Where can you get external, qualitative feedback on your messaging?
Here are 6 sources and 3 tips to keep in mind.
It can be tempting to create messaging in a vacuum.
It’s a lot easier to create a web page, pitch deck, one-pager, or talk track on your own, cross your fingers, and validate it later.
But you’ll have much more success out of the gate when you have external, qualitative feedback on your messaging.
Here are some of the places you can look to for external feedback on messaging:
1️⃣ Message Testing Platforms
With platforms like Wynter, you’re able to put your messaging in front of a panel of your target audience and easily collect qualitative feedback. It's also a quick turnaround, within 12-48 hours.
2️⃣ Customer Interviews
This should be obvious, but customers are one of your biggest sources of messaging inspiration and validation. Conduct regular interviews and get your message in front of customers to see how it resonates. Always be listening to how they describe their challenges, objectives, and your product's value.
3️⃣ Prospect Calls
Sales reps are delivering your message hundreds of times each day. Carve out time to consistently review call recordings, to see how your message is resonating with buyers. Encourage reps to share feedback and call snippets whenever they hear something interesting.
4️⃣ Analyst Firms
If you have a paid engagement with an analyst firm like Gartner or Forrester, don't forget sure to take advantage of their “document review” services. You can share content, web pages, one-pagers, presentations, even messaging documents with an analyst covering your category and get their qualitative feedback.
5️⃣ Advisors
If you’ve invested in creating your own advisory panel, this is one powerful way to leverage them. Advisory panels are great because they can include a broad range of personas, from end users to executive decision-makers.
6️⃣ Your Personal Network
One thing that's worked for me is building a network of people within our target persona. People who are more than willing to give feedback on anything I’m working on. These relationships typically take time and effort to build but are a huge resource.
Now that you have your sources of qualitative feedback, here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
1️⃣ Be clear with your asks.
Don’t just shoot someone a document and ask them for their “feedback.” You’ll get much more valuable feedback when you ask a specific question. Like "How well does this capture the challenges you face in your role?"
2️⃣ Keep it simple.
Don’t dump a ton of content on people and expect a quick turnaround. Share something specific, like a landing page, talk-track, presentation, or ad copy.
3️⃣ Be strategic with WHO you ask.
Make sure they’re in your ICP or at least understand your ICP well (in the case of analysts). Otherwise you’ll create messaging that resonates with the wrong people.
What did I miss?
#productmarketing #messaging #marketing