Welcome to the second-and-a-half installment in your step-by-step guide to building The Red Thread® of your message or content.
Tools
Why start-ups should start messaging now
First things first: I’m not Tamsen. I’m Alex Denniston. I’m a senior strategist who often works with Tamsen to design messages for our founder and thought leader clients.
Give them something they can’t unhear
Three years ago, when I was mired in the midst of not-writing my last book, I asked my friend Ann Handley for advice. After all, she wrote a book called Everybody Writes.
The best positioning persuades. Does yours?
You probably already know that “positioning” is key to creating any kind of change, whether it’s at the organizational or market level.
The best place to start your message
If you’re trying to figure out the best place to start or anchor your message of change, the answer is always, “start with the question you exist to answer.”
Why your core message comes first
When you’ve got a big change to make—in your organization, in the market, in the world—one question comes up over and over again: Where should you start?
Building a new message? Answer 3 questions first
When you’re building a new idea (or new content, like a pitch or presentation to support it), it can sometimes be hard to figure out where to start.
Is your idea built for buy-in?
It’s new worksheet time! I love me a good worksheet, don’t you? They can make a complicated process clear or get all your ideas together where you can see them—both of which are particularly important when you’re designing a new message or building a new idea.
How to turn ideas into stories
It seems like storytelling is everywhere these days—and with good reason! Story is how our brains process and retain information.
Publicize your principles
Want to build buy-in for your brand or ideas? Publicize your principles.