Future goal?

THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING

Questions?