How to Prioritize the Right Message to your Customers when Everything is #1
Knowing how to prioritize the right brand messaging to your customers affects the success of your company, the engagement of your clients, and your role as a leader. All products need clear messaging. Easier said than done.
One of the biggest challenges for marketing leaders is accurately prioritizing the message that matters on a daily basis. Even if you have the best marketing software on the planet, you’re the one who enters information into the tool. You don’t want to fall into the classic role of crying “This is what we need right now!” for every other message that comes down the pike.
Just as you have to be diligent and have the right kind of insight to ensure that your existing and potential customers are not listening to yesterday’s priorities, it takes a lot of practice to get this right.
To help you manage the right messaging to all your customers at the right time, here are 6 simple steps to prioritizing that have a lot of moving parts.
1. Collect a list of all your messages.
Pull together everything you could possibly consider getting out there. Don’t worry about the order or the number of items up front.
2. Identify urgent vs. important.
The next step is to see if you have any messaging that you need to get out there now. We’re talking about a message that, if not delivered by the end of the day or by the end of the week, will have serious negative consequences (missed deadline; missed revenue, etc.). Check to see if there are any high-priority dependencies that rely on you finishing up this piece of work now.
3. Assess value.
Next, look at all your important messages and identify what carries the highest value to your business and organization. As a general practice, you want to recognize exactly which have top priority over the others.
For example, focussing on the messages which talk about your values over specifics; talk about the basic features which all your users need to know v/s something advanced only meant for a subset of your users; answering common questions your clients face before writing about specific technical details, and so on.
4. Order messages by estimated effort your customers will take to act on them.
If you have messages that seem to tie for priority standing, check their estimates, and start on whichever one you think will have the most impact and will require the most effort from your customers to act on. Productivity experts suggest that users always choose the tactic of starting the lengthier task first. But, if you feel like they can’t push the more intensive and strategic ones before the tactical ones, then go with your gut and push that. It can sometimes be motivating for your users to check a small task off before diving into deeper strategic waters.
5. Be flexible and adaptable.
Uncertainty and change are given. Know that your priorities will change, and often when you least expect them to. But — and here’s the trick — you also want to stay focused on the brand messaging you’re committed to getting out there. It is all about the brand legacy that you want your customers to remember.
6. Know when to cut.
You probably can’t get to everything on your list. After you prioritize your messages and look at your estimates, cut the remaining ones from your list, and focus on the ones that you know you must and can complete before your deadline. Then take a deep breath, dive in and be ready for anything.
