What Is A Cognitive Messaging Strategy?

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Just the facts, ma’am.

A cognitive messaging strategy focuses on using data, statistics and other facts to appeal to the logical side of your target audience.

Understanding and implementing a cognitive messaging strategy could be a game-changer for your business.

In this article, we’ll delve into what a cognitive messaging strategy is, explore its pillars, discuss its best use cases, and provide examples that highlight its effectiveness in the B2B and SaaS realms.

What is Cognitive Messaging?

Cognitive messaging is a strategy aimed at appealing to the logical and rational aspects of your audience's decision-making process.

Unlike affective messages that rely on emotional triggers, cognitive messaging is about providing factual, clear, and concise information that helps your audience make informed decisions.

According to a study by DemandGen, 96% of B2B buyers in 2016 wanted content with more input from industry thought leaders, and surely that number has only grown with the rapid spread of misinformation and the rise of AI in our current moment.

Cognitive messaging can include statistics, case studies, whitepapers, and detailed product descriptions. These elements help in building credibility, trust, and arguably, the most crucial factor for B2B and SaaS companies: authority.

It’s one of three aspects of the Tri-Component Attitude Model.

The Tri-Component Attitude Model: 3 Core Elements

Before getting into more details about cognitive messaging specifically, it's imperative to understand the broader context within which it operates. The Tri-component Attitude Model came from psychology and consumer behaviour studies. It breaks down attitudes into Cognitive, Affective, and Conative components. These can also form the basis of your messaging strategy and messaging hierarchy.

Affective Messaging

Affective messaging taps into the emotions of your audience. It's about creating a strong emotional connection by evoking happiness, nostalgia, fear, or excitement.

This type of messaging is especially useful for lifestyle and consumer brands. Analysis of IPA dataBANK information states that ads with emotional content performed about twice as well (31% vs. 16%) as those with only rational content.

Conative Messaging

Conative messaging focuses on eliciting a specific behavioural response from the audience. 

This is commonly seen in call-to-action (CTA) campaigns, such as "Sign up now" or "Download your free trial today." The objective here is to drive immediate action.

Tips for Using Cognitive Messaging

Understanding when and how to use cognitive messaging can enhance your marketing efforts significantly, especially during the awareness phases of the buyer's journey.

Tip 1: Use Data-Driven Content

Bolster your cognitive messaging with strong data points. Incorporate industry research, statistics, and empirical evidence to make your arguments more compelling.

For instance, citing a Gartner report that forecasts a percentage of yearly growth in your SaaS category can strengthen your product's market viability.

Tip 2: Highlight Unique Problems and Solutions

Clearly define the problems your audience faces and explain how your product uniquely solves these issues. Providing case studies or tailored demos can be particularly effective here.

Tip 3: Focus on Educational Content

Consistently provide educational content that adds value to your audience. This can be in the form of how-to guides, webinars, or detailed blog posts.

An educated audience is more likely to make well-informed decisions, and through consistent education, you position your brand as a go-to authority in your field.

Tip 4: Timing is Everything

Effective cognitive messaging is most impactful when your audience is in the initial research phase. During this time, they are actively seeking information to understand potential solutions.

Demonstrating expertise through logically compelling content can solidify your position as a credible source of information.

Cognitive Message Strategy Examples in B2B & SaaS

For a practical understanding, here are exemplary uses of cognitive messaging in B2B and SaaS:

Example 1: “They did it with Appcues”

appcues

Source: Hey Digital

Onboarding improvement service Appcues used their Facebook ad space to highlight how much they’ve helped their customers through positive statistics about their growth since their collaboration.

Why It Works: Featuring specific percentage increases or other quantifiable improvements helps build credibility and offers prospective clients a clear picture of what they can expect.

Example 2: HubSpot's Case Studies Page

hubspot case study

Source: HubSpot

HubSpot, a well-known leader in the CRM and marketing software space, frequently publishes detailed case studies on its website, showcasing how real, recognizable businesses have leveraged their tools to achieve measurable success.

Why It Works: HubSpot's case studies often include growth percentages, return on investment (ROI), and time saved, making it easier for prospects to visualize the concrete benefits.

Example 3: Salesforce’s Use of Analyst Reports

salesforce analyst reports

Source: Salesforce

Salesforce effectively uses third-party analyst reports and whitepapers from credible organizations like Gartner to substantiate their value propositions. For instance, they often highlight Gartner’s Magic Quadrant reports where Salesforce is named a leader.

Why It Works: Leveraging third-party validation is a powerful cognitive strategy because it adds a layer of external credibility. Salesforce validates its market position while addressing the concerns of potential clients by providing unbiased opinions.

Example 4: Intercom’s In-Depth Product Comparisons

intercom

Source: Intercom

Intercom uses detailed product comparison pages that outline how their solution stacks up against competitors. These pages delve into features, benefits, pricing, and customer support aspects, offering a comprehensive overview.

Why It Works: By providing transparent and detailed comparisons, Intercom helps potential buyers make informed decisions. This approach alleviates the need for potential clients to spend additional time making comparisons.

Example 5: Slack’s Integration Highlights

slack

Source: Slack

Slack, the popular collaboration tool, emphasizes its integration capabilities with detailed overviews and case studies showing how businesses seamlessly incorporate Slack into their existing tech stacks.

Why It Works: Slack’s strategy of providing detailed, practical examples of these integrations answers a key rational concern: compatibility. It showcases real-world applications and the tangible benefits derived from seamless integration.

In Conclusion

A robust cognitive messaging strategy can dramatically improve the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, especially for smaller SaaS companies aiming to outdo larger competitors.

By focusing on rational arguments bolstered by data and authority, cognitive messaging helps your audience make well-informed decisions.

Understanding the broader framework of the messaging strategy triad (affective, conative, and cognitive) helps you balance your approach, while practical examples provide clear pathways to implement these strategies in your marketing plan.

By mastering cognitive messaging, you can carve out a distinct space for your brand in the minds of your audience, ultimately driving better engagement, stronger brand loyalty, and increased conversions.

About the author, Nick Saraev

A programmer by trade, Nick is a freelance writer with a penchant for helping aspiring copywriters improve their skills. He's been featured on Popular Mechanics & Apple News. Drop by his website at: https://nicksaraev.com/

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