We know that the struggle can be real when you are starting a small business. The foundation you build needs to be strong enough to get your business traction today while supporting the weight as you scale tomorrow. Part of that essential foundation is a solid message – who you are, what you do, who you serve, and your why.
Small business owner’s often struggle to come up with crisp, true-to-them messaging that describes what they are putting out in to the world. Why? Most often, it is simply because they are too close to it.
At the end of the day, however, messaging has a significant impact on your ability to raise money, find customers, and attract employees. Connecting with the right people by means of compelling words is critical. Every touch point someone has with your product or service will shape their view of you, and ultimately, your bottom line.
We’ve talked in great lengths about first impressions on our blog and social media channels. When you can’t physically be in front of people all the time, your messaging takes center stage...or at least it should. Strong messaging resonates with people, inspires them to learn more, communicates your story, and, ultimately, will call people to action.
So how do you wield these words?
A common tendency is to simply describe a product or service itself along with some features that have you (as the offeror) excited. This approach doesn’t always cut through the noise or spark your prospects into action. Messaging should build excitement, but we so often see that words fall flat.
As a business owner, you are often too close to your own story in order to understand how someone else might see it. Instead of working from the inside out, step outside your business and look at it from the outside in, or the vantage point of your audience (bonus round: do you know who those people are?).
Are your palms sweating? Don’t fret! This is where Front & Center comes in.
Starting at the beginning because the beginning is a good place to start, The F&C Team kicks off branding and creative projects with a thorough brief that we work through with you before we even fathom putting messaging to paper.
The best way for us to get your story out in to the world is by understanding it from every angle. What motivates you, what inspires you, what impact you want to have, who you serve, your why. We uncover who you want to serve and profile those people, so we know what approach will yield the best results. We ask you to sell us before we can work on selling you.
As a firm that focuses on small business, getting to know you and your wildly wonderful goals is our long game and the crux of how we help you build that strong, solid foundation to get you the traction you need today, while setting you up for scaling success tomorrow. Our process is collaborative, creative, and thorough because building your businesses brand is a marathon, not a sprint.
Want help with crafting your powerful, authentic messaging? We’re already excited and cannot wait to connect with you!
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