iSPIRT Messaging Playbook

1. iSPIRT Messaging Playbook April 2015

2. The issue is: how do you engage the audience? And one of the things I talk to our communicators about is: The outline is great; the stories are great. But how do you engage them? How do you make it feel like we are on a journey, not you are just up there giving me informaGon. Andy Stanley The best entrepreneurs I've ever met are all good communicators. It's perhaps one of the very few unifying factors. Tim Ferriss 2 2nd April 2015

3. Messaging Playbook This playbook outlines the primary messages we focus on when we talk about iSPIRT, both in general and when we’re speaking to a speciﬁc audience. It contains the language and phrasing we use to share these messages. You can clip text directly from this playbook, but you don’t have to use the exact words. The messaging is a springboard to help you get started – the ideas behind the headlines and web copy you’ll create for various uses. When wriGng copy, you’ll convey the same ideas, but will tailor the exact words and tone to each audience and situaGon. In addiGon to the messaging, you’ll want to weave in proof points -‐ case studies, data, and tesGmonials that help to underscore the validity of the message. This playbook will help us stay consistent and on-‐message so that people will begin to recognize us, trust us, and share our story with others. 3 2nd April 2015

4. Why We Exist Our Vision We envision a future where India would be a global hub for new generaGon soUware products, a Product NaGon. And our SoUware Product Industry will create a mulGplier impact on the economy in terms of growth, employment, social transformaGon, consumpGon and investment. Our Mission To strengthen the soUware products culture and ecosystem by improving playbooks, craUing beXer polices and creaGng market catalysts. 4 2nd April 2015

5. Our Primary Audience: Product Entrepreneurs What they need and how we meet their needs: #1 They need to know that they are not alone. We convene product entrepreneurs into a trusted community where they can have crucial conversaGons about their issues and playbooks. We organize small, inGmate and intense experienGal learning sessions like Playbook Roundtables and #PNCamp that deliver transformaGve value. #2 They need role models -‐ peers, mentors, and other product entrepreneurs who have built or are building great companies. We recognize the achievements of product entrepreneurs whose stories we hope will inspire #3 They need market catalysts to grow their business . We provide deep connecGons to Global CIOs, SMB Buyers and Corporate Development groups. 5 2nd April 2015

6. Who We Are 140 CHARACTERS iSPIRT connects and guides soUware product entrepreneurs and catalyzes business growth. It’s an enabler of a stronger ecosystem. 250 CHARACTERS iSPIRT FoundaGon connects and guides soUware product entrepreneurs and catalyzes business growth. It’s an enabler of a stronger ecosystem. We are a not-‐for-‐profit industry think-‐tank founded by key parGcipants of the Indian soUware product industry. 500 CHARACTERS iSPIRT FoundaGon connects and guides soUware product entrepreneurs and catalyzes business growth. It’s an enabler of a stronger ecosystem. We encourage buyers to improve performance by leveraging soUware products effecGvely. We advise policy makers on intervenGons that can set the industry on a higher growth trajectory. We are a not-‐for-‐profit industry think-‐tank founded by key parGcipants and proponents of the Indian soUware product industry. 6 2nd April 2015

7. Our Oﬀerings These are the three areas we focus on in our messaging, though we use diﬀerent words when we talk to people about them. 7 2nd April 2015

8. “We” to “You” The “we” point of view There are Gmes when we talk about ourselves, using our own point of view to discuss who we are and what we do. For instance: (We provide) is implied in front of a value prop like “Market Catalysts”. That POV works for our bios, About Us secGons of our website, and other places. The “you” point of view Using the “we” POV too much is like the bore at a party who makes everything about himself. Whenever possible, we want to shiU from “we” to “you.” ShiUing to “you” requires that we know what the audience needs, and how we can help. When we know what they need, we can craU language that speaks from their perspecGve. For instance: (You can) is implied in front of a value prop like “Find your tribe.” 8 2nd April 2015

9. Messaging Pillars in “We” terms Playbooks Nurture We connect product entrepreneurs with each and advance the eﬀecGveness of their playbooks Market Catalysts Amplify We enrich the ecosystem that enables business success by providing deep connecGons to buyers Policy Advocate We provide perspecGve and unbiased industry data to policy makers to improve the improve growth trajectory 9 2nd April 2015

10. Messaging Pillars in “You” terms Playbooks Find Your Tribe You are not alone. iSPIRT brings product entrepreneurs together in person and online to improve your playbooks Market Catalysts Get market help Grow your business. iSPIRT oﬀers deep connecGons to Global CIOs, SMB Buyers and Corp Dev Groups Policy Map the future Explore full potenGal of India. iSPIRT provides insights and perspecGve to craU the best economic environment 10 2nd April 2015

11. Messaging Example Playbooks Find Your Tribe You are not alone. iSPIRT brings product entrepreneurs together in person and online to improve your playbooks -‐ Become part of Product NaGon online community -‐ AXend Playbook Roundtable and #PNCamp Market Catalysts Get market help Grow your business. iSPIRT oﬀers deep connecGons to Global CIOs, SMB Buyers and Corp Dev Groups -‐ Apply to become part of M&A Connect or InTech50 -‐ Engage with SAI and parGcipate in CeBIT Policy Map the future Explore full potenGal of India. iSPIRT provides insights and perspecGve to craU the best economic environment -‐ Leverage our Product Industry Monitor reports -‐ Act on strategic and operaGonal recommendaGons 11 2nd April 2015

12. Guidelines – Voice and Tone A consistent voice helps people connect with us. Our voice is how we sound whenever we communicate. It gives our audiences a recognizable way to idenGfy us. We arrive at our voice by first understanding our brand personality. We ask ourselves: what if our brand was a person? From that set of personality traits, we arrive at a list of words that describe what we sound like. Our voice isn’t a set of constraints, but rather a guide to help us stay consistent. We can make adjustments as necessary to fit the mode and style of different communicaGons pieces. If voice is our personality, tone is our aOtude. Tone adds context to what we are saying. While our voice doesn’t change, our tone does shiU depending on circumstances. For instance, the tone we use in a welcome leXer will be different than the tone we use in a privacy or TOS statement, but our voice will remain the same. Knowing when and how to change our tone is about empathy. When we consider how our audience feels before we write, we can beXer adjust our tone for a variety of situaGons. 12 2nd April 2015

13. Our Voice EnthusiasPc. We are excited about the work we’re doing, and our voice shows it. We use crisp, upbeat language, choosing strong words in place of exclamaGon points to get our point across. Credible. We know what we’re talking about, and the claims we make are true. Our voice is authoritaGve and confident, but we don’t over-‐explain or obscure our ideas with minuGa. Approachable. We use conversaGonal language and simple sentence construcGon, because we want to be understood by everyone. OpPmisPc. Our voice is posiGve and inspiring. We don’t harp or finger-‐wag or scold. We want people to feel great when they hear from us, but we also don’t gloss over uncomfortable truths. Open-‐minded. We are deeply commiXed to our cause, yet we don’t offer prescripGons -‐ we look for soluGons. Our voice reflects that openness and curiosity. Gandhigiri. We pay forward to turn our dreams for soUware product industry in India into reality. We seek to bring out the best in people. 13 2nd April 2015

14. Do’s Do have fun with communicaPon. We want people to look forward to hearing from us. Use language that’s fresh and expressive to bring our mission to life. Do speak candidly. SomeGmes we have to talk about uncomfortable things, like the lack of meaningful innovaGon in the IT services industry. It’s okay to address these topics directly. When possible, point to a soluGon. Do use the acPve voice. We want our message to be clear and direct. Always use the acGve voice to make statements that are engaging and easy to understand. Do reference real stories whenever possible. Our mission is authenGc, and the stories around it should be, too. Referencing real stories will inspire and empower the people we want to reach. Do address the reader personally. We want to make our audiences feel like we’re all in this together. Use the words “you” and “we” as if you’re having a one-‐on-‐one conversaGon with your reader. Do be concise. Make every word count. Use adverbs sparingly -‐ try to ﬁnd one word that expresses your meaning, without extra qualiﬁcaGon. Give yourself more Gme to write less. 14 2nd April 2015

15. Don’ts Don’t use jargon and buzzwords. We want our message to be approachable and free of confusion. Buzzwords and jargon oUen have unclear meanings. Don’t use colloquial words and phrases. Phrases that have a disGnct industry flavor or that originated in our geek culture might be hard to translate. Don’t exclude people from outside India. We someGmes refer to trends or situaGons that are India based, but we should be careful not to exclude those outside. Don’t guilt people into trying to do the “right” thing. Everyone has a different version of “right.” Respect the differences in everyone, and keep our messages free of judgment. Don’t make it all about us. Always think of the audience – what’s in it for them? Be careful not to start too many sentences with “We...”, which can give the impression that we’re always talking about ourselves. Don’t use unaYributed quotes. Anonymous quotes don’t have any power -‐ without a name behind them, they feel false and inauthenGc. If we can’t get aXribuGon, we shouldn’t use it. 15 2nd April 2015

16. Our job is to make change. Our job is to connect to people, to interact with them in a way that leaves them beXer than we found them, more able to get where they’d like to go. Every Gme we waste that opportunity, every page or sentence that doesn’t do enough to advance the cause is waste. Seth Godin, Linchpin 16 2nd April 2015