Has your business changed in the last year? (That’s probably like asking, “Did you breathe today?”) How have you evolved and grown? Whether for the better or worse, we’re sure something in your business has changed.

Businesses grow and evolve each year, which is the goal. Yet in growth, the last thing you’re thinking about is updating your branding guidelines – especially your brand messaging and its strategy. But your audience? It’s EXACTLY what they’re thinking about when they land on your website, social media or read your email marketing.

Brand messaging: How your brand shows up

So… what is brand messaging? Your messaging is the consistent language, tone, and core story you use to communicate who you are, why you’re here and who you’re trying to help.

Since effective marketing starts with effective messaging, it’s important to review your marketing plan and make sure your brand still sounds like you. Think of this process as a branding audit – and the beginning of the year is the best time to do it.

5 easy strategies for your brand messaging

To help you get started, we’re giving you 5 easy strategies you can implement to ensure your message to your audience is clear for 2026. Remember, your audience wants to feel seen right now. So your care and attention to detail is what will set you apart from your competitors in 2026.

Remember to bookmark this page so you can reference it again later – you don’t want to lose this one!

1. Revisit your core “why” regularly.

Your why is often one of the main reasons your audience loves you and consistently chooses you over the others. It’s the reason iPhone users remain iPhone users even if Samsung has a better camera… And the reason people with Samsung phones endure being ridiculed during group chats with iPhone users. Usually, they are loyal to the brand because of what it stands for.

When your audience knows what you stand for, you attract and win the right people who will stick with you through it all. The tricky part? That “why” could change mid-year, meaning you may have to be honest with yourself and adapt quickly. Revisiting your “why” ensures your messaging still reflects what you actually do and why it matters now – not what you did two years ago.

To make sure you don’t miss out on a new audience segment, check in quarterly. Make sure your mission, values, and purpose still align with your business’ actions and vice versa.

Example: This UnbuckleMe car seat tool was invented to assist with parents and grandparents who have arthritis. To the owner’s surprise, it became popularized by moms with long, fabulous nails – nails that make it hard to unbuckle a car seat. The marketing strategy responded quickly, shifting to target stylish moms on TikTok by using influencer marketing.

Their ultimate “why” is to help caregivers unbuckle kids easily and without pain, and they discovered this includes moms with (expensive!) fancy nails. By listening to feedback and pivoting their message, this brand was able to capture a whole new segment of their audience.

Credit: Simon Sinek

2. Listen to your audience – and give them what they want!

Have you heard of audience listening? Essentially, it’s the marketing practice of paying attention (and often doing a little research) to what people online are saying about your brand and your competitors. It’s like brand reconnaissance, and it’s critical to your growth.

What motivated your audience six months ago may not be what drives them today. Do your research to stay up to date on what your audience needs by paying attention to social media, Reddit conversations, etc. And obviously, read your own reviews! This is all valuable feedback you can use. Translate it into data by identifying their latest painpoints, goals, objections and buying triggers. And then – here’s the key – respond to each part in your messaging.

Show your audience you hear them by segmenting your email list. Speak directly to their issues and how your brand is solving them. Use segments like behaviors, interests, lifecycle stage, or engagement level. Zero-in on their pain points and objections with real solutions.

To learn more about the value of segmenting your email list and how to do it, check out our blog here.

3. Use proven frameworks to stop the ramble.

Remember to go back to the basics and make sure you’re still doing them right. To write effective copy, you need to get to the point quickly. Few things can “unalive” a lead quicker than overexplaining why or how your product works. Keep it concise and clear!

Using copywriting guardrails is not cheating – it’s a smart strategy. Tools like the 3-3-3 framework (a strategy for simplifying marketing by focusing on 3 core messages, targeting 3 audience segments, and using 3 key distribution channels) can help keep you in line. It ensures you’re speaking clearly and concisely to exactly who your audience is. Plus, it helps you quickly attack what’s actually important to your audience, suppressing that urge to overexplain.

Credit: Giphy

4. Audit all your channels for alignment with your style guide.

This one might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many things slip through the cracks when you’re not doing side-by-side reviews. Each piece of content and asset your team produces should align perfectly with your style guide. This ensures consistent brand messaging across every channel. Review your website, social media, email, ads, and sales materials together (on the same screen if you can!) to easily check for visual consistency and tone.

Reviewing everything side by side helps you spot:

• Mixed messages
• Conflicting brand voice
• Outdated positioning

Don’t have a style guide? Our clients love them!! See what all the fuss is about: Send us a message to get yours.

5. Talk to one person at a time.

It can be very tempting to write for anyone who needs XYZ (your product/service). But, trust us, it’s much more powerful to write to one specific person who would benefit from your service. If you don’t know who that is, it’s time to build your audience personas. These are imaginary people based on real data that you create. They should feel real – to the point where you even give them names and maybe an avatar.

Credit: Giphy

Talking to a “real” person has a lot of benefits, namely:

• Reminds you to avoid industry jargon and use plain language your customers actually use. This helps them relate better to your brand. (See also: “Know, like and trust.”)
• Helps you keep it relevant to their needs and interests. Your thermos product may solve 100 problems for 100 different situations, but the hiking enthusiast only cares that his soup will stay hot for the entire hike. Talk to him, and save the other topics for content directed to your other personas.

The bottom line is, if your audience can’t explain what you do, your message isn’t clear yet. For more guidance on how to write copy that actually converts to sales, check out this blog.

Navigate Marketing Changes Like a Pro

A lot can happen in a year’s time, and it’s easy to let your brand messaging strategy fall out of date. Unfortunately, a messaging that doesn’t align with your goals could be costing you thousands of dollars. Ensure nothing slips through your fingers by implementing these 5 easy strategies. It starts with understanding what your audience wants/needs, and it ends with the reason you started your business – helping them get it.

Does this strategy fit with your style of marketing? Find out with our 30-second quiz!