Perhaps nothing makes a faster and more profound impact on clients, prospective clients, the media, employees and other audiences than that of the written word. In fact, research shows that nearly 90% of what you create is not seen as different or relevant enough to create much impact. Many A/E/C firms have technical teams weigh in on proposals, presentations and marketing materials. Even marketers find their strengths lie more in strategy and planning, rather than articulating expertise in an engaging, compelling and lasting manner. While accuracy is important, firms often lose out in the early stages of proposals because they don’t understand how to craft messages or get dropped later during consideration.

1. Hosted by:
Cut the Bull:
Writing that Turns Heads,
Changes Minds and Gets
Decisions
Carla Johnson
Principal
Type A Communications
@CarlaJohnson

3. 90%
OF MARKETING
CONTENT ISN’T SEEN
AS DIFFERENT OR
RELEVANT ENOUGH
TO CREATE MUCH
IMPACT.

4. We all sound the same

5. Too Many Firms Sound Like This…
COMPANY is one of the leading providers of transportation
engineering services in the State of STATE. Since its inception
in 1976, COMPANY’S signature has been its responsiveness to
clients and its delivery of a superior product. Our commitment
to excellence, combined with our responsiveness, has gained
us an outstanding reputation in the transportation industry
and more importantly, the trust and confidence of our clients.
Today, we are one of the largest minority owned civil
engineering firms in STATE and among the top in consulting
engineering firms specializing in civil and transportation
related projects. Our corporate headquarters are located in
Miami with regional offices located in CITY 1, CITY 2, CITY 3,
CITY 4, CITY 5, CITY 6.

6. COMPANY is an 8(a), HUB Zone contractor specializing in General
Contracting Services. Committed to quality and excellence,
COMPANY has been in the SBA 8(a) program since 2008.
COMPANY, as an emerging small business, has enjoyed
a successful beginning and continue to grow based on
quality, service, and knowledge. The Principal,
NAME has over 15 years in the construction industry.
COMPANY is equipped to meet our client’s demands.
Office and field personnel work together organizing
and facilitating all phases of our contracting
services.
And This…

7. What We Do Differently…
• Quality
• Trust
• Experience
• People
• Values
• Attitude
• NOTHING!
I gotta be me!
But just like
everyone else…

8. 5000MESSAGES A DAY

9. The more I can fill the
consumer’s emotional well
with brand stories, the
less I have to trade on it.
-Jonathan Mildenhall
Coca-Cola 2020 Project

12. Research Tells Us -
When surveyed, 70% of executives ranked
commoditization or competitive
differentiation as #1 threat to growth –
outside the economy
There are more capable competitors
than ever before
Clients are overwhelmed by the amount
and complexity of information

13. Research Tells Us -
Your challenge – avoid commoditization
and set yourself apart from the
competition.
Your message is your most strategic
competitive asset when everything else
appears to be the same.

14. 65%
OF SR. LEVEL BUSINESS
DECISION MAKERS
WANT TO WORK WITH
SOMEONE WHO
SETS THE VISION
Source: Forrester Research

15. 95%OF CONTENT IS
DESIGNED AROUND
WHY ME AND
NOTHING ELSE.
THEY’RE MISSING
STORIES, MESSAGING
AND WHY CHANGE.Source: Corporate Visions

17. WHY?

18. COMPANY is an 8(a), HUB Zone contractor specializing in General
Contracting Services. Committed to quality and excellence,
COMPANY has been in the SBA 8(a) program since 2008.
COMPANY, as an emerging small business, has enjoyed
a successful beginning and continue to grow based on
quality, service, and knowledge. The Principal,
NAME has over 15 years in the construction industry.
COMPANY is equipped to meet our client’s demands.
Office and field personnel work together organizing
and facilitating all phases of our contracting
services.

19. Tell a story
that matters
in their
world.

20. Stories are Interesting

21. Stories are Concise

22. Stories are Shareable

23. How to Create Your Story
• Revisit your past
• What are the biggest initiatives your firm
has undertaken?
• Compare successes and failures
• Start asking “why”
• What inspires people about your firm?
• What’s the difference you’re trying to
make?
• If your firm went away tomorrow, what
would be missed?

24. Owners Execs Clients
Partners Fans Employees

25. US Army Corps of Engineers
Omaha District
• Est 1934
• Focus on Missouri River Basin
• Civil works, military projects, environmental
• Innovative thinking to solve problems never
before addressed
• Believed in looking for better ways to do
things

26. US Army Corps of Engineers
Omaha District
Keeping People Safe at Home
and Abroad.

27. Why
What
How
Start With WHY by Simon Sinek

28. y
Why
Story Essence
What What
You Do
What
How How How
You
Do It
How
You
Do It
How How

29. Essence of Your Story
Is not
• A mission statement
• A vision statement
• Tagline
It should be –
• Simple
• Focused
• Inspirational

30. UNDERSTAND
YOUR AUDIENCE

31. Composite of characteristics of a group of
people
Understand their perspective, fears,
drivers and content needs
Types of content:
o What drives them
o What information matters to them…and when
o How they access it, when and where
PERSONAS

32. Mike Kennedy, Hospital Administrator
“I need a partner who understands how our immediate needs
can fit into a longer-term strategy. We can’t afford to waste
money on fixes and patches now that won’t have a long-term
payoff.”
Frustrations/Pressures/Concerns:
BOD and revenue pressure, recruiting and retaining top medical
staff, ensuring a future-forward healthcare environment for
patients and families.
Needs/Drivers:
Strategic insights to thwart competition and attract and retain
patients throughout their healthcare life cycle.
What we want him to think:
This firm can help set the vision for our
healthcare system and show pitfalls to
avoid.
Content Needs:
Vision for integrated services, phases
planning and construction
Content Types:
• Research reports
• Case Studies
• Articles
• Blogs
• In-Person Peer Events

33. Karen Olson, Chief of Staff
“I need a firm who understands the demands of how a
healthcare environment and our medical staff need to work to
take care of patients. I want a facility that’s functional and
beautiful. We can’t have great design at the sacrifice of quality
patient care.”
Frustrations/Pressures/Concerns:
Efficient operations, patient safety, proximity of staff to patients
and ability to respond during emergencies.
Needs/Drivers:
Highest quality patient care, high impact staff, a physical
environment that facilitates patient recovery and staff energy.
What we want her to think:
This firm understands the collision clinical
needs, physical structure and technology
demands. I trust their recommendations.
Content Needs:
Trends, best practices
Content Types:
• Research Reports
• Books
• Articles
• In-person Peer Events
• Research Reports

34. Glenn Anderson, Facilities Director
“I constantly have to battle for budget just for
maintenance. I can’t afford to have a firm come in and
not know what they’re doing, because it will prove
disastrous to my long-term capital budget. Whatever we
spend money on has to work.”
Frustrations/Pressures/Concerns:
Budgets, constant facility upkeep, balance between
long-term planning and short-term demands.
Needs/Drivers:
Ability to prove my value and having a voice in long-
term facility planning.
What we want him to think:
This firm knows that whatever they design
and build, I have to make it work daily.
Content Needs:
Hands-on facilities management and
efficiency.
Content Types:
• Articles
• Reference Books
• Case Studies
• How-to Videos (repairs)

35. Tell a story THEY want to hear…
…not what YOU want to say.

37. WHAT’s your business objective?
WHO are you talking to? (Personas)
WHEN in their decision-making process?
WHERE/HOW are they connecting with you?
WHAT do they want to know?
WHY do you matter to them? (Story)
Cutting the Bull -

38. Tell them
Something They
Didn’t Know,
About a Problem
They Didn’t Know
They Had.

39. US Army Corps of Engineers
Omaha District
WHY Keeping people home safe at
home and abroad
WHAT Civil works, military, environmental
HOW Military:
- Missile silos - NORAD
- Military housing - BRAC Act
- Strategic Air - Overseas Infrastructure
Command

40. US Army Corps of Engineers
Omaha District
To respond to the aggressive
Schedule of the Base Realignment and
Construction Act, the Omaha District revised its
design/bid/construction process. The result
was a MILCON transformation policy that
enables crews to build facilities cheaper, faster
and more green yet at the same level of
quality as the past. The immediate impact was
tremendous – construction costs fell by 15%
and timelines moved 30% faster.

41. Multiple Platforms

42. Has a purpose for your audience
Has a specific audience
Tells the same story differently
Supports all other platforms
Helps move people through the decision-
making process
Each Platform -

43. General Materials Why, touch on what and
how
RFQ Overview of why, heavy what, touch on
how
Proposals Lead with why, tell how that
drives what and how
Web Why (top pages), what and how
Platforms

44. Social Media Why, touch on what and how
Newsletters Overview of why and what,
focus on how.
Special Projects/Reports Lead with why,
tell how that drives what with heavy focus on
how. Provide insights.
Thought Leadership Heavily on why and
where you see that driving your clients’
industries.
Platforms

45. • Use your story as a filter for content
decisions. Does this help tell it?
– Yes – continue
– No – stop
• Everything you write should follow the why,
what, how structure
• Weight of each depends on purpose of the
piece
• Your WHY opens new doors to tell your story
Lean Writing Machine

46. “People will
forget what you
said, people will
forget what you
did, but people
will never forget
how you made
them feel.”
- Maya Angelou

47. Cut the Bull.
Speak Human.

48. Carla Johnson, Principal
Type A Communications
(720) 344-0987
carla@goTypeA.com
www.goTypeA.com
Type A Communications
@carlajohnson
Carla Johnson
Carla Johnson