Creating and Using Consistent Messaging

If you’ve been working hard to write a book (or you’re putting together ideas for one), congratulate yourself. A book with your name on it—whether written yourself, ghostwritten, or heavily edited to ensure professional content—is an accomplishment, and you should be proud. Launching the book into the world is no small task, either. If you’ve done this or are contemplating it, hats off to you.

However, getting that book into the hands of readers requires more than a finished manuscript. While your book’s content is the most important consideration, other factors play into the book’s success. One of the most important is consistent messaging.

What is consistent messaging? Briefly, consistent messaging means ensuring that the methods you use to present your book to the world are consistent across all communications channels. This includes how you talk about the book; the tone you employ; the colors, graphics, and other branding elements you choose, and other considerations.

Here are some common questions about consistent messaging.

How do I create consistent messaging?

• Determine what you want to say about the book. Create and memorize a logline (a 1 – 2 sentence “elevator pitch” for the book). Whenever someone asks what your book is about, you should be able to answer them in the time it would take to go on a short elevator ride together. Next, expand your logline into a description that’s several sentences long. To anyone who expresses interest in the logline, make sure you can deliver the expanded description smoothly, without sounding rehearsed.
• Ensure the “look and feel” of your book is consistent across all platforms. Use a consistent color palette, fonts, graphics, and photography. This includes your website, all social media platforms you use, printed promotional material such as bookmarks and postcards—and of course, the book’s cover.
• Test your messaging. Give your logline aloud to family and friends, then solicit their reactions. Provide them with your expanded description, and again ask for their thoughts. Have others evaluate your online and print presence, ensuring that all elements work in harmony and that the messaging is pleasing to the eye.

Won’t readers get bored seeing and hearing the same message over and over?

Actually, they won’t. The “Rule of 7” marketing principle states that a message needs to be repeated at least seven times to be understood and accepted. The key is to keep the message short and aimed at your target audience. No one remembers a long-winded message or information that doesn’t apply to their circumstances. But if your messaging is consistent and brief, interested readers will develop a comfort level and familiarity with it, and will act accordingly.

I don’t have the skillset to create consistent messaging. What should I do?

First, you’re to be commended for knowing when you need help. If this is your situation, we highly recommend working with professionals to ensure your messaging is on-brand and consistent. A book design service (such as our sister company, Graham Publishing Group) can help you with these considerations.

My book isn’t written (or finished) yet. Do I need to worry about consistent messaging?

The sooner you think about it, the more consistent your message is likely to be. If you need help developing your messaging, please get in touch. We can assist you with determining and refining the message you want to relay, as well as the best way to get your message into the world. Collaborating with you on your book’s content, we will ensure that your message comes through clearly and consistently throughout the book’s pages.

Second only to superior content, a strong, consistent message is the key to a successful book. We’d love to help you work toward both of these goals!