From your business point of view – how do you see the wood from the trees?
That is, when there’s many different ways you could tell the world about what you do or sell, and why this is important, how do you narrow it down to one message?
It’s blimmin difficult.
It’s also why it’s blimmin useful to have an intelligent outsider to tease apart the many different story threads rattling around an organisation or individual’s head, and help derive their Million Dollar Message (MDM).
These are the 2-10 words you first read on a website, or the BBQ answer to “what do you do?”
This is the expression that reassures an online visitor that they should continue on, find out more.
A good MDM also sees that BBQ questioner nod in understanding, and invites a “tell me more” response.
The wood from the trees challenge was why Rochelle (Rocky) Harris asked Punchline if we could help refine the promise for her online ‘Good Juju Store’ to be launched on December 1.
The site is going to sell mostly NZ-made goods that tick all the ethical, sustainable and regenerative boxes. She describes them as eco-friendly, slow-made goods from Aotearoa, with the added option to offset delivery on all orders in partnership with CarbonClick. Product packaging comes from Better Packaging Co, a NZ Certified B Corporation who support a collection network (though the material can also be home composted).
We spent over two hours narrowing down, finding synonyms, adding, subtracting, sounding out, testing and polishing a statement (we were also a bit lucky…sometimes it takes a day or three’s reflection to polish a draft expression).
Through co-design we crafted a Million Dollar Message that reflects Good Juju’s what and why –
‘Products that care for you and our planet – today and tomorrow’.
This is simple and true. It needs no embellishment. The rest of the Good Juju site can naturally build on and prove this statement.
Rocky left our workshop session as a happy punter.
She had a MDM of clarity and promise.
Like us all, she wouldn’t have (certainly hadn’t been able to) come up with such an expression by herself.
She needed outside help.
If you, or others you know, can’t see their story wood from their trees, give Punchline a call.
Million Dollar Messages are our mantra.