Audit Your Brand Message
“You can't really know where you're going until you know where you have been.”
— Maya Angelou
What is a Brand Message Audit and why do you need one? A brand message audit, also called a communications audit, is the process of identifying internal and external communication strengths and weaknesses. After an audit, an organization should be able to get a birds eye view of the words you’re putting out into the world and the voice that is being used to do that. It should indicate if you’re being clear, consistent, and confident in your messaging. It also is checking to see if your messaging is reaching the right audiences. The results of the audit can give you a good picture of the current communication strategy and help set some goals on what needs your attention. The birds eye view is the key here. Working in your museum day after day can lead to asking questions like “what should I post today” instead of “is my messaging clear and consistent across all of my platforms.” A brand message audit looks at the words you are using across all of these platforms to see what is working, what doesn’t belong and what is missing. All of my projects begin with an audit . Generally, the five places that I look at are a museum’s website, social media pages, media relations, long form content, and email marketing. I’m looking to see if your brand message is clear, consistent and indicators on how confident you feel in your current brand message across all of these platforms.
In addition to this reconnaissance, I’m also looking for the answers to three questions:
What is your story? 73% of consumers will pay more for a brand that they love. You’re asking your audience to spend their most precious commodity on you, their time. If your potential visitors can’t hear a consistent brand voice as they follow you on social media or check out your website to plan their visit, they are less likely to become a repeat visitor (or even visit at all.)
What is your visitor experience like? First, how easy is it for someone to plan their visit? It should be spelled out crystal clear in the words you’re using in your social media content and on your website. You should make it incredibly easy for visitors to plan their visit. Easy to follow steps on what they need to do should be highlighted everywhere. Do they need tickets? Is their a charge? Do you take cash or is your museum cash-less? Is there parking? Nearby public transportation? Do you allow strollers? What are your hours? Don’t make someone search and search to find how to visit your museum. Second, what is the experience once they arrive? Visitors should be greeted and way-finding signage should be easy and accessible. Do you have a way for them to plan their visit when they arrive as well in case they weren’t able to do it ahead of time? Is your museum accessible?
How frequently and consistently are you posting on social media? This will usually tell me if you have a good system or if you seem to be spinning your wheels trying to plan your content. It can also tell me if you’re feeling hesitant about the key messages and content pillars for your museum.
If you want to chat more about a communications audit, be sure to join my Love my Museum Community Facebook Group.
