Tips for Crafting Authentic Project Messaging

Let me break down how I would ditch the technical jargon and create a B2B message that means something to your audience: Many companies fall into the trap of self-centered communication that talks about features and functionalities in their brand messaging. But this just leaves your customers feeling unheard. Your audience has little interest in a love letter to your product. They want solutions to their problems and a brand that understands their unique challenges. Here’s how you can do this: > Make It About Them Stop talking about your "thousand different SKUs" or your " technology."  These details might be important to you, but they're not what keeps your customers up at night. Instead, focus on the problems your customers face.  Are they worried about returns from unhappy homeowners? Is tight project turnaround a constant source of stress?  Identify their pain points and position yourself as the solution. For example, Sherwin-Williams understands that B2B customers aren't just buying paint. They’re buying solutions. Contractors, architects, and designers face a mountain of challenges, and Sherwin-Williams doesn't focus on the technical strength of their products.  They dive deep into the anxieties of their customer. Imagine a contractor facing a tight deadline. Sure, Sherwin-Williams' paints have superior durability and finish, but their message here highlights how their quick-drying formula makes for timely project completion. > Speak Their Language Technical jargon is great if you’re trying to impress your engineers, but it alienates your customers. I’d avoid industry-specific terms and acronyms and replace them with clear, concise language your target audience understands. I like to do this for our clients by imagining we’re having a conversation with a potential customer over coffee.  What words would I use to explain our value proposition? Then, I’ll mimic that same natural and conversational tone in the messaging. > Building Trust B2B marketing doesn't have to be sterile or impersonal. People do business with people they trust, so your messaging should have a human touch. You want to show your audience that you understand their challenges and frustrations. Once you’ve taken the initiative to accept their emotions, you can position your brand as a partner, not just another vendor trying to sell something. What is the key to crafting messaging that resonates? Speak the customer’s language, not yours. Focus on the problems that keep them up at night, and position yourself as the trusted partner with the answers. Think of it as a conversation over coffee – ditch the jargon, show empathy for their challenges, and demonstrate how your offer helps them.  By prioritizing value over vanity, clear communication over industry speak, and trust-building through informative content, you'll create a B2B message that cuts through the noise and is heard by the people who matter most – your customers. #b2bmarketing

Want to pitch someone on LinkedIn? Read this before you hit “send.” Every week, I get messages that go something like this: “Hi, I’m [Name]. I’ve built this incredible thing. It’s doing amazing work. Here’s why it matters. Can you help me/share it/connect me?” It’s not that I don’t care. I do. But these messages usually miss the mark and here’s why: They center the sender. Not the receiver. Here’s the truth: When you approach someone for the first time, you (and your project, product, or platform) are not the hero of the story. THEY are. If you want someone to care, start by showing that you care about what they do, what they stand for, what they’re building. Read their posts. Watch their interviews. Figure out what they’re trying to solve. Then ask yourself: how does what I’m doing help them win? Make your message less “I need,” and more “Here’s what I see in your work and how I can add value.” Additional tips: 💬 Keep it short. Long-winded intros are overwhelming. You’re not writing your bio, you’re opening a door! Three concise paragraphs is plenty (even less if you can). 🎯 Be specific. Instead of saying, “Let’s collaborate,” say: “I’d love to explore how we could align my youth platform with your mission to build stronger leadership pipelines.” People respond better when they know exactly what you’re asking. What’s your call to action? 🧠 Show you’ve done your homework. A thoughtful compliment goes a long way. “Your post on LinkedIn really made me think.” “I noticed you’ve been working on Y and I’m building something that could support that.” It shows you care enough to listen first. 🤝 Give before you ask. Share a helpful resource. Offer a useful intro. Tell them about an opportunity they might benefit from. Relationships are built on generosity. 📆 Respect their time. Instead of jumping into a call request, consider asking: “Would it be okay if I shared a 1-pager for you to skim in your own time?” People are more open when they don’t feel pressured. Please don’t immediately ask for a call. 💡 Think of it as planting, not picking. Your goal isn’t to “get” something, it’s to begin something. Not all outreach will lead to a project right away, but if done well, it can spark long-term relationships, ideas, and even unexpected opportunities. ✨ Bonus hack: I often ask my clients to count how many times they say “I” vs. “you” when they write to, present to or speak to their stakeholders. If the “I”s win, revise. It’s not listener-centric enough. Connection starts with empathy, not ego. Lead with curiosity. Offer service. That’s how collaborations are born. If these tips are helpful, check out Storytelling and Leadership for more. #Storytelling #AuthenticConnections #LinkedInTips #Leadership #PurposefulWork

Too often in corporate comms, we try to spin everything into a perfect positive. But perfection is boring—and it’s usually not believable. 🙅♂️ If you want your team to actually buy into a new strategy or change, stop hiding the hard stuff. The traditional story arc—the beginning, the middle, and the end—needs those "bumps in the road" to keep people captivated. In fact, neuroscientists have found that the tension created by these challenges encourages an audience to share the emotions of the characters. When you’re telling the story of a project: - Don't skip the "Middle": Talk about the hurdles, the upskilling challenges, and the tech implementation delays. - Be genuine: Acknowledging what went wrong (and how you overcame it) builds far more trust than a glossy "everything is fine" update. - Share the lessons: Those challenges are where the real learning happens. Sharing them helps the next project succeed. When people see the struggle, they feel more invested in the finale. What’s a project "disaster" that actually taught you the most? Let’s share the lessons below. 👇 [Image description: pale green tile with black headline text that reads: Corporate Comms needs to... below are two boxes, one with a big black cross at the top and text that reads: STOP spinning everything into a perfect narrative. The second box has a big black tick over the top, and reads: START: being open about the hard stuff.]

A few weeks ago, I was coaching a client involved in a major pitch. He used phrases like, "Moving forward, we will amplify the idea. But first, let's socialize it within the team and set up the next steps which will give us the pillars of the project and which milestones we need to achieve first. It's obvious the low-hanging fruit will be an actionable, easy first piece of the puzzle." After about 20 minutes of listening, I stopped him and asked, "What are you trying to say?" To which he replied, "We haven't really worked that out yet." I said, "Thanks for being honest, because that's what it sounds like." Everything he said sounded knowledgeable and professional, but none of it made any sense. He said, "But that's how everyone talks." Why are you doing this course? Is it to sound knowledgeable, professional, and impressive? Or is it to be effective, have an effect on people, so you can motivate them to do something that will help you both? The key to effective communication isn't about filling the air with buzzwords or sounding impressive. It's about being clear, concise, and impactful. Here are a few tips to ensure your communication is truly effective: 1. Clarity Over Complexity: Avoid jargon and buzzwords. They often obscure your message rather than clarify it. Be direct and clear in what you're trying to convey.     2. Purpose-Driven: Always have a clear purpose for your communication. What do you want your audience to do, understand, or feel after listening to you? 3. Be Honest: If you don’t have all the answers, it’s okay to admit it. Authenticity builds trust and makes your communication more relatable. 4. Action-Oriented: Focus on actionable insights. What are the next steps? What do you want your audience to do with the information you've given them? 5. Engage Your Audience: Make your communication interactive. Ask questions, invite feedback, and ensure you’re not just talking at people, but with them. Remember, effective #communication is not about impressing others with how much you know. It’s about making sure your message is understood, resonates, and motivates action. So next time, before you speak, ask yourself: Is my goal to sound impressive, or to be truly effective? The answer will guide you to communicate more powerfully and authentically. #archanaparmar #leadershipcommunication #leadershipdevelopment #leaders

🐬 Flip the messaging <> content dynamic: Most content teams start with articles ideas, keywords, or requests for content. Then they sit down to brief the content and figure out what it's actually going to say. 🧨 Instead, 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁. Sit down and map out the core messages that your company should be communicating in *all* content. High-level themes, ideas, and POVs that align the stories you want to tell as a company. Example: 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥. This is a POV that we can take as a company. We can explore it in many different ways. And we can create a nearly infinite number of unique pieces of content from this one simple idea. 🧨 Develop 𝟰 - 𝟭𝟬 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘀 like this. This is your messaging framework. All the content you make should flow from—and align with—these key messages. (Otherwise, why bother making it?) 🧨 Use these to both 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝘀 and 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀. Starting from scratch, you can unpack the idea to come up with ideas for specific pieces of content to tell the story. And when you're getting blasted with requests for blog posts and ebooks, you can ask stakeholders to align those requests with your messaging framework. You can even push back if the requests aren't in line with the messages you're focused on telling. 🧨 Finally: 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀. They won't last forever. So, every 3-6 months, reassess the big-picture stories you're telling as a brand. Update the messaging framework. Then dig back into execution.

I do not write grants. I write about opportunities. I do not ask for donations. I ask for partnerships. I do not build capacity. I build connections. Here’s what I’ve learned in 20+ years of working with nonprofits: The words you use can determine whether your mission thrives—or gets overlooked. When we talk about “grants,” “donations,” or “capacity building,” we’re focusing on what we need. But when we shift the language to “opportunities,” “partnerships,” and “connections,” we focus on the bigger picture—the shared impact we can create. That subtle shift? It’s the difference between asking and inspiring. Between pitching and partnering. One of my favorite examples is a client who struggled with fundraising for years. They were stuck in the cycle of “we need help.” But when we reframed their mission around opportunities for impact—and built stories around the lives their work touched—they didn’t just hit their fundraising goals. They doubled them. What changed? ✨ Their messaging became magnetic. ✨ Partners wanted to collaborate, not just contribute. ✨ Funders saw themselves as part of the story. It’s not just about what you’re asking for. It’s about how you’re inviting people into your mission. So, here’s my challenge to you: 👉 Stop writing proposals. Start writing possibilities. 👉 Stop chasing dollars. Start fostering alignment. 👉 Stop focusing on transactions. Start building relationships. Because when you lead with vision, you open the door to something far greater than money—you build momentum that transforms communities. How are you currently positioning your mission? Is your messaging unlocking doors, or holding you back? ----- Hi, I’m Shannon—a nonprofit consultant, fractional fundraiser & marketer, and proud mom of autistic twins. As a certified human rights advocate, I’m all about making sure every voice is heard. Imagine fundraising as a road trip: you’ve got the destination, and I’m here to help you navigate the route, dodge the bumps, and keep the journey exciting. From creative strategies to real talk about what works, I love diving into conversations that spark change and keep you moving forward. Let’s connect! Send me a message, and let’s see how we can fuel up your fundraising journey together!

Pro-tip for anyone who writes on behalf of someone else (including all communications professionals, executive assistants, and ghostwriters)👇 If given the opportunity, interview those who know the person you are writing on behalf of well (or ask the person you are writing for to do this). Ask their direct colleagues, friends, and loved ones about their communication style and how they describe their tone, voice, and messages. Then, use this information to your advantage. You can ask someone you are writing for to describe their tone, voice, and style (and you should do this), but here's the thing: communication isn't solely about the person communicating. It's also about the person or group on the receiving end. It's not uncommon to describe your writing and communication style one way but to deliver your message slightly differently. Hearing from both the person you are writing on behalf of and the people who are frequently on the other side of their communication better equips you as a writer to find that authentic, messy middle—that space where you can recreate their voice to the best of your ability in a way that sounds and feels like them. In a world where communication is constantly scrutinized, heavily AI-drafted (for some), robotic-sounding, or just downright poor, authentic communication will reign supreme. It also allows you to help them spot the gaps between how they hope to and how they communicate and present themselves, allowing you to become a strategic partner.

Every time I write up an org-wide communication related to major changes, I consistently apply the lessons that I learned from Annie Christiansen and Kathy Gowell during my time working with them at MuleSoft/Salesforce. Spending most of my early and middle career in more technical roles, my communication style had a tendency lean towards the technical (and wordy). Annie and Kathy did an amazing job helping me step back and reframe my communications to be focused, prioritize the crucial information first, and apply empathy (we're not all engineers in the tech world). I've templated, to a large degree, the key messaging points I picked up from them • What's happening? (𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵) • What does this mean for me? (𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥? 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘰?)  • Why is this happening? (𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘹𝘵!) • I still have questions, where should I bring them to? (𝘚𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬, 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘴, 𝘦𝘵𝘤) These four stanzas are present in nearly 99% of my major comms. They work when updating the staff about major security threats (such as vishing/smishing campaigns), changes to org-wide systems (such SSO/MFA improvements), and so much more. Most importantly, bring empathy to all comms. Try, as best as you can, to put yourself on the receiving end of the communication you're sending and challenge yourself with the question "is the information framed in a way that I and my peers would feel informed & engaged if we were the recipients"

Yesterday on a call, a founder paused and hit me with this: "Okay—but what’s the one thing my homepage has to nail?" Here’s what I said: "Don’t make your buyer do the thinking." And this is what I mean in practice: 1️⃣ Clarity beats cleverness every time If a potential buyer has to decode: - What you do - Who it’s for - How it works You’ve already lost them. Clarity isn’t boring. Confusion is. ___ 2️⃣ Pick a hill and die on it Messaging that tries to appeal to everyone… Resonates with no one. Stand for something. Intentionally turn the wrong people off. ___ 3️⃣ Cut the beige "Seamless", "best-in-class"... These claims get plastered on B2B sites. Speak like a human. Be specific. You need to be bold to be remembered. ___ 4️⃣ Show the before and after Paint a vivid picture in their mind: → Here’s the pain you're in → Here’s what at stake because of it → Here’s what life looks like after we help No transformation = no sale ___ 5️⃣ Don’t sell the tool—sell the shift No one buys “features”. They buy what these “features” unlock for them Stop pitching software. Start pitching status or safety. ___ 6️⃣ Make the buyer feel seen Mirror their thoughts before they’re spoken: “You’ve tried X. You’ve done Y.” “But Z keeps happening.” ___ 7️⃣ Kill the “me too” proof Enterprise logos. Fancy badges and awards. Everyone and their mom has them. But real proof? Screenshots, snappy quotes, before-afters. Specific wins for specific people. That’s what hits hard. Your buyer isn’t here to connect dots. They’re here to get it—fast. Make your messaging obvious. And let the right buyers pre-qualify themselves.

Founders often ask me: “How do we stay consistent without repeating ourselves?”   Here’s the secret: You don’t need more content. You need one clear message used in 5 smart ways. 👇   ⟮P.S. - Real example from a recent project⟯:   Core Message → “We help fintech teams launch secure APIs 10x faster - without wasting dev hours on compliance.”   Here’s how we repurposed that across the funnel:   ● Website Hero → “Launch secure fintech APIs 10x faster.” ⟮No fluff. CTA-ready.⟯   ● Founder’s LinkedIn Post → Story post: “How 3 months of compliance nearly killed our API launch.” ⟮Emotional + relatable.⟯   ● Sales One-Pager → Benefit bullets: “Cut integration time by 70%. SOC2-ready out of the box.” ⟮Speaks directly to decision-makers.⟯   ● Email Subject Line → “Save your dev team 100+ hours this quarter?” ⟮Punchy & curiosity-driven.⟯   ● Investor Pitch Slide → “$400K saved annually through faster deployment and reduced risk.” ⟮Data + clarity = greenlight.⟯   It’s the same core idea, but now it works harder across touchpoints - without sounding robotic.   Pro tip: Start with one killer line. Then build formats around it, not the other way around.   Want me to drop the exact repurposing framework I use? 👇 Just say “YES” and I’ll share it in the next post.