Messaging Foundation Toolkit

When to use this toolkit

Use the Messaging Foundation Toolkit when you need to:

• Start from scratch — New organisation, new brand, or blank slate
• Reset your messaging — Current messages are outdated, inconsistent, or ineffective
• Prepare for a rebrand — New visual identity needs new verbal identity
• Onboard new leadership — New CEO or CMO wants to refresh the narrative
• Enter new markets — Expansion requires adapted positioning

This is foundational work. Do it once, do it well, and it will serve you for years.

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How the workflow fits together

Phase 1: Core Positioning

Start with the Positioning Statement Generator. This forces clarity on four elements:

1. Who — your target audience
2. What — your category
3. Why different — your differentiation
4. Why believe — your proof

If you can’t fill in this template clearly, you’re not ready to build messaging. Go back to strategy.

Phase 2: Message Architecture

The Message House builds on your positioning:

• Roof — The single overarching message (your positioning distilled)
• Pillars — Three supporting themes that prove your roof
• Foundation — Proof points that give each pillar credibility

This structure ensures everything you say ladders up to a coherent narrative.

Phase 3: Audience Adaptation

Use the Key Messages Grid to translate your message house for different audiences. Your message to investors emphasises growth; your message to customers emphasises value. Same house, different emphasis.

The grid also adapts for channels. LinkedIn needs different language than your website.

Phase 4: Evidence Gathering

The Proof Points Bank is where you collect everything that makes your claims believable:

• Data and statistics
• Customer testimonials
• Awards and recognition
• Third-party validation
• Case studies

Claims without proof are just assertions. This bank gives your messages backbone.

Phase 5: Spokesperson Enablement

The Executive Quote Pack turns your messaging into language that sounds human. Spokespeople shouldn’t read from message houses—they should speak in authentic quotes that still hit the key messages.

Finally, the Tone & Style Checker ensures everything you create stays consistent with your brand voice.

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Tips for success

1. Involve leadership early — Message houses that leadership doesn’t own get ignored
2. Test with real audiences — Before finalising, get feedback from actual customers or stakeholders
3. Make it accessible — A message house in a deck no one opens is worthless. Put it where people work.
4. Update proof points regularly — Fresh evidence keeps messaging credible
5. Train your spokespeople — The quote pack only works if people know how to use it

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What’s not included

This toolkit builds the foundation. To use it in practice, you’ll also need:

• Campaign Brief to apply messaging to specific initiatives
• Content Calendar templates to plan message distribution
• Channel Strategy Matrix to decide where to deploy messages

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Estimated time

Phase	Time
Core positioning	2-3 hours
Message architecture	4-6 hours
Audience adaptation	3-4 hours
Evidence gathering	4-6 hours
Spokesperson enablement	2-3 hours
Total	15-22 hours over 2-3 days

The real time investment is in the workshops and stakeholder conversations that inform the templates, not filling in the templates themselves.