Imagine building a towering skyscraper without a blueprint. Sounds impossible, right? That's exactly what it's like trying to write effective copy without a messaging hierarchy. This fundamental framework serves as the architectural plan for your brand's voice, ensuring consistency and clarity across all platforms and audiences.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll strip away the intimidating jargon often associated with 'messaging hierarchy' and get down to what matters. If you need help implementing this stuff at your business, consider hiring a messaging strategist.
Prepare to dive into:
Let's get right into it.
What is a Messaging Hierarchy?
A messaging hierarchy is a structured framework that outlines the key messages your brand wishes to communicate. It's an organized system where core brand values and propositions occupy the top tier, followed by supporting details cascading down in order of importance.
However, don't be fooled into thinking there's one definitive definition or model – because this is where things get interesting.
The concept of a messaging hierarchy can vary greatly depending on who you ask. Some view it as a linear structure while others see it more like an interconnected web of messages, all equally vital but with differing levels of prominence depending on context. We'll explore these varying interpretations later in this article.
Why Do You Need a Messaging Hierarchy?
In the world of branding, consistency is king. To illustrate, think about how Coca-Cola has maintained its core message over the years: refreshment.
Whether it's through their classic slogan – "Open Happiness" – or their visual storytelling in commercials featuring ice-cold Coke bottles on hot summer days, they've consistently communicated the idea of refreshment. This consistent messaging forms an unshakable association in consumers' minds that Coca-Cola equals refreshment.
But consistency is just one piece of the pie. Let's delve into some other invaluable benefits a well-crafted messaging hierarchy brings to your brand:
Clarity Across Channels
Today's brands don't have the luxury of sticking to one communication platform. They must spread their messages across various channels – from Twitter posts to email marketing campaigns – and this can present its challenges. A clear and concise message ensures your audience understands exactly what you stand for, no matter where they interact with you.
Take Apple’s extreme minimalism as an example; whether it’s a billboard ad or an Instagram post, you'll invariably see sleek product designs paired with minimalistic copy, effectively communicating innovation and simplicity at every touchpoint.
Guided Decision-Making
A robust messaging hierarchy is incredibly beneficial for all involved in promoting your brand. Not just beneficial, crucial.
Content creators need a blueprint guiding them on what key points to emphasize and how these link back to your brand narrative.
Consider IKEA, a company known for affordable yet stylish furniture solutions. Every blog post discussing home organization tips or email announcing new product launches ties back into this overarching theme thanks to their solid messaging framework
Target Audience Resonance
When each level of messages caters specifically to distinct audience personas or stages in their journey, communication becomes more impactful and relevant – leading to better engagement rates and stronger customer relationships.
Nike does this exceptionally well by tailoring its messages according to different customer segments, from professional athletes needing high-performance gear (think "Move More, Move Better.") down towards casual exercisers looking for comfort and empowerment ("Find Your Greatness.")
Optimized Resource Allocation
With clearly defined core messages along with supporting details neatly laid out, teams can allocate resources better towards reinforcing these critical points rather than wasting efforts on ineffective or off-brand communication.
For instance, Google knows its main selling point lies in 'simplicity.' Therefore, instead of allocating resources developing flashy interfaces full of extraneous features, they focus on making search more intuitive – a copy strategy reflected even in their minimalist homepage design.
Interpretations of the Messaging Hierarchy
Just as every architect has their unique style, so do marketers when it comes to building a messaging hierarchy. Although most interpretations center around a pyramid-like structure with various levels of messaging, each model carries its distinct nuances and uses.
The fundamental principle remains constant. At the top sits your core brand promise – your overarching message that encapsulates who you are and what value you provide. Cascading down from this pinnacle are more detailed messages, gradually becoming more specific and tactical as they descend.
But how many levels should there be? What type of information belongs on each tier? How does one use these hierarchies practically in crafting communication strategies? That's where differences arise – and things get fascinating. In the following sections, we'll examine some intriguing interpretations of the messaging hierarchy framework by industry leaders and discuss our own approach here at CopyGuide.
Crayon.Co's Messaging Hierarchy Interpretation
Crayon.co has a comprehensive article on the ins and outs of messaging hierarchy. The article takes a unique approach, envisioning said hierarchy as a five-stage system akin to a marketing funnel.
This model starts at its broadest point with proof points, then gradually narrows down through key messaging and value propositions until it reaches the sharp end of positioning statements and culminates in the brand promise.
What stands out about this model is that it doesn't just distill your brand's value into essential points – it also adapts these messages according to different audience segments or buyer personas. This dual functionality makes their interpretation not just an interesting but also highly practical tool for marketers.
Unique Perspectives
The flexibility ingrained in Crayon.co’s model sets it apart from other interpretations of the messaging hierarchy.
Instead of adhering strictly to one structure, they encourage brands to flip this pyramid upside down – transforming it more into a traditional funnel shape if that better suits their communication style. They even suggest playing around with individual messages at each stage till you find what resonates most powerfully with your target audience.
But perhaps where they truly shine is how deeply they delve into adapting hierarchies for different use cases, whether multiple products or varying buyer personas. You don't need one overarching framework trying (and often failing) to cover all bases; instead, you get targeted hierarchies that speak directly and effectively to each product-user scenario.
Pros and Cons
One cannot help but admire the adaptability inherent in Crayon.co's take on messaging hierarchy . It allows brands much-needed freedom not just in shaping their overall structure, but fine-tuning individual messages, too. Their emphasis on undeniable proof points provides clear guidance for brands struggling with identifying their USPs – a common hurdle many face during branding exercises.
However, every rose has its thorns, and so does this interpretation despite its remarkable insights. For someone new to marketing lingo or strategy-making processes, deciphering flexible structures might be daunting. They may be left unsure where exactly each message fits within the fluid structure proposed here.
Wynter's Layered Messaging Framework
Wynter, a popular brand in the B2B messaging sphere, offers an interesting take on the traditional pyramid model of messaging hierarchy. Their approach is more akin to peeling an onion – layer by layer.
Each layer represents a different aspect of brand communication, starting from clarity at its core and expanding outward to relevance, value, differentiation, and finally, conversion.
Unique Perspectives
Unlike traditional models that often end with the brand promise or positioning statement at their pinnacle without providing actionable insights for crafting resonating copy, Wynter's layered messaging hierarchy framework emphasizes actionability. It provides explicit guidance on what messages companies should convey and how they relate to one another in importance.
Wynter posits that clarity reigns supreme. It doesn't matter how well you differentiate from competitors if your message isn't clear enough for your audience to comprehend. Even if you have a highly valuable product that customers desire intensely, but you miss showcasing its relevance, you risk losing potential conversions.
Pros and Cons
The strengths of this model lie primarily in its emphasis on customer-centricity and actionability. By focusing each layer around crucial aspects like relevance (alignment with customers' priorities), value (how badly customers want it), differentiation (why choose you over others), it guides brands towards creating messages that truly resonate with their target market.
Furthermore, placing clarity at the center underscores the importance of simplicity – an essential trait in today's information-overloaded world where brevity can be a game-changer.
As effective as this framework may be in guiding content creation or campaign strategy development, it might pose challenges when trying to apply it across various types of business communications due to its detailed nature. For instance, a quick social media post may not need – or have space – for all five layers every single time.
Content Marketing Institute's Perspective
The term 'messaging hierarchy' might seem straightforward. As you delve into its intricate layers, however, it becomes clear that there are multiple ways to interpret and apply this framework. One such perspective comes from the Content Marketing Institute (CMI), which refers to it as a 'message architecture'.
In CMI's view, a message architecture is more than just an ordered list of key points; it’s a carefully constructed matrix of terms, phrases, or statements that conveys an organization’s messaging priorities and communication goals. The beauty lies in its simplicity – a small set of words acting like scaffolding for your content – supporting and shaping what you produce.
Unique Perspectives
One fascinating aspect of CMI's perspective is their emphasis on subtext over explicit wording. Rather than prescribing specific verbiage, the message architecture guides what underlying themes your words should project. It offers direction on the essence to be captured in all forms of communication from written copy to visuals.
For instance, if one key attribute in your brand’s message architecture is ‘innovative’, content creators don't necessarily need to use that word explicitly in every piece of content. Instead, they would ensure that the substance and spirit behind ‘innovation’ permeates through their work – whether it’s about showcasing cutting-edge products or highlighting forward-thinking company initiatives.
Pros and Cons
CMI's approach comes with several advantages, chief among them being consistency across all departments. This consistency is irrespective of team size, be it three people or three thousand. A unified message architecture ensures everyone delivers consistent messages suitable for different audiences across various channels.
Creating such a robust structure isn’t exactly easy-breezy, though. It requires thought-provoking discussions among stakeholders – a process that is time-consuming but ultimately rewarding when done right.
This involves sorting adjectives into categories representing who you are currently versus who you aspire to become. It demands introspection while also fostering healthy debate surrounding each term used, helping teams unpack buzzwords and delve deep into communication goals.
A potential drawback here could lie within its abstract nature and lack of concrete examples. It requires continuous strategizing (or nagging!), even post-creation phase, to ensure everyone stays aligned with central vision.
The CopyGuide Approach: Creating ICP and Brand Messaging Hierarchies
One pitfall commonly encountered in crafting messaging hierarchies is the attempt to create a one-size-fits-all solution. This often results from the misconception that a single brand messaging hierarchy should apply universally across all situations and audiences.
However, as Dustin Walker, a seasoned B2B copywriter and fractional CMO warns, "Messaging doesn’t scale that way." The result of such generalization often leads to vague guidelines that fail to resonate with any specific audience effectively.
Instead of trying to fit everything into one overarching message structure, we at CopyGuide propose an alternative approach – purpose-driven messaging hierarchies.
Purpose-Driven Messaging Hierarchies
Our approach involves creating two types of hierarchies. First up is a high-level document outlining your brand's core message, essentially defining who you are as a brand and what value you provide universally.
Once this foundation is established, we then move on to individual Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) or persona level messaging hierarchies. These are designed specifically for unique customer personas within your target audience group, taking into account their distinct needs, preferences, and pain points.
These ICP-specific hierarchies can be incredibly helpful when writing landing page or email copy meant for these particular audiences. They ensure your communication resonates strongly while maintaining alignment with the overall brand ethos.
Leveraging Two-Tiered Strategy
By employing this two-tiered strategy – one capturing universal brand essence and others tailored per customer personas – you strike an optimal balance between consistency and specificity in our messages. It helps you avoid diluting your branding by being too generic but also prevents alienating different segments within your audience by overly focusing on just one group.
Components of a Solid Brand Messaging Hierarchy for High-Level Consistency
Let's delve deeper into the key components that build up a solid brand messaging hierarchy. These elements work synergistically, painting an engaging and consistent picture of your brand.
Brand Mission/Promise
At the pinnacle of our messaging hierarchy is the brand mission or promise. This is no mere tagline or catchy slogan – it’s the very essence of what drives your company forward. It encapsulates not just what you do but why you do it, but the fundamental purpose that motivates every business decision and action.
Your mission statement should be aspirational, projecting towards future goals whilst being rooted in reality. It should reflect the tangible value you provide to customers right now. It's this blend that makes your promise authentic, believable and compelling enough to inspire trust within target audience – a critical factor driving customer loyalty.
Strategic Narrative
Next on our list is building a strategic narrative. It’s an art mastered by storytelling expert Andy Raskin. Your narrative isn't just about cataloging product features; instead, it weaves together larger trends or shifts occurring in society with how your offerings fit within this evolving landscape.
Raskin advises companies to create a story where there will be winners and losers – one where customers can envision themselves as triumphant heroes with help from your products and services guiding them through specific challenges.
A well-crafted strategic narrative positions you as an essential partner in their journey towards better outcomes. With the right story, you aren’t just another vendor selling commodities.
Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism
Finally, we use Kapferer’s Brand Identity Prism – a comprehensive tool dissecting six facets of brand identity:
- 1Physique represents the physical aspects and tangible features associated with your brand.
- 2Personality refers to character traits personifying the brand – akin to how we describe human characteristics.
- 3Culture embodies the values and principles underpinning your organization's functioning. It's 'the way things are done here.'
- 4Relationship sheds light on the nature and quality of the interactions between your brand and your consumers.
- 5Reflection focuses on the mirror image presented by consumers who buy your product or service. They're often a stereotypical and idealized version of your target consumer.
- 6Self-image explores the personal connection between consumer and product; how they perceive themselves when using said item (e.g., someone may feel more confident or successful when wearing designer clothes).
By examining each facet through Kapfere’s prism, we ensure all angles are covered. We create a coherent yet dynamic branding experience across different touchpoints, from ad campaigns until after-sales service interactions.
Balancing these core elements whilst constructing a high-level messaging hierarchy helps us communicate clearly about our unique identity, distinct market positioning, and transformative vision.
The 5 Stages of Awareness Framework: Understanding Your Customer's Journey
At the heart of every successful brand messaging strategy is a deep comprehension of the customer’s mindset. That’s where Eugene Schwartz's '5 Stages of Awareness' framework, introduced in his 1966 book Breakthrough Advertising, comes into play.
Understanding Schwartz's 5 Stages of Awareness
This straightforward yet powerful copywriting tool helps us understand where our potential customers are mentally when they encounter our brand or product.
The idea here isn't just about having a stellar product – it involves meeting your audience at their current stage, understanding their needs and emotions, and guiding them through to the next phase.
Here are those five stages:
- 1Unaware: Customers in this stage don't realize they have a problem that needs solving.
- 2Problem-Aware: Here, prospects acknowledge they have a problem but aren’t aware there are solutions available.
- 3Solution-Aware: Now customers know there ARE solutions to their issues, and they're actively seeking ways to solve it, but they may not be aware that your product can help.
- 4Product-Aware: Prospects at this level know about various products and services – including yours – but haven’t made final purchase decision yet.
- 5Most-Aware: This is almost like crossing the finish line. Prospects understand your full value proposition and could buy at any moment, though some might delay due to a lack of immediate need.
Benefits of The 5 Stages of Awareness Approach
One key advantage this approach offers is that it provides a structured framework for understanding customer journeys; it simplifies the task marketers face while trying to resonate deeply with varied audience segments.
The more aware your market, the easier the selling job. As consumers progress through these stages from being unaware until reaching most-aware level, marketing jobs become increasingly simpler!
We no longer need lengthy persuasive content once they're already familiar with us. All we require then is a gentle nudge propelling them into taking that final action.
Putting The Framework Into Practice
So how do we put these stages into practice? It starts by identifying which stage most accurately represents where your prospect currently resides, and tailoring your marketing messages accordingly whilst nudging them forward onto the next phase.
Creating an ICP-Specific Messaging Hierarchy with the CopyGuide Worksheet
The key to developing a compelling, persona-specific messaging hierarchy lies in understanding your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) at a granular level. It's not just about knowing their demographics or job role; instead, it involves delving into what motivates them, what outcomes they desire, and any potential objections they might have.
Define Your ICP
Start by giving your ICP (or persona) a name and brief description. This should include factors like their professional background and education that would help set the correct context for further exploration.
Identify Trigger Events & Motivators
These are events or circumstances that prompt your user to seek out solutions like yours. For instance, if you're offering quick meal solutions, an increase in workload causing less time for cooking could be a trigger event.
Divide motivators between functional (things they want to accomplish and why) and emotional aspects (how they want to feel). In this case, the functional motivator could be 'more spare time' while emotional one might revolve around feelings of 'freedom' or having 'creative moments'.
Map Desired Outcomes vs Objections
List both short-term goals (immediate needs or desires) as well as long-term goals (larger dreams and aspirations) that your product or service can help achieve.
Next up is identifying potential objections, which we divide into two categories – those related directly to your product or service ('Will this work within my budget?') versus self-related doubts ('Do I have the skills and the time required for this?').
Determine Level of Awareness
This step pertains to how much customers know about their problem and your solution. Break down levels from being merely pain-aware ("I need fast meals due to my busy schedule") until reaching the point of most awareness.
Full awareness is reached when your customers understand the total value proposition of your offering, but may delay their purchase due a lack of urgency (“I need fast meals due to my busy schedule, and this company can provide convenient, healthy meals at competitive prices”).
Craft Key Messages for Each Awareness Level
In this final step, it’s time to engineer messages specifically designed for each stage of awareness. Consider what kind of search terms each customer type might use on Google at different stages in their buying journey. Remember to refer back to Schwartz’s five stages:
- Pain-aware customers require empathy-laden communication that acknowledges their challenges and pain points.
- Solution-aware individuals benefit from content focusing on the benefits and outcomes derived from choosing right solution.
- Product-aware prospects require reassurance through showcasing differentiation points, social proof, and case studies, and by addressing potential friction points or objections.
- Most-aware consumers respond best toward messaging revolving around genuine urgency. Focus on deals and incentives that could tip potential customers over the edge. Reinforce trust via money-back guarantees and other perks.
Build on the messaging at each stage until you’ve filled out an entire multi-step, multi-platform campaign that expertly targets the persona you’re building. Then you can move onto your next persona – and your next – and your next – until you have a robust messaging hierarchy that communicates your vision to all audiences with clarity.
Conclusion
A messaging hierarchy is a powerful tool that brands can leverage to ensure consistent and impactful communication across all platforms. It doesn’t stop at defining what your brand wishes to say; it also explores how and when to convey these messages effectively.
There isn't one universally agreed-upon framework for crafting such hierarchies; the concept varies greatly depending on who you ask. From linear structures to interconnected webs of messages, each interpretation carries its own unique nuances and applications.
At CopyGuide, we propose a purpose-driven messaging hierarchy. Our strategy involves creating one overarching message structure that captures the universal brand essence; others are then created and tailored to individual customer personas with more specific messages.
A well-crafted messaging hierarchy serves as an essential blueprint for effective brand communication. The key is to clarify your overarching vision and essence first, then repackage and deliver it in a way that resonates with each target persona.
Ready to revamp your messaging and nudge more leads into the purchasing mindset? Use our worksheet template alongside these notes, and you’ll be bringing in sales like never before.