The Importance of Good Messaging
The other day, I was on a call with my business coach, working through my own messaging.
I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years. I've helped over a hundred women build brands and websites. I know what makes messaging land and what makes it fall flat.
Many of my clients hire me precisely because I’m really good at messaging.
And yet, sometimes I still struggle with how best to talk about my own work.
Inside the bottle
If you’ve spent much time with me, you’ve probably heard me say this: it’s hard to read the label from inside the bottle.
You’re too close to what you do to see it clearly.
You know you’re good at what you do. You know who you help. The problem is translation — getting what’s in your head to land for someone else in a way that makes them think, “yes, that’s exactly what I need.”
I hear it in almost every sales call:
“I don't feel like I'm good at saying what my story is.”
“It's so hard for me to talk about what I do.”
“My message stinks. I don't even know what my message is.”
Not just a wording problem
Women come to me for a new website. They often think they have a design problem. Or a copy problem.
And yes, they usually do need a design upgrade and stronger copy. But the real issue is usually deeper than that.
If your messaging isn’t clear — what you do, who it’s for, and why it matters — everything built on top of it falls flat. You end up with a site that looks better, but still doesn’t quite work.
One woman I recently spoke with had already invested in branding before she came to me — a logo, colors, look and feel. But when we talked about her messaging, she said it herself:
“I probably should have started with messaging and then graduated to look and feel.”
Yes. Exactly.
How I help
This is why I start every project with a Branding Roadmap.
Before I open a design file, before I write a word of copy, we get clear on the foundation. We talk about what you do, who you do it for, what changes for your clients, and what makes you the obvious choice.
Everything else gets built on that.
Goodies Just For You
WHAT I’M THINKING ABOUT: This supercut of Amy Poehler’s guests making her lose her shit on her podcast is pure joy. It’s 8.5 minutes and I just watched the whole thing for a second time. No regrets.
WHAT I’M MAKING: I recently got this recipe for 20-Minute Butter Chicken from Jessica Long’s email newsletter and I’ve already made it 2x. It probably took me 35 minutes, not 20. But still — pretty quick and really delicious. Side note: Jessica has some exciting stuff launching in a few months, so you should subscribe to her email list and check out her “Midlife Advice” podcast, which is excellent.
WHO I’M ADMIRING: Stephanie Guttman is the co-founder of Huntress Wealth. With Huntress, Stephanie is building a way for women to engage with money that’s grounded, accessible, and empowering. By focusing on both mindset and math, she’s helping women better understand their finances, feel more confident making decisions, and know when (and if) working with an advisor makes sense. The app Huntress is currently in beta. To get updates and join the app waitlist, visit the Huntress website. And if you’re looking for an advisor, check out their Advisor Network. I especially appreciate that they work with an advisor who specializes in financial guidance around divorce.
