Every great business needs a good core message. What this message represents is not just a simple phrase, it is also not simply a string of words; a core message is an idea that is tightly intertwined with the very spirit and values of your way of doing business. Sometimes it is hard to think of a good core message, however once you scratch the surface you will see that the core message is always already there, all you need to do is discover it.
What does a good core message even mean?
Having a good core message is a first step toward a much greater goal, the goal of becoming a brand. Becoming a brand means that every product that you produce or a service you provide contains in itself the very essence of what your business is all about. So a good core message is one that can perfectly transfer this message into the mind of your target demographic, but in order to do so, you first need to know who exactly your target demographic is.
Making a core message
As we already mentioned, a good core message depends of your target demographic and an objective evaluation of your product. Take the product that you sell or the service you provide and envision your perfect client. Now imagine yourself speaking directly to that imaginary person and trying to sway him or her on your side. Devise a way to make them feel special. Since you already know that the thing you provide is an ideal for them all you need to do is make them come to this conclusion on their own.
A single most important thing here is motivation and everyone knows that intrinsic motivation is by far the most effective one. Different demographic groups are looking for different things and by trying to appeal to everyone you may find yourself not reaching anyone. Make a clear statement what you offer and who it is intended for and in this way make your ideal customer feel special. Make you ideal customer feel as if the product or the service that you offer is made exclusively for him or her.
Delivering a message
As one of the most famous The Dark Knight quotes goes, it’s about sending the message. Here again you are highly dependent on the features and properties of your target demographic. Discover the way to deliver this message through a commercial, series of meaningful events or through the use of media in correlation with your demographic. This way, you will already be on your way towards transforming your business into a brand and your core message into commonly used and recognizable motto.
Some successful core messages
One of the greatest, and probably best recognizable core messages is contained in the Nike’s logo, “Just do it!” What this is, is not simply a string of words but a whole philosophy, an idea from a company that sells sports gear that their products are used exclusively by winners. Another two great and shiny examples are that of Apple or Harley Davidson which seemingly have nothing in common, but when you scratch the surface you come to realize that what they are selling are not products but lifestyles. These are the brands that create the kind of loyalty that passes from one generation to another.
What makes the difference between the good and the bad core message?
The answer, when posted like this may seem as something terribly complicated when in fact it is a simple one. The answer lies in one Humphrey Bogart’s famous quotes from 1955 masterpiece We’re No Angels, “I don’t sell a product, I sell an idea.” The realization that every product that you sell and advertise is not a piece on its own but one genuine part of a whole, that every single product is your entire company is a notion that, when put to paper, must be a good core message. In turn a bad core message is a motto that is made up simply because of necessity of a company to have any motto.
You need to convince your clients that by buying from you or doing business with you, they become a part of a family that is your company. You need to convince them that you are all on the same page that you are, after all, one team. Building a good core message is not about improving a business, it is building a legacy. In this dog-eat-dog world of modern business anything that can give you a competitive edge is more than welcome and having a great competitive edge is probably just the thing you were looking for.
