Are you struggling to create content? Chances are your brand messaging, or lack thereof, is holding you back. What many entrepreneurs don’t realize is that when you craft your brand messaging, you will be able to tackle content creation and marketing with ease. 

As a writer and brand strategist, I’ve met countless business owners who struggle with creating consistent, authentic, engaging copy that resonates with their target audience.

I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that the source of that problem is brand messaging. 

Just as you would struggle to create consistent graphics if you don’t have your brand visuals (such as a logo, fonts, and colors), you will struggle to create content if you don’t have the copy assets that form a brand messaging deck.

Let’s explore the five signs that indicate your brand messaging may be holding you back from achieving your business goals.

NO 1. Struggling to Capture Your Authentic Voice 

The first sign that your brand messaging is holding you back is that you’re struggling to write copy that sounds consistent across platforms and authentic to your voice. A consistent voice and tone are essential for building your brand as it builds the like, know, and trust factor, which is critical in converting your audience into clients. 

One exercise that is helpful for identifying your authentic voice is to pull up something you have written that you are incredibly proud of.  As you review it, write five to six adjectives to describe the voice and tone that you used in that piece of content. That’s the tone you want to use consistently. Now, take those adjectives and write them on an index card and pin it where you can see them. Before you begin drafting, make sure to review those adjectives and resist the urge to look at content written by your peers or competitors. 

Next, you want to develop a boilerplate for your business, describing your who, what, and why, as well as draft secondary taglines, at least three, to use consistently in your content. Using your boilerplate copy and these secondary taglines consistently drive home your business identity, and people will begin to associate these concepts with your business as well. Remember, people have to hear something between 7-9x before they will act on it.  

NO 2. Unsure if it’s “okay” to post or talk about a particular topic. 

It’s not uncommon these days for an entrepreneur to lose followers when they post about a topic that’s not in line with their business’s typical content. So it’s a legitimate concern when clients are worried that a posting about a topic can water down their brand. For example, I’m a writer, but I love to travel and share about my travels. 

So how do we know if it’s ok to share about a topic that is slightly outside of your business scope?

Ask yourself, does this topic fit into your long-term business plan? In my case, I took my love of travel and created an international retreat for creative entrepreneurs. That is how I incorporated my love of travel into my business, but I started folding travel into my normal content long beforehand. If you’re unsure how to begin, start by including the topic as part of a personal introduction post. 

If you don’t see yourself incorporating the topic into your business eventually, then I would not create content around it and leave it for your personal enjoyment. Not everything in your life needs to be monetized. 

NO 3. Lack of Clarity In Describing Your Business 

Does it feel like you’re reinventing the wheel each time you need to describe your business, write your bio, a web page, a blog, or a social media pot?  If you’re struggling to describe your business, your audience will struggle to remember what you do. 

From your mission statement to your bio and more, brand messaging provides you with the assets needed to describe your business with clarity and purpose. This is especially important when you begin to build out your team or hire contractors. A brand messaging deck is a wonderful asset to share with your team and ensure everyone knows how to describe your business and understands the words needed, as well as the voice and tone you’d like to convey.  Guaranteeing consistency and authenticity to your vision. 

NO 4. Overwhelm With Idea Prioritization 

You’re a dynamic and engaging entrepreneur, so of course, you have approximately 1 million ideas. If you’re unsure of what ideas, revenue streams, or content to tackle first, your brand messaging can bring the clarity you’re craving. 

When I work with my clients to craft their brand messaging, we do not only talk about core values and your founder’s story. We dive deep into your immediate goals and where you want to see your business down the road. This allows us to write the words and develop content themes that service your business today as well as five years from now. 

Additionally, I will provide my clients with strategic communication goals for the next twelve months. Helping lay the groundwork for your long-term success. For example, if you would like to launch a template shop by the end of the year, I suggest launching a lead magnet and building your email list. 

We accomplish this by exploring your target audience and client’s needs as nicely as your frequently asked questions. The answers reveal to me what content will best serve them and transform them from followers into an engaged community.  

NO 5. You’re Community Is Not Engaging 

You’re tired of unengaged followers who don’t connect with your content, never open your emails, and don’t purchase your products or emails. Brand messaging is more than a summary of who you are; it’s a blueprint for building an engaged community that will partner with you for years to come. Community is the key to long-term success.

To build an engaged community, you have to speak on topics that are most important to your audience. SEO research can be helpful, but REAL conversations also hold a key.  As part of my brand messaging service, we’ll develop the content themes in part based on the real conversations you are having with your audience. 

These content themes will bring consistency to your content and help you share valuable information your audience actually WANTS to read. Nurture these relationships through consistent communication and valuable information. Don’t just sell, sell, sell, share the information they need, and then engage in real conversations through DM’s email and discovery calls. 

You want to talk about the things people are already talking to you about and do so consistently. As part of brand messaging, I help clients to find their content scenes based on the real conversation they’re having with their audience or their clients. This way, you’re never left wondering what to talk about and if it will actually help people. Once you have your content themes, you want to share content related to them consistently.

Crafting effective brand messaging is crucial for entrepreneurs looking to cultivate a loyal community and reach their long-term goals. By recognizing these five signs, investing in solid brand messaging, and implementing strategic communication practices, you’ll be able to break through the noise and speak to the heart. Remember, your authentic voice and consistent messaging are the keys to building an enduring brand.

Learn more about my Brand Messaging by Danielle Cook and schedule your connection call today. Together we’ll craft the words that will build your world.