“If your single most persuasive idea takes more than one sentence to explain, it probably isn’t single. Or persuasive.”
—Lee Clow’s Beard from Twitter, January 14th 2010.

This is a bit of an exaggeration, but I make a habit of telling my clients that they only have thirty seconds to convey their keynote brand message. And we work very hard to achieve this so the website (and most of the time we are having this discussion in the context of a website) communicates its essential truths immediately and with word and visual expression.

If the headline does not grab you, the battle is essentially already lost. According to research cited by The Tides Foundation, “Most of the time 8o% people read, hear or remember only the headline, not the story.” Furthermore, “Four of five people will never go further.” On your website, you have to articulate your essential brand messaging in less than 30 seconds, or you lose the opportunity to connect. If you fail, they are gone, most likely never to return. If, however, you are able to capture their attention, strike a chord, fulfill an expectation in this initial brand assertion, you are given additional time to make your case and they will read on. Here again, you must deliver in accordance with the expectations set up by the initial brand assertion. The truth helps lot. Real substance helps a lot.

This task of honing and sharpening your message so that it is compelling and true is at the heart of effective brand messaging. It’s true for non-profits as much as for for profit businesses. It’s a challenging and essential branding task for everyone.

We are no exception. It has been difficult for us as well. We think we have it: “We prefer truth – its power, efficiency and
 effectiveness. There is no better foundation for a brand.”

That’s two sentences. So by Lee Clow’s Beard’s standards, we have already failed…