Simplified small business messaging wins EVERY 👏 SINGLE 👏TIME 👏
In an article published on ActiveCampaign, they dived into 10 memorable copywriting examples and why they are iconic. Many of the brands that they linked to kept it simple by:
- Making their message concise (not clever)
- Knowing exactly what their clients are struggling with
- Getting real specific and with details
- And more…
If you want a simplified message for your small business – we’re about to break it ALL the way down on how to do that in 8 easy ways.
To make it easier, grab your headphones to listen to our favorite playlist for copywriting (disclaimer it is reggaeton) to help you work through your message.
LISTEN to our writing playlist here! You may be grooving afterward.
Simplify Your Small Business Messaging for More Sales
If you find that you’re not reaching the right types of clients and people keep asking you questions like…
- What do you do, again?
- Can you explain it to me one more time?
- What are the results I’ll get from working with you?
- I’m not sure if this is for me… but I think it is?
Or you feel shy, nervous, and uneasy *selling* your services to a potential client, your messaging might be confusing you and your clients.
A simplified message can help you…
- Keep it concise, so you don’t find yourself rambling to a potential lead… confusing them further
- Make it easier to share what you do, without having to go in circles and circles…
- Easily repel clients who aren’t a good fit, because you’re talking directly to who is!
Below are 8 ways to simplify your small business messaging so you can easily sell your services, without having to fight through awkward conversations!
READ: 3-Step Formula to Create a Powerful Brand Message for Small Businesses
Get clear about your ideal client
When we say clear, we mean absolutely, positively, crystal clear on who they are, their tendencies, pain points, dreams, and more.
If you’re thinking things about your ideal client like:
- Age
- Gender
- Location
- Occupation
We’re asking you to dig even deeper than that. Think about other factors of your ideal client that you may not even realize:
- Their background and experience
- What languages they speak
- Where are their biggest struggles
- What do they want to build in 5 years in their business
Having these questions answered makes it easier to talk directly to the people your brand can help. When you know your ideal clients’ pain points and aspirations – you can speak directly to those in your small business messaging.
READ: How To Do Different Types of Market Research for your Content
Make your offer clear
Confusing services and offers make it difficult for people to actually pay for what you have to offer. A confusing offer looks something like this:
- One hour together
- Steps to take action
- Ideas for your business
A clear offer lays out tangible and intangible details your customers will be able to envision for themselves. For example, a clear offer looks like:
- One hour together to go through your questions about X, Y, Z
- A tailored action plan on what you need to do next with the appropriate resources
- A list of business ideas for your business to remodel the reception
THOSE are clear tangible and intangible details that help a client see exactly what they will receive when working with you.
Be crystal clear about the benefits
In marketing terms, features don’t close the deal. Features are important to share so clients and customers know what to expect – but do they make someone invest in what you have to offer?
The short answer? No, they don’t.
Benefits close the deal, not features. Benefits of working with you, opting in to your service, and what that means for their lifestyle. As a service-based business, we’re here to help our clients DO something or helping them WITH something.
This could mean handing off something completely or getting our input as experts to do it themselves. Focus on what working with you will bring to them in the long run!
How much does this cost and do you offer payment plans?
One of the biggest things we’ve seen that causes confusion for clients is they don’t know how much something costs. Nor do they know if there are different options to work out payment plans for a larger service.
To fix the problem, it’s important to make sure your message is simplified when it comes time to talk money. Break it down, lay it out, and spell it out for your clients what expectations are for payment or plans.
The more confident you are in this aspect, the more people will also trust paying you.
Understand who you DO NOT serve
Simplified small business messaging shares who you work with and it repels exactly who you DO NOT work with! The more you can repel the people that don’t fit the mold of what your ideal client is like – the better for your business.
Simplifying this part of your message means being specific on who you can help and who you can’t.
ACTION STEP: Where in your message are you talking to too many people? How can you be more specific?
Create expectations for your clients
Another way to simplify your message is to create expectations for your clients. When you don’t have expectations – it can look like:
- You’ve let go of your boundaries
- You’re taking on work that you don’t normally do
- Your business is *too* flexible, so your clients call the shots
Setting expectations early on with your clients or customers can be built into your message. It’s the promise that you offer, the transformation, and the benefits, that your services have!
ACTION STEP: Jot down some ideas on what your expectations of your clients are that can be shared in your message. For example, action-driven, ambitious, business owners – are different than business owners who want to have someone do the work for them.
Know what you DO NOT do
Similar to the point we made above about who you DO NOT serve, your message should also share what you do and what you DON’T.
For example, a real estate agent who works with first-time homeowners to find the best condo is not going to help first-time homeowners find an investment property to later rent. They focus on one thing and make sure that their message clearly states that.
If you’re adding too many things, you could be confusing yourself and your audience!
Know what connects with your story and what doesn’t
Lastly, the easiest way to simplify your small business messaging is know what connects with your story and what doesn’t. In your story, you have certain things you resonate with. The fastest way to muddle your message and make it confusing is trying to be all to everyone.
Stick to what works for YOU and your story. The more you can lean into your own strengths (and weaknesses) the clearer and more simple your message is to connect with your audience.
8 ways to simplify:
Was this blog post WAAAAY too long that you couldn’t be bothered reading the whole thing? That’s alright – we understand. Here’s the quick and dirty version so you get all our 8 tips to simplify your small business messaging:
- Get clear about your ideal client
- Make your offer clear
- Be crystal clear about the benefits
- How much does this cost and do you have payment plans?
- Understand who you DO NOT serve
- Create expectations for your clients
- Know what you DO NOT do
- Know what connects with your story and what doesn’t
How does your business message sound? Let us know in the comments below!
Want to simplify your message and communication strategy? We’d love to help with that! Check out our brand messaging & copywriting services, so your website copy is clear, concise, and packs a punch!
Enjoyed this post? You might like these, too:
5 Mistakes Small Businesses Make When Using Social Media for Storytelling
3-Step Formula to Create a Powerful Brand Message for Small Businesses
5 Reasons Service Providers are Afraid to get Visible and How to Change That
3 Mindset Shifts Every Business Owner Needs to be a Confident CEO
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