Why clearly articulating who you are and what you do is harder than you think
On the surface, it seems like an easy task: explaining who your business is, what you do, who you serve, and why you're different. After all, if you can’t articulate this, who can? But for many businesses, large or small, getting this message crystal clear is surprisingly difficult.
In fact, most businesses think they have it nailed down until they’re asked to write a one-liner for their website, a sales pitch, or even just a simple elevator speech. That’s when the gaps, inconsistencies, and confusion tend to show up. If you find yourself in this boat, don’t worry—you’re not alone. In this blog, we’ll explain why businesses struggle with this and how to get better at clearly articulating your brand message.
The Real Challenge: Clarity and Consistency
It might seem simple to explain who you are and what you do, but let’s break it down. A clear and effective brand message answers five key questions:
· Who are you?
· What do you do?
· Who is your audience?
· What problem do you solve for them?
· What makes you different from the competition?
Many companies answer these questions in a broad, vague, or overly complicated way. When your messaging isn’t laser-focused, it’s tough for your audience to quickly grasp why they should care about your business. Even if you’ve been in business for years, without a tight, cohesive message, you risk confusing your customers, or worse, losing them.
Why Businesses Struggle with Clarity
Let’s take a look at some common reasons why businesses struggle with clearly articulating their message:
Too Close to the Business
You live and breathe your business every day. It’s second nature to you, but that also means it’s easy to take certain things for granted. What feels obvious to you might not be obvious to your audience. This “curse of knowledge” can make it hard to see where your messaging is unclear.
Trying to Speak to Everyone
Many businesses are afraid to narrow down their audience too much. They think the broader they speak, the more customers they’ll attract. But in reality, trying to appeal to everyone often leads to a generic message that resonates with no one.
Overcomplicating Things
You want to showcase your expertise, so it’s tempting to pack your message with industry jargon, detailed processes, or complex features. But the more complicated your message, the harder it is for people to understand why they need you.
Not Understanding What Makes You Unique
Some companies don’t take the time to clearly define what makes them different. If you can’t pinpoint what sets you apart from competitors, your audience won’t be able to either. And that makes it hard for them to choose you over the competition.
How to Get Better at Articulating Your Message
The good news? There are a few strategies that can help you refine your message and make it much clearer.
1. Simplify Your Language
Forget the fancy language and technical jargon. Your customers don’t care about how many complex processes you have in place, they want to know how you’re going to help them solve their problem. Keep it simple and straightforward.
Pro Tip: Try explaining your business as if you’re talking to a fifth grader. If they get it, your customers will too.
2. Narrow Your Audience
Focus on the specific group of people you serve best. When you try to appeal to everyone, you water down your message. Get clear on who your ideal customer is and speak directly to them.
Pro Tip: Create detailed buyer personas to help you visualize who you’re talking to. The more you understand their needs, challenges, and goals, the easier it will be to communicate effectively.
3. Lead with the Problem You Solve
Your customers aren’t interested in what you do, they’re interested in how you can help them. Frame your message around the problem you solve and the results you deliver. When people can see that you understand their pain points, they’re more likely to engage with you.
Pro Tip: Ask yourself: What’s the biggest pain point my audience faces? How does my business solve that problem in a way no one else can?
4. Define What Makes You Different
In a crowded marketplace, what makes you unique is crucial. Spend some time really thinking about what sets your business apart from the competition. Maybe it’s your approach, your experience, your product, or your customer service, whatever it is, make sure it’s highlighted in your messaging.
Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to be specific. Vagueness won’t help you stand out.
5. Test Your Message
Once you’ve refined your messaging, test it out. Use it in conversations, on your website, and in marketing materials. Pay attention to how people respond, if they seem confused, it might be time for more tweaking.
Pro Tip: Ask friends, employees, or even customers to repeat back to you what your business does. If they can’t explain it clearly, your message needs work.
The Immediate Impact on Your Marketing
Once you have a clear and compelling brand message, you’ll see an almost immediate improvement in your marketing. Why? Because clarity builds trust and confidence. When people quickly understand who you are, what you do, and how you can help them, they’re more likely to engage with your content, respond to your offers, and ultimately, become your customers.
Here’s how improved messaging will elevate your marketing:
Better Website Copy: Your homepage, product pages, and blog posts will communicate your value clearly, leading to better engagement and higher conversion rates.
More Effective Ads: With a clear message, your digital ads will resonate more with your target audience and drive more qualified leads.
Stronger Sales Pitches: Whether in person or over email, a clear and concise pitch can make a significant difference in how potential customers perceive your business.
Consistent Branding: When everyone on your team is aligned on the brand message, it becomes easier to maintain consistency across all platforms—whether it’s social media, email marketing, or sales calls.
Final Thoughts
Clarity in your brand message might sound simple, but getting it right is often harder than you think. Take the time to clearly define who you are, what you do, who you serve, the problem you solve, and what makes you unique. By doing so, you’ll see an immediate improvement in how your audience engages with your marketing, ultimately driving better results for your business.
At Third Act Marketing, we specialize in helping businesses refine their messaging and build marketing strategies that deliver results. If you’re struggling to articulate your brand’s message, let’s chat. We can help you get crystal clear on who you are and what you do, so your customers will too.