A Key Message and a Talking Point Walk Into a Bar…
The subtle differences between key messages and talking points
Anyone working in business communications has been asked at some point to develop key messages or talking points. Whether for an executive or subject matter expert in-house or an agency client, the request is ubiquitous to this line of work.
The problem is depending on who you ask, what time of day, which direction the wind is blowing, and whether it’s a full moon or the lunar equinox, you might get a different definition of both. And often you’ll get a vague description that suggests there is no difference.
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
There are exceptions —more on that in a minute— but it’s never safe to assume you’ll benefit from one. So, know the differences and ensure your key messages support your talking points, and that your talking points fulfill your key messages.
Let’s clear things up. Counterintuitive though it may seem, key messages are single ideas of fact or fact-based themes upon which talking points are constructed. Talking points? They are the fuller, robust message, the statement, the food for thought, the manner and tone and style by which a key message is impressed upon an audience. Talking points reinforce your key messages.
EXAMPLES
Theater on fire? That’s a key message. Telling those inside the theater that they should get out? Talking point.
But let’s go a step further to emphasize the importance of manner, tone and style to the success of a talking point. You’ve never heard the phrase, “That’s like whispering ‘fire’ in a crowded theater.” If that particular talking point is to be impactful fuel for a key message, it needs to be yelled!
Here’s another example: A governor is concerned authorities are not getting through to his constituents about a dangerous approaching storm. So, we need to lay a foundation of key messages for him to convey to his audience:
Storms of a certain magnitude tend to be dangerous.
Previous storms in this category have resulted in loss of property and life. This storm has as well.
Statistically, those who leave the storm zone ahead of it are more likely to escape injury or death.
His talking points might then be:
Friends, more than two dozen people have already died in this storm. And you cannot fight it. Remaining in your homes will not protect you but rather will put you and the people who may have to rescue you later, squarely in harm’s way.
If you live in a 50-mile radius, I’m asking you to evacuate voluntarily or be escorted out by the National Guard.
It isn’t brave to take avoidable and unnecessary risks. Property can be replaced. Live to fight another day.
NAILING YOUR KEY MESSAGES
But key messages and talking points are not just for crisis situations. An important part of preparing to deliver a speech, make a client presentation, conduct an integrated team meeting, etc., is nailing your key messages. Without them, you risk meandering and having to adlib. With them, your talk is more likely to flow smoothly.
As much as I’m loath to admit it, there are exceptions in which the key message and talking points are the same. This usually happens when the executive using the latter hasn’t elaborated on the former and hasn’t provided much in the way of detail.
In the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Donald Trump’s key message was that America had fallen on hard times and needed to be made great again. Without a great deal of substantive detail about how exactly that message would come to fruition, it also became his limited talking point: Make America Great Again.
You are not likely to mount a successful presidential campaign. So, steer clear of the exceptions. Identify your facts and use them as building blocks for robust statements. And you will nail both the difference and symbiotic relationship between key messages and talking points.
The Bottom Line: While you may not need key messages and talking points for everything, they help to strengthen your message when you’re confident of it and know that you can back it up.
Still have questions or recognize that you or your organization need help with key messages, talking points, and the many ways to communicate them? Kane can help!