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How Apple Tells A Consistent Story Across Marketing Channels

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This week Apple introduced significant updates of three products: iPhone 6s/6s Plus, iPad Pro, and Apple TV. I was traveling at the time of the announcement, but I didn’t have to look far for the headline messages about each product. All I had to do is check Twitter. Blogs, newspapers, and social media carried the message forward.

The Apple team of marketers are brilliant at communicating a consistent message. Here are three examples from Apple’s product announcements on September 9.

For example, about the iPhone 6s/6s Plus, I know that “the only thing that’s changed is everything.” I read the headline on the blog Mac360. Where did they get it? From three sources; the Apple website, the Apple press release and Apple CEO Tim Cook who said, “The only thing that’s changed is everything.” The only sentence on Cook’s slide? You got it: “The only thing that’s changed is everything.” Cook’s statement supports the slide which supports the press release which supports the website.

Regarding the new iPad Pro, I can tell you it’s “the biggest news in iPad since iPad.” How do I know? US Weekly told me so in its headline: “The biggest news in iPad since iPad. The blog, Cult of Mac, told me so with this headline: ‘Biggest news in iPad since iPad.” Even U.K.’s Daily Record, ran the headline: "The biggest news in iPad since the iPad: Apple unveils its new and bigger tablet computer."

Why are they all repeating the same message? Apple’s own Tim Cook said those very words on stage and he had a slide to reinforce the message.

On the subject of Apple TV, I know the future of TV is apps. Why? The Wall Street Journal ran this headline: "Apple’s Tim Cook: We Believe the Future of TV is Apps." Cook first made the statement on stage and in a press release. The Apple website reinforced the message on a landing page titled: “The future of television. It’s all about the apps.” The statement was quoted in more than 35,000 articles and posts about the product.

In each case make note of what Apple does to get its message across. A speaker will use the message onstage. The message is reinforced on a slide, in the press release, on the website, and in all related marketing material. That’s consistency.

Here’s the lesson. Well before you design your presentation slides, think about the story you want to tell. Ask yourself this important question about the product, company, or idea: What is the one headline that I want my audience to remember and to share? Once you decide on the key message—which should always fit within 140 characters for Twitter—make sure the headline is consistent across all of your marketing channels, including the slides of your presentation.

If your audience hears it, reads it, and sees your message several times, they’ll be more likely to share your key message.

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