Product Messaging Techniques - Know your Audience

The fundamental principle behind good product messaging is having a very good understanding of the audience you are talking to. I find that when I have trouble messaging a product it is because I don't really understand the audience well enough.

Here are the top 4 reasons why you need to have a good understanding of your audience before you start working on your product messaging.

1. There is no such thing as a generic audience.



Therefore, there should be no such thing as generic messaging. By generic messaging I mean messaging that is equally applicable for all audiences. Generic messaging just can't connect effectively with the people you are trying to reach and convince.

2. Each audience has its own language.



To connect with your audience you need to speak their language. This means that you need not to speak your own company's language. This isn't easy. We are steeped in our own company's jargon and way of speaking. It is difficult to change languages. Good messaging incorporates the words and phrases your audience uses which creates a basis for common understanding.

3. Each audience has its own motivations.



Different audiences have different motivations. If your messaging isn't addressing those audience motivations that stimulate action, your messaging isn't doing its job. Good messaging shows how your product meets your audience's most pressing needs.

4. Each audience has its own set of critical information needs.



There may be messaging overlap among different audiences. However, if your messaging isn't meeting the essential information needs of the audience, you won't persuade the audience to move forwards in their buying process.

The next thing you need to consider is the role played by the audience you wish to speak to. Different roles require completely distinct messaging approaches and needs.

• Buyers

The buyer is the one who controls the buying process and ultimately makes the decision.

• Influencers

The influencer is someone who helps guide the product decision in a particular direction. Influencer's goals can often be at odds with the buyer's.

• Users

The user may or may not be involved in the decision-making process. Their need may initiate a product search by the buyer. Their adoption of the product may affect future purchases.

I like to use personas (buyer, influencer, user) as the mechanism for encapsulating audience knowledge. They help me focus on the audience attributes that are most important for my messaging. Personas enable me to put an individual face on my audience. They make it so much easier to devise those messages that will compel the audience to act.