Can you explain what you do in one sentence? Fix your messaging
If customers can't repeat what you do, they can't recommend you. Here's a simple way to sharpen it.
Ask five people in your business what the company does, and you'll often get five different answers. If you can't agree internally, customers have no chance.
Try this simple formula
We help [who] [achieve what] by [how], unlike [the alternative].
It won't be your final tagline, but it forces the important choices: who you're for, what outcome you deliver and why you're different.
Be specific about who
"Businesses" isn't an audience. "Independent opticians who want more private patients" is. The more specific you are, the more the right people feel you're talking to them.
Sell the outcome, not the process
Customers don't want an audit or a strategy session. They want more customers, less stress or lower costs. Lead with the result; explain the process later.
Name the alternative
Every customer has other options, including doing nothing. Knowing what they'd do instead helps you explain why you're the better choice.
Test it on real people
Read your sentence to someone outside your industry and ask them to explain it back. If they can't, simplify. Then use it everywhere: your homepage, your social bios and how you introduce yourself. It is also what makes other people able to refer work to you.
Founder of oXo Creatives, founded 2013. Roles at Meta, Google, PlayStation, King and NatWest.
Want help with brand and messaging?
Who you're for, why they should pick you rather than the next firm, and how to say it clearly everywhere. Typically a few weeks, including a working session with you.
