Brand Messaging Fix: The Four Languages Model | Joshua Altman
Joshua Altman of Beltway Media walks SMB owners through Story, Narrative, Brand and the Four Languages Model. Two frameworks, one desk exercise, one clearer message.
Hosts: Percy Barr, Wayne Pratt and Bernie Franzgrote
Communications strategist Joshua Altman on the Four Languages Model and how SMB owners fix scattered messaging on Canada Growth Network.
GROWTH CATEGORY: Marketing & Branding
Brought to you by Canada Growth Network, Notionhive, and WebIndexer.
Most SMB owners think they have a marketing problem.
They don't. They have a communications problem.
Joshua Altman spent 20 years as a journalist before crossing over into corporate communications. On this Canada Growth Network Power Hour, he shows how two simple frameworks fix scattered brand messaging for good.
Watch the full conversation here:
WHO THIS IS FOR
SMB owners, solopreneurs, corporate escapees, and leaders building systems.
KEY LESSONS
1. Marketing and communications are different jobs.
Marketing builds awareness of what you sell. Communications unifies your internal and external message with the goal of trust. Both matter. But if you treat them as the same job, you'll overinvest in awareness and underinvest in the trust layer underneath. Example — a founder who's paying for ads while their auto-responder still says the wrong thing about who they serve.
2. Story, Narrative, and Brand are three different things.
Story is what happened. Narrative connects the dots across your stories to the problem you solve. Brand is every touchpoint the customer has — including reviews and hold music. Most SMBs mix them up and end up with five versions of "what we do." Example — the founder's LinkedIn bio, the website hero, and the sales deck all say different things.
3. The Four Languages Model changes what you invest in.
Read, see, hear, experience. Most SMBs overinvest in read (social, blogs, decks) and underinvest in hear and experience. In-store audio changes buyer behaviour. Podcast audio builds trust while someone walks the dog. Mobile experience is different from desktop. Each language amplifies the other three.
PRACTICAL STEPS
- Take one sheet of paper. Divide it three ways — Story, Narrative, Brand. Fill in what exists today, not what you wish existed.
- Take a second sheet. Divide it four ways — Read, See, Hear, Experience. Do the same. Write down what people actually get from your business in each language.
- Compare the two sheets. Find one gap. Fix that one this month. Then move to the next.
ABOUT THE GUEST
Joshua Altman is the Managing Director of Beltway Media, a fractional Chief Communications Officer practice based in the DC area. He spent over 20 years as a journalist and storyteller before crossing over into corporate communications advisory. He works with startups, growing companies, and government organizations to turn scattered messaging into a simple, trusted voice. Connect on LinkedIn or explore Beltway's free tools.
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Partners on this episode
- Canada Growth Network — business connections + GHL CRM, $47 CAD/month
- Notionhive — websites that actually work
- WebIndexer — 24/7 chatbot for your website
FAQ
Q1. What's the real difference between marketing and communications?
Marketing builds awareness of your products or services. Communications unifies every message your business sends — internal and external — with the goal of building trust.
Q2. What's the fastest way to spot a messaging problem?
Ask three customers to describe what you do in one sentence. If you get three different answers, your narrative isn't landing.
Q3. Do small businesses really need a communications strategy?
Yes. Every SMB already communicates — through the website, the auto-responder, reviews, and every conversation. A strategy just makes sure it all points in the same direction.
