How to craft a clear, consistent message that converts sales
I was on the struggle bus for quite a while when it came to describing the kind of work that I do.
You see, Future You, my signature coaching program, was born out of my desire to get my people more results.
As a designer, I’d see time and time again, how you could have an absolutely beautiful brand and website, but if you weren’t taking the RIGHT actions behind the scenes to grow your business, you could be pretty darn miserable in the life and business department.
I’d have clients who thought design was a cure-all—but spoiler alert: if no one was going to your website before it was beautiful, your traffic likely isn’t going to spike overnight when it is.
I’d have clients who were burning the candle at both ends—convinced that hustling harder, having their hand in more things, and burning themselves out was surely the path to success.
I’d have clients who built up a business that was so unaligned with what they wanted and how they wanted to create it that they’d basically tapped out altogether (imagine how much fun that is during the branding process!).
They were stressed, overwhelmed, and going in about a million different directions.
All these conversations stuck with me, mostly because I had made a very intentional choice to leave my corporate job in NYC and build a business that supported my life rather than the other way around, and it made me sad to see how often other people didn't see a path to creating businesses that worked for them.
Not only that, but I was on a mission to craft a business that felt profitable and fulfilling and I wasn’t going to accept any less.
I was basically LIVING the exact opposite of what I was seeing.
And I just kept thinking that there had to be a different way to do this. There had to be a way to take the design thinking—the simplifying, streamlining, and intentional decision-making—and transfer it to building a beautiful, balanced life and a successful, thriving business.
I kept thinking about how deeply I believed that these incredible women could have BOTH, if only they had the right support to step into it.
I kept thinking that THIS is the work that lights my soul on fire. That makes me want to wake up every day. That actually feels like the difference I’m looking to create.
But I also want to point out that there’s this stigma that permeates the online industry that leads you to believe that everything happens overnight.
And while I’m not saying that can’t happen, because it most certainly can. (My design business had three well-paying clients in its first month, after all!). That definitely was not my experience in the coaching business.
So what shifted? What was the difference-maker that allowed me to step into this new business and show up clearly and consistently so I could actually start seeing results and serving in the way I knew I was meant to?
It always goes back to mindset.
It was by shifting my mindset that I was able to step into a clear, consistent message that actually converts sales, and this week I’m talking about how to craft your very own.
Step out of the “take what you can get” mentality
I love coaching creatives and designers in my Future You sessions because I’ve been through so many of the struggles they’re facing. Believe me, I’ve had my fair share of difficult clients, number crunching, self-doubt, creative blocks—I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Running your own business truly pushes on your personal and professional development from both sides. That’s why it can be so hard to see your own blind spots and notice the areas you’re holding yourself back from making the income you desire.
One of the mindset challenges I see most often is the “take what you can get” mentality. So many creatives simply feel that they’re building a business at the hand of everyone else. They’re feeling unsure of who they actually want to be working with. They haven’t curated their style or aesthetic. They haven’t really leaned into their expertise in a certain area. And all of that makes it SO MUCH harder to actually communicate with the clients you’re looking to draw in—not to mention make you feel pretty darn unempowered in the meantime, feeling like you’re running your business on a whim.
And yet, I hear so much resistance around “niching” or getting more specific. But here’s the thing, just because you CAN design for everyone under the sun doesn’t mean your message should be targeted to that. Heck, it doesn’t even mean you can’t take one or two projects outside of that when you so desire. But it does mean you can be more intentional in your message about who you’re looking to draw in so you can start speaking directly to THAT person and the results they’re looking to create.
I worked with a team recently who was struggling to get more specific around the design projects they were looking to draw in. The more we talked about it, the more we were able to find the common threads among their clients, despite being in radically different industries. Turns out they were all business owners who had hacked their brand and website together in the beginning and were looking to bring in a professional for a serious uplevel. Once we were able to find the common threads, we were able to SPEAK to that so much more clearly in their messaging, so it was no surprise when they starting bringing in more leads for exactly those type of projects, but the thing is... it started with mindset first...
Tie it to the result
Beautiful, balanced life and a successful, thriving business. You guys have heard me say my message over and over again. But you know what? That’s actually a good thing. That’s what makes this whole messaging and marketing thing for Future You actually work. Because if people can’t understand the result you’re going to create for them, it’s going to make it that much harder to actually sell. Because remember, confused people rarely purchase!
I see this all. the. time. It’s great that you help people create their email funnels, but if you’re not telling them why an email funnel is important in the first place, then what good does that do them? It’s amazing that you’re a virtual assistant, but if you’re not speaking to why clearing those tasks off your client’s to do list even matters, then it’s going to be that much harder to actually make sales. It’s your job to connect the dots for your clients because while it may seem obvious to you because you’re so close to it, it likely isn’t quite as clear to the person you’re selling to.
But don’t fall into the trap of overthinking it either. Some of the results we want most aren’t overly complicated. I mean when you really think about it, aren’t most people selling the same results? Almost every health coach I know is selling the result of feeling good in your body. Every real estate agent is selling a home you love at the price you want. And every business coach is selling boosting your business. The results aren’t earth-shattering but they’re what people want. And more importantly, they’re what people buy.
So yes, you can have a process you love, and yes you’re going to speak to the personalization that makes you special. But when it comes down to the results, it’s best to keep it simple not only for your mindset, but to get INTO the mindset of the clients you want to attract.
Show up consistently before your people do
One of the hardest times in my coaching business was showing up clearly and consistently in my messaging before anyone was paying attention. I’m pretty sure I nearly jumped ship and was convinced I needed to completely change my business about a week before I got my first client. Because when you’re putting in the effort, staying true to your message, and showing up consistently...but still hearing crickets, well, it can be really hard to do the mindset work to stick with it.
And this is where I see so many new business owners get stuck. Because when you’re constantly changing things—whether that’s your target audience, your business model, or your social media platforms—it’s really difficult for your audience to get to know you. The constant flip-flopping is confusing to your people and it’s really difficult to become KNOWN for any one thing. I mean really think about it. Would you hire the person who is changing their business all the damn time or the person who’s been consistent for years? It’s kind of a no-brainer from that perspective.
But the mindset work here is simply deciding to be consistent. To show up AS IF it was already working. To craft a message that feels true to you and what you’re looking to create and stick to it. I’ve had Future You clients have absolutely incredible results when they decided to get clear on their messaging and put an end to the constant wondering *if* it’s going to work. I’ve heard that it takes about 90 days to know if any one marketing strategy is working, but the truth is I’ve had clients gain traction far sooner by simply doing the thought work they need to be consistent.
Stop talking about the things you’re not doing
In this online industry where you’re told to be genuine, authentic, vulnerable, [insert buzzword here] it can be so difficult, and sometimes downright confusing, to know what to share. How do you connect with your people, while also showing up as an expert? How do you drive sales, but still show up as a genuine human being?
Somewhere along the line, it seems all too easy to forget that you’re running a business. Not only that but you need to OPERATE it as a business. Meaning that your number one goal is to make more sales and make more money. And don’t even get me started on how there’s absolutely no shame in that game (that’s a topic for a completely different, rather lengthy post!).
And yet, I see so many people sharing about all the things they’re NOT doing in their messaging...
“I meant to post this yesterday but life got in the way.”
“I was going to launch this product but then my supplier backed out.”
“I was going to meet this deadline but then my kiddo got sick.”
It’s one thing to drive the narrative around an extended absence as it relates to your business and what you’re selling, but it’s a completely different thing to consistently post about how you’re not holding yourself accountable to your own goals. And personally, I’d love to put a stop to this (heck, what I'd really love to put a stop to is people taking the wrong actions and beating themselves up for it).
Because logically, you would never hire someone who was consistently posting that they couldn’t keep up with their marketing plan, was missing their deadlines, or not making their work a priority. Look, I’m not saying that you need to be perfect all the time. I’m not even saying that things don’t come up and deadlines don’t ever get missed. But I AM saying that if it’s part of your messaging to consistently talk about these things, only to look around and wonder why no one is reaching out to hire you...well, this might be a good place to start.
The bottom line:
Your messaging matters! Hone in on your offerings, messaging, and who you'd love to work with so you can start drawing in those clients who feel aligned to your business and it becomes a no-brainer for them to work with you. Create a marketing plan around that CLEAR MESSAGING that feels good to you and do the mindset work to show up CONSISTENTLY so you can get in front of a wider audience, generate more leads, and get paid.
Tell me in the comments below:
What’s the number one result your business creates for your people!?
Photography by Jennifer Morgan Photography
