Messaging Consistency
December 17th, 2007 RachelOne of the biggest undertakings of the last four months has been a complete refresh of our company’s messaging. The positioning, how products are explained and what will eventually stick in people’s brains …it’s a complete package.
Here’s just a brief list of product related documents that are complete or underway.
1) Internal training materials
2) Product sheets
3) Website copy
4) Slide decks
5) Press kit
I’m taking some time to step away from materials that I’m working on to reflect on the biggest difficulty in this whole process - keeping things consistent. I’m finally starting to really love the ‘voice’ in the copy. However, each time I start a new document a place for improvement in a previous document is exposed. It could be a word, a sentence, capitalization, design…anything.
When everything is final…not “final” final, but done and approved and ready to be officially published…it’s my responsibility (and not-so-secret passion) to hole up in Starbucks with my earbuds blaring and read through everything. Take it all in, pull it all apart and analyze, analyze, analyze.
Is this my company? Are these my products? Does it all make sense?
Does anything feel outdated or sound like someone else?
Writing isn’t just rewriting - it’s reading, reflecting and then rewriting. It’s easy to become paralyzed by overthinking before putting it down on paper/screen, but at the same time it’s also very easy to be inconsistent - which means challenging myself, pushing through the inevitable writer’s apprehension, and pulling it all together.
Nothing is ever final - especially not documentation. This week, the word “users” is going to feel appropriate…maybe next week I’ll slap my hand against my forehead and think “no - they’re listeners“. Context is key - each sentence serves a purpose and deserves love and attention.
(does it sound like I’m talking about an 8 week old puppy now?)
So…
- Pump a rough draft out. You’re at 0% done until there are words on the paper.
- Find a good first reviewer. This is the person who’s writing you at least like, opinion you trust, and feedback is constructive. If you don’t have this person, you’re going to rip your hair out trying to get a slam dunk.
- Always have someone who knows nothing about the topic to give it a read. For me, this is usually my mother. Many a university research paper was proofed by Mama Smartiepants…and when I thought it was a work of art she could always find something (maybe as small as adding a comma) to make it better.
- Listen to feedback. You can question it, you don’t have to agree with it, and in the end you don’t have to take their advice (well sometimes). But you absolutely must have listened carefully and at least entertained their idea if you’re going to intelligently dismiss it. Don’t ignore feedback you dislike - shocking as it sounds, they just might be right.
- Every document is a ‘living’ document. I actually detest this term. ‘Living’ document. Revisions are the norm and it is important to remain flexible if the documentation is to remain fresh and continue to improve.
Okay. Back to my press kit.
