The Most Common Messaging Mistake Online Business Owners Make
Ever try to follow IKEA instructions while deeply questioning every life choice you’ve ever made?
You started with the best of intentions.
“This will be quick.”
But three hours in, you're staring at a pile of parts, one missing dowel, and a mysterious extra panel labeled “Q.”
Now, imagine your messaging is that IKEA dresser.
Looks decent in theory.
Totally unhinged when pressure’s applied.
And probably not holding up the weight you need it to.
Let’s fix that.
Most people’s messaging is built backwards.
They start with what they think they’re supposed to say.
The polished elevator pitch, the hype-y positioning, the “I help” statement they half-stole from some freebie they wrote five years ago.
But what they skip is the part that actually matters:
What your people are actually feeling when they find you?
What they really need to hear to trust you?
And what you stand for that gives them permission to do things differently?
So today, I want to walk you through a quick exercise to give your messaging a little refresh without feeling like you’re just a cardboard cutout of someone else’s strategy.
The 3-Layer Method
MESSAGING TUNE-UP
Step 1: Start with the REAL Problem
What’s your audience’s invisible weight?
Not just the goal (“I want more clients”) but what’s keeping them stuck?
Examples:
“I can’t show up consistently because I’m always exhausted.”
“I keep changing my offer because I don’t know who I’m really talking to.”
“Every time I try to market, I spiral into a shame-storm.”
✍️ Your Turn: Write down 3 honest, uncomfortable truths your audience is facing right now. This is the stuff they say venting over a bottle of wine.
Step 2: Define the LIVED Transformation
This isn’t just “make more money” or “grow your brand.”
What’s different about life after working with you?
Do they finally have space to rest without guilt?
Can they pay themselves consistently, not just once every 3 months?
Are they clearer, calmer, or more confident because of the systems you helped them build?
✍️ Your Turn: Complete this sentence:
“After working with me, my people feel ____ and are able to ____.”
Step 3: Layer in Your Angle
What makes your approach actually different?
How do you define success differently than your peers?
How do you create results?
What do you believe your industry overcomplicates, and how do you simplify it instead?
What’s something your clients say about working with you that surprises even you?
✍️ Your Turn: Fill in this statement:
“Unlike most [coaches/strategists/creators], I believe ____ and I build everything I do around that.”
You don’t need a total rebrand.
You just need your message to sound less like a marketing robot…
And more like you — the grounded, brilliant, big-hearted human who’s actually built for this.
Bonus Reflection
Ask yourself:
👉 Am I saying what sounds impressive or what’s actually true?
👉 If someone hired me from my current messaging, would they be clear on how I work and why it’s different?
👉 Am I trying to sound like someone I admire… or like me?
👉 Is my message clear enough for a stranger to repeat — or does it rely on context only I understand?
👉 Am I saying this because it’s true or because it converts?
