How to Align Messaging With Audience Expectations

I used to think "write like you talk" was the holy grail of copywriting. The result? Boring copy that sounded just like everybody else. ❌ Copy that was "professional, but relatable." ❌ Copy that I thought sounded good. ❌ Copy that felt natural – to me. Then I realized: My audience isn't me. They're: 👉 CFOs in growing financial firms 👉 IT leaders in healthcare organizations 👉 COOs at logistics and transportation companies 👉 CMOs at eCommerce companies with $50M+ revenue 👉 Information security officers at growing tech companies They don't talk the way I do. And they respond to copy that sounds like them. (Not like a snarky college professor.) So how do you create messaging that actually stands out? Capture how your audience actually talks. And reflect it right back to them. Here's how I do it: ✅️ Talk to your customers Nothing can touch live conversations for getting insight into your buyers' needs, challenges and goals. They're the best way to learn how your audience is talking about your product. ✅️ Creep on their online convos There are so many places you can go message mining: G2 reviews, podcasts, Slack communities, subreddits. Go find out how your audience communicates when no one's watching. ✅️ Define your brand messaging guidelines Distill your findings into a clear brand messaging strategy – so every piece of copy sounds like you're one of them. Make it easy for everyone on your team to get on the same page. With data-driven brand messaging, you're not just writing like you anymore. You're writing like them. And that's how you get readers thinking, "this is exactly what I've been looking for." So don't write like you talk – write like they talk.

I was Wrong about Influence. Early in my career, I believed influence in a decision-making meeting was the direct outcome of a strong artifact presented and the ensuing discussion. However, with more leadership experience, I have come to realize that while these are important, there is something far more important at play. Influence, for a given decision, largely happens outside of and before decision-making meetings. Here's my 3 step approach you can follow to maximize your influence: (#3 is often missed yet most important) 1. Obsess over Knowing your Audience Why: Understanding your audience in-depth allows you to tailor your communication, approach and positioning. How: ↳ Research their backgrounds, how they think, what their goals are etc. ↳ Attend other meetings where they are present to learn about their priorities, how they think and what questions they ask. Take note of the topics that energize them or cause concern. ↳ Engage with others who frequently interact with them to gain additional insights. Ask about their preferences, hot buttons, and any subtle cues that could be useful in understanding their perspective. 2. Tailor your Communication Why: This ensures that your message is not just heard but also understood and valued. How: ↳ Seek inspiration from existing artifacts and pickup queues on terminologies, context and background on the give topic. ↳ Reflect on their goals and priorities, and integrate these elements into your communication. For instance, if they prioritize efficiency, highlight how your proposal enhances productivity. ↳Ask yourself "So what?" or "Why should they care" as a litmus test for relatability of your proposal. 3. Pre-socialize for support Why: It allows you to refine your approach, address potential objections, and build a coalition of support (ahead of and during the meeting). How: ↳ Schedule informal discussions or small group meetings with key stakeholders or their team members to discuss your idea(s). A casual coffee or a brief virtual call can be effective. Lead with curiosity vs. an intent to respond. ↳ Ask targeted questions to gather feedback and gauge reactions to your ideas. Examples: What are your initial thoughts on this draft proposal? What challenges do you foresee with this approach? How does this align with our current priorities? ↳ Acknowledge, incorporate and highlight the insights from these pre-meetings into the main meeting, treating them as an integral part of the decision-making process. What would you add? PS: BONUS - Following these steps also expands your understanding of the business and your internal network - both of which make you more effective. --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

You’ve been told to improve your verbal communication (or you know you should). You’re not sure where to start. You think that the issue is that you’re long-winded and tend to ramble (I hear this a lot from clients). That’s only part of it. The solution isn’t to say less. It’s to speak more effectively. How? There are two keys for any speaking task: Know your audience: Are they executives, peers or clients? Be clear on the purpose: Are you informing, persuading or motivating? Once you’ve identified these, select the right structure. Here’s an example: You’re pitching a new project to the C-suite or a recommendation to a client. ➡ Audience analysis: Executives with limited time. ➡ Purpose: Persuade them to buy into your idea. Structure: Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) Start with the main point: “We recommend launching project X.” Support with ROI or impact to the organization: “This will…” Cite the impact. Use a verb. Include a number to demonstrate scale of impact, if possible. Provide details as time allows: Outline secondary details (e.g., rationale, implementation, requirements). Be ready to share them if there’s time or questions.  Presenters often focus on team-specific impacts, not recognizing that higher ups are thinking about broader goals and challenges. Before your next presentation, whether brief (speaking-only), or with slides, be sure to: 🔹 Assess your audience. What and how much do they need to know? 🔹Clarify your purpose. What are you trying to achieve? 🔹Choose the right structure. Align it with your purpose.  🔹Prepare thoroughly. Plan your content and the timing of delivering the content. A well-structured presentation can turn a lukewarm reaction into enthusiastic approval. I’ll share more presentation types and structures in upcoming posts. #Communication

Everywhere you show up, you can flex this same structure to fit the moment and actually ensure others care. Align, agitate, assert, invite. That's called an empathy statement, and it's the foundational way of explaining your perspective in a way that resonates. Whether you're developing a speech, crafting your messaging, or designing and pitching a new project in compact areas of copy or spoken word. Heck, it even works when someone asks, "So what do you do?" When I work with clients, I start by asking for total brutal honesty and how they see something. Without that, you can't shape the message or premise into anything resonant. You just get wordsmithing to sound a certain way. Give me the two-drink minimum explanation, the "can't hold back anymore" version, the "I've got so much to say on this, hold me back!" version. It's from that frustration, you can start to pinpoint the problem you want to solve and the premise you have for solving it. Then, you deliver it with empathy (rather than pure frustration) with these four beats: align, agitate, assert, invite. When asked what we do or what a project is about, we're trained to respond in first-person. "I sell..." or "We explore..." But they're really asking, "Why should I care?" So you need to respond with the second person, not the first person. 1/ Align YOU are (this kind of person) and you have (this kind of goal) or you're trying to do (this kind of work). Right? Great, we're aligned. Nothing else I want as a communicator can happen unless I am. 2/ Agitate BUT ... there are some problems with that current approach of yours. The status quo is broken. Your thinking needs to change. Your execution needs to evolve. All storytellers communicate using generous tension—that is, questions that deserve answering and stakes that make things matter, NOT preying on baser instincts to create panic-induced conversions or engagement. Align, agitate ... then assert. What's your premise? How do YOU see it? 3/ Assert Stop doing this, start doing this // Think of it like THIS instead // I believe THIS. Others explore or sell or talk about similar things, but unlike them, I/we ... THIS. You need a premise, a defensible assertion you make, turning your perspective into positioning. And then and only then can we finally invite them to act, because they're ready. 4/ Invite Consider this new way of thinking or doing. Listen to this story so you can see what I mean. Embrace this framework or method to execute better. EVERYWHERE we show up, we can flex the same structure to resonate deeper. It's not about "getting in front of" others. It's about communicating in ways to ensure they care. Can you write or speak to actually, deeply resonate? Go on. Your turn. Make me care. *** Thanks to Andrew Littlefield for this really fun video edit.

I’ve been leading demand generation strategy for events at Microsoft and these are the top 3 key audience marketing strategies: First step when assigned to an event 🔍Segmentation and Targeting: It’s super important to understand the audience by breaking them down into specific segments based on their unique needs and behaviors. This enables us to deliver tailored messaging and campaigns. For example, we might segment our audience into "enterprise customers," "small businesses," and "individual users." By customizing our approach for each group, we ensure our marketing campaigns resonate and address their distinct challenges thus drawing them in as registered attendees. Secondly, a focus on ✍🏿Personalization and Engagement: As a demand gen lead, I want to make our interactions feel personalized to ensure our target audience engages with any content we put out so we can foster deeper connections. This includes personalized email campaigns, product and event recommendations, and targeted ads. In our touch points we also showcase various other pull-through methods such as interactive content such as webinars, surveys, and live events to keep our audience engaged. By understanding and addressing individual needs, we create a more meaningful and impactful relationship with our customers and partners. Last but not least 📝Storytelling and Content Marketing: As a storyteller myself, it’s important to me that we craft compelling narratives that showcase the benefits of our products and services through our events. Through a mix of content formats like blog posts, whitepapers, case studies, and social media updates, we tell stories that highlight how our solutions solve real-world problems. For example, we might share stories about how our cloud services have transformed businesses, or how our AI technologies are driving innovation, or how AI-skilling is making an impa on real people. This approach helps build an emotional connection with our audience, making Microsoft a trusted and relatable brand. These are only a few key strategies, but, by implementing these strategies, we drive demand generation and build lasting relationships with our customers and partners through our event experiences. As a demand gen lead, my workstream is the first touchpoint to the potential attendee — and I love to make it a magical one. Are you an event marketer? What are your marketing tactics? Share below. Here's to successful marketing! 📈🚀 #theBOLDjourney #audiencemarketing #eventmarketing

Save this checklist to avoid information dumps and instead motivate your audience to take action. ⬇️ Whether you're leading a team meeting or speaking at a conference, you want your audience to be focused and motivated. ✅ Simplify Your Message: Focus on key points that resonate. Cut unnecessary details. Can some info be shared via email or document? ✅ Highlight the Impact: Show benefits, not just data. Connect your insights to the audience's goals and obstacles. ✅ Engage Your Audience: Ask questions, invite participation. Keep it interactive and collaborative. ✅ Connect Emotionally: Use personal stories to make your message relatable and memorable. Emotional connections drive action. ✅ Clear Call to Action: Be specific about what you want your audience to do next. No ambiguity! You can transform your presentations from mere information dumps to powerful, engaging experiences that leave a lasting impact. Executive presence isn't just about what you know - it's about how you share that knowledge and inspire others to act. Hear more on this week's episode 397 of the Speaking Your Brand podcast.

Project managers - you need to speak the language of your stakeholders Effective communication isn't just about sharing updates. It's about knowing: → What to share → With who → When You may be tempted to think sharing more is better. But not always. Some stakeholders want all the deets. Others just want the status of the big picture. And some only want to be tagged if things are getting dicey. The key: adapt your message based on your audience Some examples: 👉 Executives may only want to know whether things are on-track 👉 Teams are looking for the technical details and the "how" 👉 Customers care about the end product and impacts Tailor your communication to each stakeholders needs. It builds trust. Keeps everyone aligned. And shows respect for their time and project role. So don't just deliver results. Deliver the right message to the right people at the right time. 🤙

I encourage sales + marketing leaders to get a "PhD" in who your buyer is and what they care about. Okay, there's no ACTUAL PhD, but you can approach it that way. B2B buyers are smart and shrewd, they spot shallow content right away, and using the wrong language can can make them feel like you don't understand their industry. On the other hand... When content and messaging feels like it's coming from someone who understands them and their role, you begin to build trust and authority. Here are a few ways my team has learned to do it: 1️⃣ Follow top accounts in your buyer's industry — subscribe to publications they subscribe to. 💡 While working on OnQ, a patient experience solution for hospitals, our copywriter DEVOURED publications like Becker's (The leading hospital magazine for hospital business news) to understand the target audience. 2️⃣ Interview "raving fans" and real customers about they like about product/service. Their answers may not be what you think. 3️⃣ Use tools like SEMrush and SparkToro to find out what content your buyers are consuming and what questions they're asking. And... whether you have a new hire or a new partner, conduct a repeatable, methodical approach to discovery. Shameless plug: Swivel's has a 4-week process that includes content collection, Q&A sessions, and offline work to align on buyer-centric positioning, messaging, and content. We want that buyer PhD! #salesenablement #sales #b2b

Many people are deploying ads without looking back twice and asking WHY. This Clarity Check Framework can help make sure that you creatives have a purpose - because they all should. Before launching any new ads, ask yourself these 7 questions: 1️⃣ What is the primary message we want the audience to take away? ↳ The core of any ad is its clear, single message. Ensure your main point isn't buried by secondary details or complex language. ↳ A clear message ensures quick understanding, crucial in today's fast-paced world. 2️⃣ Who is our target audience? ↳ Knowing your audience—demographics, psychographics, behaviors—is essential. ↳ Tailor your message to resonate with this group specifically. A targeted ad speaks directly to your ideal customer, increasing engagement. 3️⃣ What problem does our product/service solve? ↳ Consumers seek solutions, not just products. Clearly outline the problem your product addresses and position it as the best solution. ↳ This connection creates a strong reason for the audience to act. 4️⃣ What is the unique value proposition? ↳ Your UVP is what differentiates you from competitors. Highlight it clearly—be it quality, price, or features. ↳ This distinction should be evident in both visuals and copy to solidify why your product is the best choice. 5️⃣ Is there a clear and compelling call to action? ↳ Guide the audience to the next step with a clear, urgent CTA like "Shop Now" or "Learn More." ↳ A strong CTA bridges attention and action, making it a crucial element for conversion. 6️⃣ How does the ad emotionally connect with the audience? ↳ Emotions often drive decisions more than logic. ↳ Determine the emotional response you want—whether it's humor, trust, or nostalgia—and ensure your ad delivers it. 7️⃣ Does the visual and textual content align and reinforce the message? ↳ Visuals should not just complement but enhance the text. ↳ Consistency between what’s seen and what’s read ensures clarity and prevents confusion, maximizing the ad’s impact. Was this useful? Like, follow, and repost ♻️ so others can learn too!

Have you ever found yourself struggling with the "Curse of Knowledge" or the "Curse of Passion" when communicating? I recently encountered these concepts in Matt Abrahams' book, *Think Faster, Talk Smarter*. If these ideas are new to you, let me explain: 🔍 The *Curse of Knowledge* happens when your deep understanding of a subject makes it challenging to explain it to others who aren't as familiar. You might assume others have the same background knowledge, leading to explanations that are too complex, filled with jargon, or missing key context. This can result in a disconnect, leaving your audience confused or disengaged. 🔥 The *Curse of Passion* arises when your enthusiasm for a topic causes you to over-explain or delve too deeply into details. While passion is valuable, it can overwhelm your audience if they don't share the same level of interest or expertise. This can lead to lost attention and a failure to convey your core message effectively. These "curses" can pose significant challenges in communication. So, how do we navigate them? One effective approach, especially when addressing a large audience, is to use the "What you want your audience to Know, Feel, Do" framework: 🔍 **Know:** Focus on the essential takeaways. What is the most important information your audience needs to grasp? By honing in on the essentials, you can prevent information overload. ❤️ **Feel:** Think about the emotions you want to evoke. Should your audience feel inspired, confident, or motivated? Emotional connection can make your message more memorable and impactful. 👉 **Do:** Clearly outline the action you want your audience to take. Whether it’s adopting a new strategy, supporting a decision, or changing their perspective, ensure there's a clear and actionable next step. By keeping these three elements in focus, you can overcome the curse of knowledge and passion, ensuring your communication is both understood and drives meaningful action. Give it a thought 🤔!