Brand Messaging Framework: How to Create Messages That Resonate

Your brand positioning tells you where you stand. Your brand messaging tells you what to say.

After working with 2000+ brands, I’ve seen the same pattern: companies invest months in positioning strategy, then rush through messaging as an afterthought. The result? Generic messages that sound like everyone else, even when their positioning is unique.

Here’s the truth: Great positioning without great messaging is invisible. Your messaging is how your positioning comes to life in the real world—in your website copy, sales conversations, marketing campaigns, and customer touchpoints.

Let me show you how to build a messaging framework that transforms your strategic positioning into messages that actually resonate.

What is Brand Messaging?

Brand messaging is the consistent set of words, phrases, and stories you use to communicate your brand’s value, personality, and promise to your target audience.

Brand messaging includes:

• Your value proposition
• Key messages for different audiences
• Your brand voice and tone
• Elevator pitch
• Tagline/slogan
• Marketing copy frameworks
• Sales conversation scripts
• Customer communication templates

Brand messaging is NOT:

• Just your tagline
• Marketing copy alone
• A one-time exercise
• Generic industry speak

Your messaging should be so clear and consistent that if someone reads your website, talks to your sales team, and sees your social media, they get the same core message—just expressed differently for each channel.

Why Brand Messaging Matters

Without a messaging framework:

• Your team says different things about your brand
• Marketing messages sound generic and forgettable
• Sales conversations are inconsistent
• Customers can’t articulate why they chose you
• You compete on features instead of value

With a strong messaging framework:

• Everyone in your organization speaks with one voice
• Your messages cut through the noise
• Sales conversations are more effective
• Customers become advocates who share your story
• You compete on value and differentiation

The Brand Messaging Framework

Your messaging framework should flow directly from your brand positioning strategy. If you haven’t defined your positioning yet, start there. Your messaging brings your positioning to life.

Step 1: Define Your Core Message

Your core message is the single most important thing you want your target audience to understand about your brand.

Your core message should answer:

• What do you do?
• Who do you do it for?
• Why should they care?
• What makes you different?

Formula for a strong core message:

[Your brand] helps [target audience] [achieve desired outcome] 
by [your unique approach/method] unlike [competitors] who [their limitation].

Example: “Spellbrand helps ambitious entrepreneurs build premium brands that command higher prices by combining strategic positioning with world-class design, unlike generic agencies that focus only on visuals.”

Your core message should be:

• Clear: A 12-year-old could understand it
• Specific: Not generic or vague
• Differentiated: Clearly different from competitors
• Benefit-focused: About outcomes, not features
• Emotional: Connects to what matters to your audience

Step 2: Develop Your Value Proposition

Your value proposition is a clear statement of the tangible benefits customers get from choosing you.

A strong value proposition includes:

1. The Problem: What problem are you solving?
2. The Solution: How do you solve it?
3. The Benefit: What outcome do they get?
4. The Proof: Why should they believe you?

Value Proposition Template:

For [target audience] who [have this problem/desire],
[Your brand] is a [category] that [key benefit].
Unlike [competitors], we [unique differentiator]
so you can [desired outcome].

Example: “For startup founders who need to stand out in crowded markets, Spellbrand is a brand strategy agency that combines positioning expertise with award-winning design. Unlike agencies that focus only on visuals, we start with strategy so you can build a brand that attracts premium customers and commands higher prices.”

Step 3: Create Your Key Messages

Key messages are the 3-5 supporting points that reinforce your core message. These are the messages you want to repeat consistently across all channels.

Each key message should:

• Support your core message
• Address a different aspect of your value
• Be memorable and quotable
• Work across different contexts

Example Key Messages for a Brand Strategy Agency:

1. Strategic Foundation: “Great design without strategy is just decoration. We start with positioning so your brand identity actually drives business results.”

2. Premium Positioning: “We help brands command premium prices by building strategic differentiation into every touchpoint, from logo to customer experience.”

3. Proven Process: “Our 5-pillar framework has positioned 2000+ brands across 40+ countries. It’s not theory—it’s battle-tested methodology.”

4. Long-term Partnership: “We don’t just deliver a logo and leave. We build brands that grow with you, from startup to market leader.”

5. Results-Driven: “Every brand we build is designed to attract your ideal customers, repel the wrong ones, and justify premium pricing.”

Step 4: Define Your Brand Voice and Tone

Your brand voice is your personality expressed through words. Your tone is how you adapt that voice for different situations.

Brand Voice Characteristics:

Your voice should reflect your brand persona and archetype. Consider:

• Formal vs. Casual: Are you professional and authoritative, or friendly and approachable?
• Technical vs. Accessible: Do you use industry jargon or plain language?
• Serious vs. Playful: Are you serious and focused, or lighthearted and fun?
• Direct vs. Storytelling: Do you get straight to the point, or paint a picture?
• Confident vs. Humble: Are you bold and assertive, or modest and collaborative?

Voice Examples:

Formal/Professional: “We deliver strategic brand positioning solutions that enable organizations to achieve market differentiation and premium positioning.”

Casual/Accessible: “We help you figure out what makes your brand special, then we make sure everyone else knows it too.”

Technical: “Our brand positioning methodology leverages competitive analysis, customer psychographics, and value proposition optimization to establish market leadership.”

Accessible: “We figure out what makes you different, who cares about that difference, and how to talk about it so they listen.”

Tone Adaptations:

Your tone adapts your voice for different contexts:

• Website: Confident and clear
• Sales conversations: Consultative and helpful
• Social media: Engaging and authentic
• Customer support: Empathetic and solution-focused
• Crisis communication: Transparent and accountable

Step 5: Craft Your Elevator Pitch

Your elevator pitch is a 30-60 second explanation of what you do and why it matters. It should be memorable, compelling, and lead to a conversation.

Elevator Pitch Structure:

1. Hook: Grab attention with a surprising fact or question
2. Problem: Identify the problem your audience faces
3. Solution: Explain how you solve it
4. Proof: Give one compelling proof point
5. Call to Action: End with a question or next step

Example Elevator Pitch:

“Most startups think branding is about having a nice logo. But here’s the thing—if you can’t explain why someone should choose you over your competitor in one sentence, you don’t have a brand, you have decoration.

We help entrepreneurs figure out what makes their brand special, then we build the strategy and design to make sure everyone else knows it too. We’ve positioned over 2000 brands, and our clients consistently see 30-50% increases in their ability to charge premium prices.

What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing in standing out from your competition?”

Step 6: Develop Message Hierarchies

Different audiences need different messages. Create message hierarchies for:

• Primary audience: Your ideal customers
• Secondary audiences: Partners, investors, employees
• Different stages: Awareness, consideration, decision
• Different channels: Website, sales, marketing, support

Message Hierarchy Example:

For Ideal Customers (Awareness Stage):

• Core message about solving their problem
• Focus on outcomes and benefits
• Educational content

For Ideal Customers (Decision Stage):

• Detailed value proposition
• Proof points and case studies
• Risk reduction messages

For Investors/Partners:

• Market opportunity
• Competitive advantage
• Growth potential

Step 7: Create Message Templates

Develop templates for common situations so your team can communicate consistently:

Website Homepage:

• Headline (core message)
• Subheadline (value proposition)
• Key benefits (3-5 key messages)
• Social proof
• Call to action

Sales Conversation Opening:

• Acknowledge their situation
• Introduce your unique approach
• Ask discovery questions
• Share relevant proof point

Email Subject Lines:

• Problem-focused: “Struggling to stand out? Here’s why…”
• Benefit-focused: “How [Company] increased prices by 40%”
• Curiosity-focused: “The branding mistake 90% of startups make”

Social Media Posts:

• Hook (attention-grabbing first line)
• Value (key message or insight)
• Proof (example or data point)
• Call to action (engagement question)

How to Test Your Messaging

Before you finalize your messaging framework, test it:

1. Clarity Test

Can someone explain your brand to a friend after hearing your core message once? If not, simplify.

2. Differentiation Test

If you removed your brand name, could someone identify it as yours? If not, make it more unique.

3. Memorability Test

Do people remember your key messages a week later? If not, make them more compelling.

4. Action Test

Do your messages lead to the desired action? If not, strengthen your call to action.

5. Consistency Test

Do all your messages feel like they’re from the same brand? If not, align your voice and tone.

Common Messaging Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Feature-Focused Instead of Benefit-Focused

Bad: “We offer 24/7 support, cloud-based platform, and API integration.”

Good: “Never worry about downtime. Our platform keeps your business running 24/7, so you can focus on growth instead of IT headaches.”

Mistake #2: Generic Industry Speak

Bad: “We provide innovative solutions that drive results and maximize ROI.”

Good: “We help e-commerce brands reduce cart abandonment by 30% through strategic checkout optimization.”

Mistake #3: Trying to Appeal to Everyone

Bad: “We help all businesses succeed.”

Good: “We help B2B SaaS companies with 10-50 employees scale from $1M to $10M ARR.”

Mistake #4: Forgetting the Emotional Connection

Bad: “Our software increases productivity by 25%.”

Good: “Stop working nights and weekends. Our software gives you your evenings back by automating the tasks that drain your time.”

Mistake #5: Inconsistent Messaging Across Channels

Website: Professional and formal Social Media: Casual and funny Sales Team: Technical and detailed

Solution: Use the same core messages and voice, adapted for each channel’s tone.

Implementing Your Messaging Framework

1. Document Everything

Create a messaging guide that includes:

• Core message
• Value proposition
• Key messages
• Voice and tone guidelines
• Message templates
• Examples for each channel

2. Train Your Team

Everyone who communicates on behalf of your brand needs to understand:

• Your core message
• Your key messages
• Your voice and tone
• How to adapt messages for different situations

3. Audit Existing Content

Review all your existing content:

• Website copy
• Marketing materials
• Sales scripts
• Customer communications
• Social media posts

Update anything that doesn’t align with your messaging framework.

4. Create Content Templates

Develop templates for:

• Blog posts
• Email campaigns
• Social media content
• Sales presentations
• Customer onboarding

5. Monitor and Refine

Track how your messaging performs:

• Which messages resonate most?
• What questions do prospects ask?
• Where do sales conversations break down?
• What content gets shared?

Refine your messaging based on real-world feedback.

The Connection Between Positioning and Messaging

Your brand positioning strategy defines where you stand in the market. Your brand messaging framework defines what you say about that position.

Positioning without messaging: You know where you stand, but no one else does.

Messaging without positioning: You say things, but they don’t add up to a clear position.

Positioning + Messaging: You stand in a unique place, and everyone knows exactly why.

Next Steps

1. If you haven’t defined your positioning: Start with brand positioning strategy.

2. If you have positioning: Use this framework to develop your messaging.

3. If you have messaging: Audit it against this framework and refine.

4. If you need help: Consider working with a brand strategist who can help you develop both positioning and messaging together.

Conclusion

Great brand messaging doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of a systematic framework that transforms your strategic positioning into words that resonate.

Your messaging is how your brand shows up in the world. Make it clear, make it consistent, and make it compelling.

Remember: Your positioning tells you where to stand. Your messaging tells you what to say. Together, they create a brand that’s impossible to ignore.

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Ready to develop your brand messaging framework? Get in touch to discuss how we can help you create messages that resonate with your ideal customers and drive business results.