Message Matters: Succeeding at the Crossroads of Mission and Market

Message Matters presents a quick process for developing messages and explains the decision-making framework behind message development, introducing 5 principles that underlie the process. It aims to support professionals to get people to listen to what they say and take the action they want. The book explains three different types of messages and the difference between messages and slogans or mission statements. It includes a dozen case studies from the non-profit field.

The book addresses presidents, executive/VP-level individuals, and communications professionals in non-profit organisations of any size; it intends to present an approach that can be used at any level of an organisation by a wide group of professionals (programme director, volunteer coordinator, etc). Its author links messaging and the leadership driving it. She emphasises that the ability to craft effective messages is a basic leadership capacity rather than something to delegate to the communications department. She gives a roadmap to reach constituencies and states that the development process requires a cross-functional team, not just communications professionals.

Table Of Contents:
Introduction

• The Power of the Message
• What Is a Strategic Message?
• The Core Principles of Strategic Messages
• Step One: Identify the Action Desired
• Step Two: Identify the Target Audiences
• Step Three: Identify Audience Desires
• Step Four: Find the Mutuality
• Step Five: Express the Message
• Putting the Steps Together:The Process of Message Development
• A Case Study:The Power of Strategic Messages
• Other Applications of the Strategic Message Framework

Conclusion
Appendix

• Organizational Needs Assessment
• Organizational Readiness Assessment