Core Functions: Message Testing

Introduction

The key to developing great messaging is testing it out with others. This requires patience and humility. No, you don't know it all! You have to work the process of testing with internal reviewers, with market analysts and most especially with users. Developing solid messaging will require many rounds of feedback with specific milestones/gates.

And just when you think you're done, you're going to receive eye-opening input that requires an update to your Product Messaging Brief (PMB). While the most important feedback you'll receive is with users, the internal and analyst feedback rounds gets your message ready for that testing phase. Let's start with a tried and tested process that I've used successfully.

The Cyber PMM 10 Step Message Testing Process

Create a Development Plan & Rally Support

Create a development plan first before getting lost in a maze of feedback. This can be a simple list/sheet with columns for milestones, dates and feedback groups. Then communicate your plan with each group and ask them for help.

Create a Product Messaging Brief (v1)

Using a template as described on cyberpmm.com, create a PMB draft which is your first attempt at defining a message. This will be messy, and you won't achieve perfection here, but you have to start somewhere to begin testing and getting feedback early.

Share v1 with Internal Feedback Groups

Armed with a PMB you will now share it with your closest internal feedback groups, mainly other PMMs, product managers, and others that have customer and product proximity. You will want to be specific about feedback you're looking for and be clear that you don't need grammatical input in the early phase. Add due dates to your requests to keep the ball rolling. Incorporate comments ASAP, especially the easy ones.