This covers some basic rules when it comes to crafting an organization's message.

1. The Art of Messaging
Bridget Meade
Online content developer, ThisisReno.com monkey
bridgetmeade.com
bmeade@gmail.com
@frogthrower

2. Words. Feelings. Connection.
Public relations messaging:
“… very terse communications that pair a product or a
company with a strong positive emotion or feeling. They
can be expressed in very few words, but they
communicate a great deal.” – Doug Richards, School for
Startups

3. You should care.
• Business objective
• Marketing
• (psst… this includes social media)
• Crisis communication
• News and events
• Funding

4. You have 15 seconds.
• Services and/or products offered
• Ideal potential customers’ needs

5. Crafting your message.
“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you want to write
‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing
will be just as it should be.” – Mark Twain

6. Keep it simple.
• Brevity is better.
• Too much text is truly terrible.
• Use language everyone will understand.
• Avoid acronyms and industry jargon.
• Big words don’t necessarily make you sound smarter.

7. There, they’re, their.
• Proper spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Active vs. passive voice
» Active: “We serve Blue Bottle coffee.”
» Passive: “We will provide hot coffee.”
• Resources:
» Grammar Girl (http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com)
» Google
» AP Style Guide (on and offline)
• SCREAMING.
• Don’t.

8. Proofread!
• Visual aid
• Read it backwards
• Read aloud
• FLAG ALL ERRORS
• Have a friend?

9. Remember:
• Your message goes everywhere.
• Proofread.
• Writing mechanics matter.

10. Thank you!
• Case studies? (Progressive has a doozy.)
• Messaging problems? Let’s talk.

11. Progressive’s regression
• What happened
• Matt Fisher’s sister Katie (a Progressive customer) was killed
in a car accident
• Other driver was underinsured
• Progressive refused to pay out on her policy
• Fisher’s family sued the other driver in order to take
Progressive to court
• Progressive appeared in court to defend the other driver but
denied it
• When Fisher started tweeting at them, their response was
canned, unemotional. He responded publicly. So did others.
• Main problem: failure to respond immediately,
appropriately, or effectively