Turning ideas into alignment
When the right people are in the same room, big things happen. Our Messaging Workshop brings key voices together to shape the words that will rally your audience, clarify your cause, and define your campaign’s promise.
This is one of the most important sessions we’ll share with your team.
What the workshop is
Think of it as a collaborative work session, not a presentation. It’s an on-site, half-day conversation designed to shape the messaging framework for your campaign. This is where we start to put words to vision, purpose, audience, tone, and theme.
We come with a team that typically includes your project’s Strategist and Copywriter, along with members of the larger Parisleaf crew (your project manager, designer, and leadership). You bring the people with the most valuable perspectives: institutional leadership, board or campaign chairs, marketing leads, campaign counsel, in-house copywriters, and specific people who can influence the big picture.
Four to twelve participants from your side usually hit the sweet spot. Fewer voices give each person more space to contribute deeply, while a larger group brings broader perspectives. Either way, the goal is co-creation. The outcome will be stronger if the right people are in the room.
What we’ll do together
The workshop structure flexes based on your team, goals, and story. That said, a few core exercises tend to anchor the session.
Impact
We start by naming the future we’re trying to create. What problem does this campaign aim to solve? What lasting change do we hope to make? This is our vision of success.
Purpose
Next, we define why your campaign matters. What makes this effort urgent, necessary, and worth supporting? This leads us to a working draft of a purpose statement that your entire team can align with.
Theme
We open up the floor to big, bold naming ideas. This is a high-energy brainstorm where we chase quantity over perfection. Your favorite idea might come from someone you least expect.
Audiences
If your campaign must resonate with distinct audience groups, we’ll identify them and map their needs and mindsets. This helps us fine-tune both message and tone.
Personality
We wrap by exploring the campaign’s voice and tone. What qualities should your campaign express? What emotional notes should it strike? We’ll use simple language to define tonal dials that adjust depending on context and audience.
These exercises build on insights gathered from discovery interviews and set the stage for what’s coming next: naming, messaging, and storytelling that can move people to act.
What you’ll leave with
More than anything, this workshop is your opportunity to shape the campaign’s voice. It’s a chance to see how language can become a living extension of your values, mission, and impact.
After the session, our team will synthesize everything we’ve learned (interviews, workshop notes, group dynamics) to draft the Campaign Messaging Guide. This includes answers to the ten questions we believe every campaign should be able to answer, along with early recommendations for campaign naming and positioning.
You’ll see your words and ideas reflected in this guide. That’s intentional. We believe the best messaging doesn’t come from a vacuum. It comes from collaboration, clarity, and shared purpose.
Why in-person matters
While we’re always open to virtual participation, we’ve found that in-person workshops yield stronger results. There’s something powerful about being in the room together, walking the halls of your institution, and getting a feel for your culture. It deepens understanding and builds trust faster. Also, we’re nice people and fun to be around.
What to expect
We ask everyone to block off their calendars and come fully present. We’ll make space for breaks, coffee, and conversation. But we’ll also work with focus. This is a defining moment in the campaign process, and we treat it carefully.