Brand Messaging
Swap the logo on your website for a competitor’s, and there’s a good chance nobody would notice. Swap the logo and nobody would notice That’s not because your businesses are the same. You’re just using the same words. Friendly. Personalized. Client-focused. Those words feel safe and sound professional, which is probably why so many people in your industry use them. But when a customer reads three websites that all say the same thing, she can’t tell who’d actually be better for her. Stand out from competitors with what you won’t do You probably already know what makes you different. A…
You get maybe eight words into explaining what you do before you can see she’s stopped following. Eight words in and she’s stopped following So you back up and try again with an example, then another example, and by the end you’ve said it depends twice and given up with “anyway, it’s kind of hard to explain.” Then you go home and your website does the same thing, only slower. Most of the time nothing tells you it’s costing you. This week there’s an example you can actually watch. The golf ad everyone saw differently There’s a golf ad going…
Brand messaging for small business means being clear enough that the right person reads one sentence and thinks: that’s for me. Cleverness has nothing to do with it. Most small business owners skip this and go straight to tactics: better reels, more consistent posting, a new content strategy. And underneath all of it sits the thing nobody wants to say out loud: the content goes out, people keep scrolling, and nothing much changes. The problem is not your content calendar. Most small business owners are skipping the one thing that makes everything else work: clear brand messaging. Until that piece…
You’ve heard me say “brand messaging” probably a hundred times. And I’d bet half the time you’re hearing it, you’re nodding along but not totally sure what I actually mean. That’s not on you. Nobody talks about it plainly. Everyone’s selling you something else instead. Most of you are chasing followers. Engagement. Going viral. Because someone sold you a course that promised if you got those things, everything else would follow. It doesn’t work that way. You’ve been sold clarity by people who profit from your confusion. And that confusion is expensive. Brand messaging is boring by comparison, so it…
You have 47 different ways to describe your business, and none of them feel right no matter how you combine them. You’ve tried to be clever, and you’ve tried to be unique. Hours have gone into hunting for a new way to say what you do. Someone told you that’s how you stand out from everyone else in your industry. But the blank stares tell a different story. The polite nods, the quick subject changes, the small talk that fills in where a real answer should be. Nobody is getting it, and it’s costing you clients. The easiest way to…
Let’s be honest. If your product description or sales page starts with “4 modules, 3 calls, handcrafted, ethically sourced, bonus video, unlimited access”… you’ve already lost her. You’re not selling a microwave, you’re offering a turning point. But somewhere along the way, the internet taught us to list features like we’re on QVC. To rattle off bullet points and bonuses like the fine print sells itself. It doesn’t, because no one buys the parts, they buy the feeling: the sigh of relief, the quiet exhale, the subtle but unmistakable moment when something in their life gets easier, clearer, lighter, all…
Fifteen seconds into explaining what you do, their eyes glaze over. You know the look: the polite nod, the smile that doesn’t quite reach their eyes. The person who asked what you do is now mentally writing their grocery list while you’re mid-sentence. It happens at networking events, family dinners, even on sales calls with people who should want to hear this. You’re not boring, and your work isn’t boring. Somewhere between “so what do you do?” and your answer, you lost them anyway. Something deeper is costing you clients, referrals, and the recognition you’ve earned. Your elevator pitch isn’t…
You run a business. Ideas come easy to you. You probably have ten new ones before lunch: half-mapped offers, notes in your phone, folders labelled “someday.” There’s nothing wrong with that. Until the pile of new ideas starts to bury the one that could actually work. That pressure to create something new all the time isn’t strategy, it’s noise. But most of the time, it’s just another way to avoid the boredom of staying with one clear message. Sometimes, the Best Thing You Can Do Is Write the Idea Down Drop it in Notion, name the folder “Later,” and put…
You’ve done what they told you. You bought the course. Downloaded the workbook. Filled out the template. You answered the three “smart” questions every program swears will fix your marketing: What do you do? Who is it for? Why does it matter? And yet… You’re still watching good posts die in silence. Still wondering why no one’s clicking, buying, or reaching out, still questioning if maybe you’re just not cut out for this. You’re not the problem. The process is. Because those questions can work, but not the way they’ve been sold to you: not inside a fill-in-the-blank worksheet, not…
You’ve got a folder. The one full of free downloads, swipe files, and checklists you swore you’d “circle back to.” You’ve created some, saved a dozen more, and chances are, you’re still not sure what to do with any of them. But hey, you’re adding value, right? Clients Don’t Pay You for Adding Value Here’s the hard truth: clients don’t pay you for adding value, they pay you for creating perceived value. And perceived value is a different game, so let me show you. Let’s say you’re a health coach. You post a Reel: “5 tips to reduce stress.” It’s…
The ManyChat conference this week was two days packed with smart people and sharp strategies. (If you’re not familiar, ManyChat is a tool that automates messaging on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, and you’ve probably seen it in action when someone says “Comment YES and we’ll DM you the link.”) Everyone was talking about how to grow faster, connect better, and automate smarter. But one message came up again and again: “You need to get clear.” Clear on your audience. Clear on your offer. Clear on your message. And they’re right. Why Clarity Is Hard But if you’ve ever tried…
You started it because you know how to help people. And yet, everywhere you turn, the advice sounds the same. Post more. Show up more. Hustle more. Like somehow the answer is always more of what you already hate doing. Not because you’re lazy. Not because you’re stuck. But because the kind of marketing you’ve been sold? It feels fake. Loud. Juvenile. Like shouting into a void and hoping someone cares. You’ve seen what visibility costs. You’ve watched smart, capable women, women with real depth, feel like they have to trade their credibility for attention. One day they’re doing meaningful…
I want to share something that happened with a client recently, because I think a lot of business owners will relate. She had a new masterclass coming up, and she was excited to teach it. But when she messaged me, she was this close to cancelling it. Crickets. Low sign-ups. Confusion about whether the offer even made sense. She told me she wasn’t sure if people saw the value. She’d reused some old copy from a past training that did sell well, but this new class? It just wasn’t landing. How We Fixed It That’s when we got to work.…
And I’ll be honest with you… I’m not exactly jumping for joy about being in front of the camera. If you’re anything like me, you probably feel awkward too. You don’t know what to do with your hands. You start overthinking your smile. And honestly, you just want to get back to the part you actually love: the work. But I’m doing it anyway. Because when you are the brand, when your work is personal, transformational, human, people need to see you. Not a version of you from two years ago. Not some “perfected” version that doesn’t even exist. The…
No one wants to hear that building traction takes time. Especially not when you’re already doing everything “right.” You’re showing up. You’re posting. You keep trying to make it sound good. And still… nothing’s landing. So it’s easy to get sucked into the quick wins. Make $10K a month by spending one hour a day on your phone. Use this one ChatGPT prompt to create a year of content. Post this Reel and gain 10K followers overnight. Why Quick Wins Don’t Work Here’s the thing: without a clear message, none of that works. Not for long. That one post might…
I’ve been seeing this a lot lately, and I need to say something. So many clients come to me saying, “I just want more sales.” But when I look at their content, it’s full of value, packed with insights, tons of authority-building posts, and absolutely zero clear offers. No wonder people aren’t buying. They’re being helpful. Educational. Smart. And honestly, the content is really good. But it stops just short of telling their audience how to take the next step. No “Here’s how to work with me.” Nothing like “I’ve got this thing that can help.” No clear invitation to…
You sit down to write a post. Maybe it’s your About page. Or you start an email. You know what you want to say. But when you hit publish… crickets. No engagement. No replies. And you’re left thinking: Why isn’t anyone responding? If that sounds familiar, here’s something to consider: You’re not saying the wrong thing. You’re just not saying it as clearly as you could. When you’re writing for your business, your website, your social media, your emails, there’s a lot of unlearning that has to happen. Most of us were taught to write in school: sound polished, use…
The website is beautiful. The photos are amazing. The colours, fonts, layout, nailed it. But the message? It says things like… “Helping soul-led women step into their next level.” “Empowering creatives to grow with intention.” “Guiding purpose-driven entrepreneurs to create aligned impact.” And I have to ask: What the hell does it mean? Because here’s the thing… You’re not wrong for writing it that way. I know why you did. That kind of copy feels polished. It sounds professional. It’s the language you’ve seen on every coach’s website, so it feels like the standard. But it’s also the reason your…
Your business is solid, your offers are valuable, and you’re ready to help more people. But getting those clients? It feels harder than it should. You’ve followed all the advice, tried the trendy strategies, and yet… crickets. The effort’s there. So why isn’t it working? The words you’re using just aren’t clicking with the people you want to help. The truth is, vague phrases like “unlock your potential” or “achieve greatness” don’t just fail to work. Because people forget them by the next scroll. Great marketing demands something more: words that make your audience feel deeply seen and understood. That’s…
I assume you didn’t start your business to become a content machine. But somewhere along the way, that’s what you were told to do. Post more. Engage more. Keep up with the trends. And if that still didn’t work? Just post even more. That’s the lie so many courses sell you. And you’ve tried it all, haven’t you? Hours crafting content, hoping the next post will finally land. But the truth? You don’t need to go viral to attract clients. What you need is clarity. The Power of the Right Words As a certified copywriter, I’ve seen firsthand how the…
You’re offering something genuinely good. Maybe even great. But if people don’t associate your name with one specific problem, none of that quality is doing you much good. People don’t understand what you do, and that’s a bigger drag on your business than almost anything else on your to-do list. When I started my business in 2014, I focused on one thing: helping businesses use Facebook more effectively. I became known as the “Facebook Simplifier,” helping people build awareness and increase sales through simplified, strategic use of one platform. Anytime someone had a Facebook problem, they thought of me first.…
B2B vs B2C marketing gets treated like two totally different jobs. Here’s the workshop that changed my mind about that. I led a “How to Create a Clear Marketing Message” workshop for the Women in Business NB Entrepreneurship 101 program a while back. Two hours, a room full of engaged women, and some genuinely great “aha” moments along the way. The feedback at the end was mostly glowing. One comment stopped me, though. “This workshop was mainly concentrating on end customer. Would help to have marketing B2B based also.” My first reaction was a little defensive, if I’m honest. Then…
You wrote the post, ran the ad, and sent the email, and none of it landed. Now you’re left wondering what everyone else seems to know that you don’t. That question, asked over and over, is exhausting in a way that’s hard to explain to anyone who hasn’t lived inside it. Here’s the thing worth trying before you write another single word: buyer persona development. Not the vague “know your audience” advice you’ve already heard a hundred times. An actual, detailed picture of the one person you’re trying to reach. Why a vague audience produces vague marketing Have you ever…
“My business is hard to explain” is the sentence I hear right before someone describes a business that isn’t complicated at all. Usually it’s one clear service, done well, explained badly. Nothing about the work needs five frameworks and a whiteboard to sort out. The explanation just never got put in order. That’s an uncomfortable thing to hear when you’re hunting for a new framework, because a framework can’t hand you clarity you never had. What it can do is give you an order to put your ideas in when you’re staring at a blank page. That’s genuinely useful. It…
Every list of copywriting tips says the same five things: shorten your sentences, sharpen your call to action, cut the jargon, add urgency, tell a story. Do all five and your homepage can still fall flat. None of them were the starting point. What actually decides whether any of it works is how to describe your business simply, in words a stranger who’s never met you could follow on the first read. Here’s what’s actually happening. You know your business the way you know your own kitchen in the dark. You can find anything without looking. So when you sit…
You bought the book. The framework made sense the moment you read it. By now you could probably explain the seven-part BrandScript to someone else without opening the book again. And your website still doesn’t say what you do, because knowing a framework and actually having it built are two completely different things. If you’re searching for a StoryBrand alternative, that’s usually the actual reason, not some flaw in the framework itself. I spent five years as a StoryBrand Guide, so I’m not saying this from the outside. The framework is genuinely good. Customer as the hero, business as the…
Someone asks what you do at a party. You give your answer, and it’s a good one. You’ve used it a hundred times and it’s never once come out wrong. A week later, that same person tries to explain your business to somebody else and gets it completely muddled. Clear business messaging is supposed to stop that from happening. If you’re being honest, yours probably isn’t stopping it yet. Here’s the part that trips people up. Your answer feels clear because you already know what you meant before you said it. The stranger standing there doesn’t have that head start.…
Before a potential client hires you, she checks you out. She reads your website, clicks through to your Instagram, maybe searches your name to see what else comes up. It takes about ten seconds, and by the end of it she has quietly decided whether you seem safe to hand money to. That decision has almost nothing to do with your values statement. It comes from small signals, and most of those have nothing to do with design either. Building a trustworthy brand is mostly about getting the signals to line up, and nearly all of them are things you…
Empathy sounds like the soft part of business. The thing you do once pricing and positioning are already handled. I’ve come to think that’s backwards. Understanding what your customer is actually feeling when she comes to you is one of the most practical sales skills there is, and it costs nothing to start using. Most sales advice skips past this. It teaches you what to say, how to handle objections, when to follow up. All useful. None of it works if you’ve misread what the person in front of you actually wants. Why empathy drives sales more than any script…
A rebrand makes sense when your current brand doesn’t fit anymore, or the people you built it for aren’t the people you’re actually talking to these days. It can make a business feel like itself again when it’s done well, or just confuse everyone who already knew you when it’s rushed. Here are five real steps to work through, in order. Step 1: Find out what people actually think of you now Before changing anything, get honest feedback about how your brand currently comes across. Ask customers directly, read through old reviews, or look at how competitors are positioning themselves…