How do you operationalize messaging so it works for all go-to-market teams?
The key to build messaging that scales is to spend extra time on the core messaging hierarchy at the beginning. Spend the extra time debating and socializing key concepts like:
Who is it for
What situation are they in?
Pain Points
Top level message
Supporting Messaging points
Customer Examples
Once you have these nailed down, it becomes much easier to stick to a common narrative across all marketing assets and GTM training, deck, etc.
However, sometimes launches come fast and you don't have enough time to build the full hierarchy out. In this case, it is critical to pick ONE asset that is the "main" asset everyone is following. I find the press release is generally best suited for this purpose due to its brief and direct nature.
Successfully operationalizing messaging for all go-to-market teams means giving these teams consistent messaging that effectively communicates the value of your product or service, while specifically engaging different target audience segments. Here are some steps that I take to do this:
Develop a core messaging framework: Start by creating a comprehensive messaging framework that outlines key value propositions, target audience segments, and competitive differentiators. This framework should serve as a centralized and consistent resource for all teams involved in the GTM process. There are several messaging frameworks available, and I personally like to start with a simple and clear core positioning statement and a messaging house that ties product capabilities back to value messaging that customers and prospects care about. Make sure to involve representatives from each GTM team in developing the messaging. This collaborative approach ensures that diverse perspectives are considered, creating messaging that resonates with both internal stakeholders and external audiences and has strong cross-functional buy-in.
Create different versions of messaging based on the audience and use case: Once you know your core messaging, make sure to tailor the messaging to different segments, buyer personas, and use cases. This may involve crafting versions of messaging that speak to the unique needs, pain points, and preferences of various target audiences. You will also need to develop a variety of assets and collateral that can be used with buyers at different stages of the buying process.
Provide training and resources to drive messaging adoption & consistency: Offer training sessions and provide resources to educate all GTM teams on the messaging framework and how to effectively use it. This could include workshops, documentation, and role-playing exercises to reinforce messaging understanding and adoption. To make it easier to digest and use the new messaging, you can also implement centralized tools and platforms, such as a Learning Management System or a shared content management system, to facilitate easy access to training and messaging assets for all teams. This ensures consistency in messaging across different channels and touch points.
Gather messaging feedback to continuously iterate and improve: Establish a feedback loop to gather input from frontline teams, such as sales and customer support, on the effectiveness of messaging in real-world scenarios. Make sure to regularly check-in with representatives from each GTM team to review and discuss messaging updates, gather feedback, and address any challenges or inconsistencies. You can also review recordings from Gong or other platforms used to observe sales effectiveness throughout the buyer journey. Use this feedback to iterate and refine over time so that your messaging continues to stay relevant and effective.
PMM normally owns the overarching messaging and positioning. We crystallize the core positioning for each product in a single doc that...
Frames our overarching value prop or promise,
Adds on our supporting benefit statements mapped to specific product capabilities,
Provides data-driven proof-points or reasons to believe,
Lists ~3 common customer use cases for the product,
Cites 2-3 customer success stories,
Clarifies our target customer segment(s) for this product
We provide this doc to every Marketing team (external and internal) that we work with on a GTM so they can leverage it to start creating content that reflects our core messaging. PMM might not write every piece of copy that ends up in a customer email, webpage, or ebook, but we will typically review these assets that other teams make to ensure each one reflects our positioning consistently.
Sometimes this exercise requires us to "train" our x-functional marketing partners on our new product so they can truly internalize our core positioning and how our product operates/delivers on that positioning. To facilitate, PMM will sometimes create a "getting started guide" for a big new product that contains our positioning, dives into how the product works, expands on its benefits and use cases, etc. This guide is a great internal education resources for Marketing and Sales. (It can even serve as the foundation for future collateral.)
One thing I’ve done to ensure quality and consistency of messaging as it gets rolled out is to convert my PMM messaging framework into approved copy (with the help of copywriters if you have them). It’s pretty easy to brief in the type of copy you need, things like (below are just a few examples).
Product page headline
Email subject line
Email pre-header
Social post
Customer email notification
When you roll out a messaging framework and leave it up to the channel teams to convert into copy, you lose some of the consistency and clarity you need in market. It also pulls PMM out of the role of approving a whole bunch of collateral and allows the channel teams to be more efficient as well. It takes a little more work up front to get to the copy, but ultimately it’s a big unlock for teams executing and raises the quality bar as well.
Hope this helps!
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