Messaging is how you communicate your value—everywhere.
As David C. Baker says:
“You can’t read the label from inside the jar.”
And he’s right.
When you’re that close to your own business, it’s hard to see the words your audience actually needs to hear.
It’s not just the words you use. It’s how those words make your clients feel and what they remember after they’ve read them.
Messaging is emotional. It’s strategic. And it should be intentionally crafted to attract the right people and repel the wrong ones.
You know your business inside and out, which makes it incredibly difficult to explain it in a way that’s clear and compelling to someone who’s never met you. That’s why messaging often becomes either too vague or too self-focused.
This is where I see a lot of business owners get tripped up:
They try to sound “professional” and end up sounding generic.
They list features, not benefits.
They talk at their audience, not to them.
And most of all, they forget this important fact:
Messaging isn’t about you—it’s about what your client needs to hear to know whether or not you can help them.
3 Questions to Audit Your Messaging Right Now
To evaluate your messaging, ask yourself:
1. Is it client-centered?
Look at your About page. Does it read like a résumé, or does it speak directly to your client’s needs and aspirations? Your About page isn’t about you—it’s about how you help your clients.
2. Does it reflect the language your best clients use?
The words your best clients use to describe your work matter more than the ones you choose. Interview past clients. Ask, “How would you describe what I do to a friend?” You’ll be surprised at what comes back, and you’ll find gold for your website and marketing copy.
3. Does it clearly communicate the value you provide?
Your copy shouldn’t just explain what you offer. It should explain what it does for your customers. I’ve seen business owners sell “marketing strategy” when what their clients are really buying is clarity, confidence, or momentum. Don’t bury your true value under buzzwords because then you’ll blend in with everyone else in your field.
Where Messaging Lives (Hint: It’s Everywhere)
Messaging isn’t just your tagline or headline. It shows up across every platform and touchpoint:
- Your homepage copy
- Your service descriptions
- Your social posts
- Your email subject lines
- Your testimonials
- Your sales scripts
- Even the tone of your confirmation emails
If you’re not intentional about your messaging, it becomes inconsistent. And inconsistency leads to confusion. And confusion never converts.
Make It Clear. Then Make It Better.
Perfect messaging isn’t the goal—clear messaging is.
Start with what you know, then refine as you go. Messaging evolves as your business grows, your audience sharpens, and your offer deepens. Don’t wait for it to be “finished” before you put it into the world and don’t forget to go back to what you wrote 5 years ago.
If your content isn’t converting, if your leads aren’t aligned, or if you’re attracting the wrong people, the first thing you need to do is take a close look at your messaging. It might be the most important thing you fix this year.
Would you like help reviewing your messaging or creating content that aligns with your brand and positioning?
There are two ways I can help you with this:
An Action Accelerator where you and I spend 90 minutes going deep on messaging and rewriting your copy.
A Strategic Marketing Roadmap, where our team outlines a detailed strategy with specific tactics to help you grow your business over the next 12-24 months.
At the very least, after you read this, go read your own messaging. If it’s not where it should be and you can’t get it there within the next 30 days, hire someone to help you.
Words matter. Messaging is what leads to monetization.
A LIVE 5-MONTH COHORT WITH LISA LARTER · STARTS AUG 4, 2026