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What story are you telling?

The right language and vocabulary, tone and tenor can make you or break your business.

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Our
Process

  1. Group Consensus

    JDI’s brand messaging workshops are designed to be intensive immersive sprints. While typical messaging processes require months of back-and-forth and tactical wordsmithing, JDI’s workshops are designed to build consensus from the very beginning.

  2. Active Participation

    Our brand messaging workshops typically take 30-60 days to complete, depending primarily on client availability. We need all decision makers “in the room” for a productive workshop.

  3. Rapid Iteration

    Depending on the client’s unique needs, we will facilitate 3-5 workshop sessions, iterating on a “verbal style guide” in between sessions. Critical path decisions are made using a weighted voting method that ensures all voices are heard, and messaging alternatives are carefully considered. The value of these workshops is not just in the deliverables, but in JDI’s facilitation of conversations and decisions that typically frustrate even the most experienced teams.

Bespoke, high-impact messaging

Depending on the client’s unique needs, we will facilitate 3-5 workshop sessions, iterating on a “verbal style guide” in between sessions. Critical path decisions are made using a weighted voting method that ensures all voices are heard, and messaging alternatives are carefully considered. The value of these workshops is not just in the deliverables, but in JDI’s facilitation of conversations and decisions that typically frustrate even the most experienced teams.

Audience Definition
Definition of the problem you are solving in the marketplace
Key differentiators (brief explanatory copy for each)
Your new/refined:
  • Noun phrase
  • Positioning statement
  • Product category(s)
  • Boilerplate (Elevator pitch)
  • Mission statement, vision statement, statement of truth
  • Calls to action
  • Taglines
Basic vocabulary style guide (voice and vibe, verbal brand personality)

Each workshop client has unique needs and we customize the verbal style guide to match those needs. For example, some businesses know they’ll get a pesky “gotcha” question from a key audience. Rather than trying to avoid the question altogether, we develop the messaging needed to respond effectively within the verbal style guide.

Implementation

Top-level messaging needs to be deployed effectively. We provide recommendations on how to deploy the messaging during the workshops, but some clients engage JDI for that work as well.

For example, you may want to add on a comprehensive speaking points document to prepare executives for media interviews. Others may want recommended website copy updates that incorporate the new messaging. And yet others would love to get support on ad copy and creative that integrates the new messaging and pushes the story out to key audiences.

We tailor the process and deliverables to your needs, but the core verbal style guide sits at the heart of the work. Everything flows from that, and we take a modular approach until you are ready for an ongoing engagement.

A Fresh Take on Messaging & Positioning

How do you know if your messaging is good or bad? What the heck makes good messaging in the first place? And what difference does any of this make?

Download this primer on the JDI messaging and positioning philosophy. Maybe it will unblock you on a messaging project that’s already underway, or convince you to work with JDI. Either way, the world needs a better framework for thinking about messaging, and a new take on the art of telling any organization’s story.

Download

About us

JDI is a boutique consultancy that brings emerging and science-driven technologies to market.

Our clients are working to fundamentally improve how the world operates. We help them define new concepts and categories, identify the right market opportunity, and grow...fast. In short, we tell stories about science.

We are 25+ full-time teammates, headquartered in beautiful Austin, TX. Our clients are scattered throughout the US, Asia, and Europe. Our services mix includes but is not limited to: naming and branding, messaging and positioning, copywriting, original market research & customer development, design + build, content development, media relations, analyst relations, investor relations & fundraising strategy, business development, user acquisition, lead generation, and paid media.

Our brand messaging workshops are run by interdisciplinary teams with senior-level experience across our portfolio of clients and services. The result is high-impact messaging built to suit a growing and evolving marketing program.