Finding it hard to connect with your audience? I’ve been there.
To be honest, all successful business owners have.
As a new mom, I’m currently wrestling with my own identity crisis–specifically, my closet. Every time I open those doors, I feel completely disconnected from who I used to be.
Crop tops? No thank you.
Now, I’m either way overdressed or channeling my inner Adam Sandler vibes (which is my safe space).
There has to be a middle ground, right?
Just like I’m figuring out my post-mom wardrobe, business owners often outgrow their brand messaging. We’re constantly evolving, and our brand needs to evolve with us.
Seriously, your brand messaging is essential to success.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to toss everything out and start from scratch. Your core brand voice–your “capsule wardrobe”–is still there. Sometimes all you need is a few tweaks, like adjusting your tone or refreshing your mission to reconnect with your audience on a whole new level.
Now, I’m not saying a complete overhaul is never necessary (because sometimes it is), but that’s a story for another day.
Here are five signs your brand needs a refresh to start scaling:
1. Your Audience Isn’t Engaging
Ever posted something and heard….absolutely nothing? Yeah, I’ve unfortunately been there, and it’s not a fun feeling. Engagement shows us that our audience is understanding and relating to what we’re saying. So, if we’re not hearing anything, that’s a pretty clear sign we need to shift our content to better align with their needs.
I’m not saying you need to go viral, but you should at least have a few people liking, commenting, sharing or sending you a DM about how much they love or relate to what you’re posting. Remember, it’s not about having a massive follower account. It’s about connecting with the right people who want and need what you’re offering.
2. Inconsistent Messaging Across Platforms
You know how we tend to be really loosey-goosey around our close friends and family, but around a new group of people, we sink into our shell, overanalyze our body posture and hyperfixate on what to do with our hands? No? Just me? lol. Well, the same thing happens to brands.
Creators tend to be super informal on their social media pages, showing tons of personality and spunk. But then you go to their website or sales page, and it’s written like a .gov website. Eeeeuck!
If your brand voice on Instagram doesn’t match the voice in your website copy or email newsletter, it can confuse your audience because they don’t know which version of you they’re buying. They should know it’s you speaking, no matter where they find you. If your brand voice is inconsistent, a messaging refresh can help pull it all together.
3. Your Brand Feels Safe (and lowkey boring)
We’ve all been there–scrolling through your own content thinking, “This feels like a shell of who I really fucking am.” And unfortunately, when you feel like that, your audience feels it too. The holding back on hot takes, overpolishing your content and recycling ideas that have already been talked about 50,000 times.
When your message doesn’t reflect your authentic self, you will fail to position yourself as a leader in your industry and, most importantly, the 1-of-1 choice for your audience. Just like switching up your wardrobe can give you a fresh vibe, tweaking your messaging can breathe new life into your brand.
4. Your Audience Isn’t Converting
If your content is getting tons of engagement but you’re not converting, that’s a red flag, bestie! And we need to get to the bottom of it ASAP. Because odds are you’re busting your ass trying to scale your business. And seeing your follower count go up while the engagement rolls in without making sales is probably one of the most frustrating things you can experience as a business owner.
Attracting an audience who isn’t converting means one of two things.
- You’re attracting the wrong audience who won’t buy or can’t afford you
- You’re attracting the right audience, but you’re not activating them to purchase
If you’re attracting the wrong audience, it means your message is speaking to the wrong people. This could show up in your pain-point language, the way your offers are structured, or the sales language you’re using in your CTAs. For example, premium buyers won’t have the same problems as someone in their first year of business. So if all of your leads are in the wrong tax bracket, you need to go back to the drawing board and realign your message for a luxury audience.
If you’re attracting the right audience but they’re not buying, it may mean you’re not using enough emotion in your messaging or haven’t reduced friction in the purchasing process.
Either way, it means you’ve got a leak in your brand messaging. The only difference is that one takes slightly more work to fix than the other.
5. You’ve Evolved, But Your Messaging Hasn’t
As time passes and life changes, so does your business. If you’ve added new services, expanded your product line or evolved in any way, your messaging should clearly reflect that.
And I want to be really clear: an evolving message does not mean your VOICE is changing. Your voice should be consistent. But your message, and the way you show up and serve your audience, should match your current state, not the first year you started your business.
Need a Brand Messaging Makeover?
So, if any of these made you feel a little bit called out, it might be time for a brand messaging refresh. And I’ve got just the gal (it’s me) who can help you out. But in all seriousness. I’ve experienced firsthand how a clear message can shift your entire marketing strategy and make just about every aspect of your business more enjoyable. So, don’t be shy. Send me a DM and let’s get this brand messaging party started, babe.
