Copywriting is hard!
Even if you have your Brand Story down pat, translating that into “bites of messages” is not an easy task. It’s why copywriters exist. And we do recommend them for the heavy lifting. But as we all know, hiring a copywriter isn’t always in the cards.
A few weeks ago, we recommend developing a Creative Brief whenever you create content, as it forces you to clearly define what you want. For writing copy, we also recommend developing a brief, we call it a Messaging Matrix. We’ve included the basic information you want to capture below.
This all might sound like a hassle, and a lot of time. But if you follow these simple steps — before you write your copy — you’ll find it saves you time in the long run — and makes your copy stronger and more focused.
MESSAGING MATRIX A,B,C’s
- Audience: Who you’re talking to.
- Consumer Context: Where, when, how will consumer experience
- Media Context: Provide specifics. Examples: digital display in cbs app, radio spot prior to podcast
- Desired Action: What do you want the user to do? Where do you want them to go?
- Message Strategy: This is “the big idea.” Example: DriveThru developed an email campaign targeted at later stage companies. Our strategy was “You’ve Graduated.” We used this lens to craft the message.
- Copy Hierarchy: Prioritize. Not all messages are created equal.
