The Last Messaging Framework You’ll Ever Need

If you’ve ever felt like your messaging isn’t quite landing — like people don’t get it or aren’t inspired to take action — you’re not alone. We hear it all the time: “We’re struggling to tell our story.”

But here’s the thing: your story isn’t the story that matters most. The real question is: How do you craft messaging that actually moves people?

In this episode of Designing Tomorrow, we’re breaking down the last messaging framework you’ll ever need.

We cover:

• The biggest messaging mistake most nonprofits and social enterprises make
• Why clarity beats complexity—and how to simplify without losing depth
• How to reframe your messaging to make your audience the hero
• The five key pillars of messaging that inspires action
• A real-time messaging workshop where we apply this framework live

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear, practical framework to refine your messaging, cut through the noise, and drive real impact.

Episode Highlights:

• [00:00] Introduction – The No. 1 messaging struggle we hear from social impact leaders.
• [02:26] The coherence problem – Why your messaging feels all over the place.
• [02:45] Stop being vague – How unclear, academic language turns people away.
• [03:36] Shift the narrative – Why your organization’s story isn’t the most important one.
• [05:04] What does success look like? – The messaging shift that changes everything.
• [06:18] Articulating the problem – Making your cause relevant and urgent.
• [08:10] Know your audience – How to align your message with what people care about.
• [10:19] Paint a vivid vision – Why great messaging starts with a powerful, clear vision.
• [11:56] The power of a point of view – Why your philosophy shapes your messaging.
• [13:14] Voice, tone, and personality – The secret to making your messaging feel human.
• [19:48] Live messaging workshop – Real-time messaging strategy in action.
• [31:40] Key takeaways – The essential pillars of messaging that move people.

Quotes:

• “Your story is not really the story you want to be telling. The story you want to be telling or planting seeds around is how can you get involved in helping us move our mission forward?” – Eric Ressler [03:36]
• “I think also another thing that can happen is that we try to capture too many ideas or too many perspectives or too many audiences all and try to just get it all into one thing. And then what we end up with is a word or a phrase that doesn't actually really mean anything.” – Jonathan Hicken [02:26]
• “The hardest thing to do, and I've tried, is to get AI to capture your voice. That is really hard.” – Eric Ressler [13:14]
• “I mean, the seminal example of a vision statement is Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech.” – Jonathan Hicken [10:19]
• “Can you imagine a world where young children are not scared of climate change but motivated to actually participate in the solution?” – Eric Ressler [29:38]

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