#02: Updates and a Couple of Definitions
The latest news from MessageUp | What does "messaging" mean to you?
Happy Wednesday!
Welcome to the May 18th edition of the MessageUp newsletter. Hopefully you’re in the middle of a productive week?
There’s a lot of exciting stuff going on around here!
We’ve officially hired an editor to work on the MessageUp book manuscript.
It took a few weeks to properly evaluate the six candidates who made it to our final round, and it was a tough. Picking someone to “coparent your baby” is a big decision, so we invested the time to get it right.
Now we get to spend a couple of weeks tweaking the draft before handing it over and steeling ourselves for the red ink that’s bound to flow.
It’s scary and exciting — and an important step on the road to bringing you something truly relevant, helpful … and readable!
If you’d like to receive one of the first copies once the presses eventually roll, add your name to our reservation list.
Our One-Day Learning Event is Coming Together
We’re also busy distilling the MessageUp framework into a one-day learning event. Eight hours sounds like a long time until you try to cram all that juicy, valuable information into engaging sessions, sprinkled with hands-on activities and a suitable amount of stretch time and food.
We will be hosting pre-launch “beta” events in Houston over the summer to road test the content and hone our delivery. We’re looking for executives and marketing leaders who want to learn the MessageUp framework and take their messaging and content marketing to the next level. If you’re interested or know someone who would benefit, email us to snag a free seat. It will be first-come-first-served for qualified participants.
Look for a schedule of learning events starting in the fall, expanding from Houston to other cities across the country. Join our event waitlist to receive an email update when we’re heading in your direction.
A Couple of Definitions
We use the terms “messaging” and “content marketing” a lot on our website, in our emails, and in our materials. This begs the question: what do those terms mean?
They can mean slightly different things to different people, and be sensitive to context.
Here are the definitions that we like to use in the context of the MessageUp business.
Messaging
Messaging is how your company communicates with the outside world. This includes the words and images it chooses to express itself, as well as the emotions and feelings that its communication evokes in the audience.
We usually focus on the words that a business uses to explain why it is in business, who it serves, the value it creates for its target customers.
However, since B2B buying decisions are more emotional than rational, it’s also important to understand how those words are presented — the brand elements within which they are wrapped and supported — and how that affects a buyer’s perception of the brand and its products.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is the process of producing and publishing information that members of your company’s target audience find relevant and helpful.
Buyers spend considerable time analyzing the challenge they are trying to solve and evaluating potential solutions — before they are ready to buy. During that time, they aren’t necessarily interested in product features and benefits. Instead, they’re receptive to information that helps them make an informed decision and removes friction from their buying process.
Done well, content marketing builds trust between a vendor and its target audience, and ensures the vendor is top of mind whenever a prospect is ready to make a purchase.
Why Are We So Fixated on These Things?
Good question! We ask ourself the same thing on a regular basis. Thankfully, our purpose statement keeps us straight.
We’re here to fuel B2B business growth with impactful content marketing strategy.
Our belief is that B2B businesses operating in the Information Age must clearly and effectively communicate their message to prospective buyers if they are to compete and grow. This requires both an effective message and a content marketing strategy that attracts and engages the target audience.
Companies that fail to heed this digital, content marketing imperative will find themselves left behind — even out of business — as their competitors achieve greater visibility and earn the mind share that translates into market share once prospects are ready to purchase.
What We’re Reading
Here are some articles we’ve been reading this week that you might enjoy and find helpful:
10 Things B2B Content Marketing Pros Don't Want You to Know
Dominic Kent from Mio, writing on the Growth Collective blog, shares ten things that content marketing leaders don't necessarily like to talk about in public — from how often they fail (which is sometimes a good thing) to being too busy to learn from what goes well.
Is Influencer Marketing a Fit for B2B Marketing Plans?
Influencer marketing isn't new to B2B — developing analyst relations and writing media releases have been around for decades. However, a new twist — engaging industry influencers via social media — lies largely untapped, as Anita Brearton, CEO of CabinetM, explains.
2022 Content Preferences Survey: B2B Buyers Crave Concise, Research-Based Content to Inform Purchasing Process
You'll have to give Demand Gen Report your contact info to download this one, but it's essential reading for anyone who's serious about B2B content marketing. Discover how the content consumption and engagement practices of B2B buyers have evolved over the past year.
Why is it Important to Have a Defined Purpose?
This concise piece by Martin Rothwell, writing for the Drum Network, nails a topic that's dear to our heart — the importance of having a clearly defined purpose. Purpose raises brand awareness and recall, and increases brand loyalty. If you have a story to tell about the background behind your brand, then share it.
Until Next Time
Thanks for reading!
Let us know in the comments how we’re doing and be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss any of our future publications…
We appreciate you!
~ Team MessageUp