#66 — How to write key messages for a startup

1 Big Thing: Your Startup's Story, Distilled.§

Key Messages are the potent, repeatable soundbites that articulate your startup’s "why," "what," and "for whom." They're the DNA of your communication, shaping perception and driving action.§

Why it matters for Founders: In the chaotic early stages, clarity is your superpower. Strong key messages:§

• Win Investment: Investors back clear, compelling narratives.
• Attract Talent: Top hires join missions they understand and believe in.
• Convert Customers: Cut through noise and connect with user needs.
• Align Your Team: Ensures everyone rows in the same direction, speaking with one voice.
• Build Your Brand: The foundation of a memorable, trusted brand.

The Stakes: Vague messaging = wasted runway, confused teams, and missed opportunities. Clear messaging = accelerated growth. The US Small Business Administration notes that poor communication is a key factor in business failure; for startups, it's existential.§

Phase 1: Laying the Foundation (Pre-Work & Discovery)

This isn't just "thinking about it." This is deep, foundational work.§

Step 0: Co-Founder Mind Meld (If Applicable)

• The Challenge: Misaligned founders project a fractured vision.
• Your Action: Before anything, lock yourselves in a room. Brutally honestly answer:
  • What problem are we truly solving? (Not the symptom, the root cause).
  • Who are we obsessively focused on helping?
  • Why us? What's our unfair advantage or unique insight?
  • Why now? What market shift or opportunity makes this urgent?
• Why it matters: If co-founders aren't singing from the same hymn sheet, no amount of polished messaging will hide it. This is your internal North Star.

Step 1: Deep Dive – Your Startup's Core DNA

• Value Proposition Canvas:§

  • Customer Pains: What frustrates them deeply?
  • Customer Gains: What are their aspirations and desires?
  • Customer Jobs: What are they trying to get done?
  • Pain Relievers: How does your solution specifically address their pains?
  • Gain Creators: How does your solution deliver on their desired gains?
  • Products/Services: What are you actually offering?
  • Why it matters: This forces a customer-centric view from day one. Your solution exists to serve their needs, not your tech stack.

• Mission Statement (Your "Why"):§

  • The fundamental purpose of your startup. What change do you exist to make in the world?
  • Keep it short, memorable, and inspiring.
  • Example: "To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." (Google)

• Vision Statement (Your "Where To"):§

  • The future you're building. What does the world look like when you've succeeded?
  • Aspirational, but grounded.
  • Example: "Create a better everyday life for the many people." (IKEA)

• Brand Promise (Your "What to Expect"):§

  • The tangible experience or outcome customers can consistently expect.
  • It's a commitment you must live up to.

• Core Values (Your "How"):§

  • The non-negotiable principles guiding your decisions, actions, and culture.
  • Not just words on a wall; they inform hiring, product, and partnerships.

• Unique Selling Proposition(s) (USPs - Your "Different"):§

  • What distinctly sets you apart from any alternative? Be specific. Is it price, quality, speed, innovation, customer service, a unique feature, or a novel business model?
  • Gut Check: Is it truly unique and valuable to your target customer? Is it defensible?

• Founder Insight: Don't do this in an echo chamber. Get early (and constant) feedback from target customers, advisors, and your initial team. Your first assumptions are often wrong. Validate everything.§

Phase 2: Understanding Your Universe

Step 2: Know Thy Customer (Deeply)

• Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) / Persona Development:
  • Demographics: Age, location, job title, income (B2C/B2B as appropriate).
  • Psychographics: Values, attitudes, interests, lifestyle, pain points, aspirations.
  • Watering Holes: Where do they hang out (online & offline)? What media do they consume? Who do they trust?
  • Challenges & Goals: What keeps them up at night? What are they trying to achieve where you can help?
  • Jobs-to-be-Done (JTBD): What is the underlying "job" they are "hiring" your product/service to do? (e.g., "connect with friends," not "use a social media app").
  • Anticipate Objections: What will make them hesitate? Price? Complexity? Trust?
• Why it matters: You can't craft resonant messages if you don't intimately understand who you're talking to. Speak their language, address their specific needs.
• Action: Actually talk to them. Surveys are okay, but 1-on-1 interviews are gold. Aim for at least 10-20 in-depth conversations.

Step 3: Scout the Competition (Your Battlefield)

• Identify: Direct competitors, indirect competitors (solving the same problem differently), and substitute solutions (alternative ways customers meet the need).
• Analyze Their:
  • Messaging: What claims are they making? What language do they use?
  • Positioning: How do they present themselves in the market?
  • Strengths & Weaknesses: Where are they strong? Where are their gaps (your opportunities)?
  • Target Audience: Who are they speaking to? Is there an underserved segment?
• Positioning Map: Visually plot competitors based on 2-3 key attributes (e.g., price vs. features, simplicity vs. power). Where do you fit? Where's the "white space"?
• Why it matters: You need to know how to differentiate. If your message sounds like everyone else's, you're invisible.

Phase 3: Crafting & Refining

Step 4: Set Clear Objectives (Your Bullseye)

• What must these messages achieve?
  • Drive sign-ups for an MVP?
  • Secure investor meetings?
  • Attract beta users?
  • Generate pre-orders?
  • Increase website conversion by X%?
• Audience-Specific Objectives: Messages for investors will differ from messages for early adopters.
• Why it matters: Without clear goals, you can't measure effectiveness or know if your messaging is working. Tie it to tangible business outcomes.

Step 5: Draft the Messages (The Art & Science)

• The "One-Liner" / Elevator Pitch:§

  • Your core message, boiled down. Who you help, what problem you solve, how you do it uniquely, and the key benefit.
  • *Format: "We help [TARGET AUDIENCE] to [SOLVE PROBLEM] by [YOUR UNIQUE SOLUTION], so they can [KEY BENEFIT]." *
  • Test: Can you say it clearly and confidently in under 30 seconds?

• Supporting Pillars (3-4 Max):§

  • The key themes or arguments that support your one-liner. Each pillar should address a major customer pain point or benefit.
  • Think: Problem/Solution, Unique Differentiator, Key Outcome.

• Proof Points / Evidence:§

  • For each pillar, what data, testimonials, case studies (even early ones), demos, or social proof can back it up?
  • "Show, don't just tell."

• Key Principles for Drafting:§

  • Clarity Over Cleverness: Simple, direct language wins. Avoid jargon your audience won't understand.
  • Benefit-Oriented: Focus on "What's in it for them?" (WIIFT). Translate features into tangible benefits.
  • Emotional Connection: People buy on emotion, justify with logic. Tap into aspirations, fears, desires.
  • Unique Value: Hammer home your USP. Why choose you?
  • Consistency: Use similar language and themes across all messages.
  • Conciseness: Brevity is power. Every word must earn its place. (Axios style!)
  • Authenticity: Be genuine. Don't overpromise.
  • Compelling Call to Action (CTA): What do you want them to do next? (Sign up, learn more, request a demo). Be specific.

• Founder Insight: Write for one person (your ICP). If you try to talk to everyone, you’ll resonate with no one.§

Step 6: Test, Iterate, Validate (The Gauntlet)

• Internal Pressure Test:
  • Can everyone on your team articulate the key messages consistently?
  • Role-play investor pitches, sales calls.
• "Friend & Family" Test (with a grain of salt):
  • Do they "get it" quickly? Is it exciting?
• "Stranger" Test / "Bar Test":
  • Can you explain it to someone unfamiliar with your industry in a noisy environment and have them understand the core value?
• Customer Feedback Loop (Critical):
  • Share drafts with your ICP. Use phrases like:
    • "What does this mean to you?"
    • "What questions does this raise?"
    • "How does this make you feel?"
    • "On a scale of 1-10, how compelling is this?"
  • A/B test snippets on landing pages, ad copy, email subject lines (even informally).
• Be Ruthless: Be prepared to kill your darlings. If a message isn't landing, rework it or ditch it. Ego has no place here.
• Why it matters: Your first drafts are rarely your best. Iteration based on real-world feedback is how you find messaging gold.

Step 7: Refine & Finalize (For Now)

• Based on feedback, sharpen the language, improve clarity, and ensure emotional impact.
• Ensure consistency across your core message and supporting pillars.
• Get final buy-in from co-founders and key team members.
• Remember: Finalized for this stage. Messaging evolves.

Phase 4: Operationalizing & Maintaining

Step 8: Create Your Messaging Guide (The Internal Bible)

This is a living document, not a stone tablet.§

• Core Components:
  • Executive Summary: The 1-2 page overview for quick reference.
  • Your "Why": Mission, Vision.
  • Your "What": Core Value Proposition, Elevator Pitch/One-Liner.
  • Your "For Whom": Detailed ICPs/Personas.
  • Key Message Pillars: With supporting proof points for each.
  • Brand Voice & Tone: (e.g., expert but approachable, witty and irreverent, serious and trustworthy). Include examples.
  • Dos and Don'ts: Words to use, words to avoid. Jargon buster.
  • Boilerplate Text: Standard company descriptions for press releases, website "About Us," social media bios.
  • Elevator Pitch Variations: For different contexts (e.g., 30-second, 2-minute).
  • Audience-Specific Adaptations: How messages might be tweaked for investors vs. customers vs. potential hires.
  • Competitor Talking Points: How to differentiate concisely.
  • FAQ Responses: Consistent answers to common questions.
• Distribution: Make it easily accessible to EVERYONE on the team (shared drive, internal wiki).
• Training: Onboard new hires with this guide. Regularly refresh the team.
• Why it matters: This ensures consistency and empowers your entire team to be effective brand ambassadors. It scales your communication.

Step 9: Integrate & Deploy

• Systematically update all your communication channels:
  • Website copy
  • Sales decks & scripts
  • Marketing materials (ads, brochures, emails)
  • Social media profiles & posts
  • Press releases
  • Investor pitches
  • Internal communications
• Why it matters: Consistent application reinforces your message and builds brand recognition.

Step 10: Monitor, Measure, Evolve (The Living Document)

• Messaging is not "set it and forget it."
• Track Performance:
  • Website analytics (bounce rates, time on page, conversion rates on key pages).
  • Ad campaign performance (CTR, conversion).
  • Sales feedback (what resonates with prospects, what objections arise).
  • Social media engagement.
• Schedule Regular Reviews: Quarterly, or after significant events (new product launch, funding round, market shift, new competitor).
• Be Agile: If the market shifts, your product pivots, or you gain new insights about your customers, your messaging must adapt.
• Why it matters: The startup landscape is dynamic. Your messaging needs to be too.

Founder Pitfalls to Avoid: Common Messaging Traps

• The "Curse of Knowledge": Assuming your audience knows what you know. (They don't.)
• Inside-Out Thinking: Talking about your company, your tech, not their problems and their benefits.
• Feature Freaking: Listing features instead of articulating value.
• Jargon Jungle: Using industry buzzwords that alienate or confuse.
• Trying to Be Everything to Everyone: Dilutes your message and impact. Focus on your ICP.
• Inconsistency: Different messages on different channels confuse your audience.
• "My Baby is Beautiful" Syndrome: Falling in love with your own words and resisting feedback.
• Messaging-Product Mismatch: Promising something your product doesn't deliver. (Kills trust fast.)
• Forgetting the "Why": Losing sight of your core mission and purpose.

The Bottom Line for Founders:§

Your key messages are a strategic asset, as critical as your product or your team. Investing time and rigor into crafting, testing, and refining them will pay dividends in customer acquisition, fundraising, talent attraction, and overall brand strength. Get this right, and you build a powerful engine for growth.§