At MPI, we believe that nine key factors contribute to the success of any outbound calling program.
At MPI, we believe that nine key factors contribute to the success of any outbound calling program. The second factor, which is arguably just as important as list quality and quantity, is messaging. Basically, how do you position yourself in the market?
Messaging is a crucial component of any successful outbound sales campaign. Positioning yourself in the market effectively means making sure your call scripting, email messaging, and marketing collateral are all aligned and focused on your sales goal.
We find that there are three major areas that companies find themselves in – either they need help defining buyer personas and creating a messaging strategy; they have a database but it’s outdated or inconsistent; or they have a defined messaging strategy and strong marketing materials. Below, you’ll learn how to build an effective messaging strategy regardless of which area you fall into.
You need help defining buyer personas and creating a messaging strategy
Taking the time to truly understand your clients and prospects will allow you to tailor your messaging and content to better connect with your targets. If you’re not familiar with what a buyer persona is, it is a fictional representation of a person that buys your product or service.
Some examples of helpful information in developing a persona include:
- Company demographics such as industry, size, revenue, etc.
- Job title and responsibilities
- Decision-making abilities
- What the typical workday looks like
- Needs and pain points
- Current brands and suppliers they use
- Preferred methods of communication and information
- Goals and priorities both personally, professionally, and for company
To learn more about building buyer personas, check out our latest whitepaper.
Once you’ve defined your buyer persona, it’s time to develop a messaging strategy. This is where you’ll look at your unique value proposition and ensure it’s front and center.
Things to include in your brand messaging and positioning strategy:
- Buyer personas
- Your positioning statement
- Tone of voice guidelines
- Key words and phrases to describe your brand
Once you’ve developed the plan, it’s time to take action! This is where you’ll create effective phone scripts, email campaigns, and marketing collateral. You’ll want to make sure your value proposition is presented clearly, concisely, and consistently across all messaging to ensure qualified leads and appointments are generated.
There are some gaps in your messaging strategy and your marketing materials are out of date
How long has it been since you updated your brochures, one-pagers, and other marketing collateral? Though it’s tempting to keep the same marketing tools year after year, failing to update your design and copy could cost you sales!
Your marketing materials are an extension of your brand—and your brand is something you’ve worked hard to develop and nurture. By keeping things consistent across all your marketing messaging, you will ensure customers feel confident about the products and services you offer.
Each piece of your marketing collateral, including sell sheets, case studies, and emails, should have a distinct purpose and work together with your outbound calling campaign to get you your desired results.
If you don’t have the capacity to update all your marketing materials in-house, now is a great time to find an outsourced partner!
You have a defined messaging strategy, buyer personas, and strong unified marketing collateral
Awesome! You’re way ahead of the game here. You’ll want to leverage your established buyer personas and marketing collateral in your outbound campaign.
Your messaging strategy needs to align with all the puzzle pieces of your sales and marketing campaign. This means sending relevant emails to your prospects, ensuring the script follows your overall plan, and posting relevant blogs and social media content to your channels.
Conclusion
Having a solid messaging strategy helps to strengthen your brand and allows you to stand out in your target market. But remember that what works now may not work later. Your message might change over time as you target different verticals or as your business offerings expand.
If you have questions about outsourced sales, messaging strategies, or to discuss our services in general – let’s chat!