The Evolution Of My Message
It can be easy to look at someone who (on the surface at least) seems to be killing it in their online business and think to yourself…
“Man, they make it look so easy… I wish I was that good at (insert amazing skill you wish you had) ”
And that happens a lot when it comes to messaging. I often hear my client’s say that they’re “so bad” at messaging.
My reply, (usually accompanied by a cheeky smirk) is “well that’s an interesting story you’re telling yourself”
If you think you suck at messaging, you’re not exactly going to feel confident to get out there and share your message with the world, are you?
But that’s exactly what you NEED to do.
Here’s the honest truth...
When I first started splashing around in the kiddie pool of the online business world… I kinda sucked at messaging.
But I also realised that unless I wanted to spend an eternity living in “hobby business purgatory”, messaging was a skill that I just HAD to master.
My messaging has evolved a LOT since then.
Today I want to share that evolution with you and some of the milestones I hit along the way. It’s a bit like looking back at that cringe-worthy haircut you had 15yrs ago.
When I look back, I knew my messaging wasn’t perfect.
But the ONLY way that it was able to get any better was by me sharing it... in all it’s imperfect glory… and continuing to hone and refine as I went.
I hope that by sharing my messy journey, you’ll be inspired to do the same.
Stage 1 - The Cookie Cutter
My first foray into the online business world was with a Network Marketing company.
At the time, I really loved that business (and I did pretty well with it too), but there was one major thing (ok… quite a few actually) that really bothered me.
The instruction we were given was that in order to be successful we should just look at what the successful people were doing and copy them.
In other words… just hit Ctrl C, Ctrl V and you’ll be a millionaire in no time.
And that just felt all kinds of wrong…
I thought I was just being rebellious or maybe even arrogant thinking that I knew better… but I intuitively knew that this 'copy culture' was just creating an army of people making a whole lot of noise.
I knew that if I wanted to be heard above that noise,
I needed to find my own voice.
If you’re in Stage 1:
You might be spending the majority of your time looking at what everyone else is doing and trying to do the same.
And while I’m sure you’re no copycat, you might notice yourself starting to sound a bit like your mentors because you’ve consumed so much of their content that you’ve almost absorbed their messaging through osmosis.
But it’s time to start discovering your own voice.
And the only way to discover that voice, is to start using it.
Stage 2 - Spaghetti Meet Wall
When I decided to create a new business under my own brand, I felt such a huge sense of liberation that there were no “rules” to follow, that I might have got a little carried away.
I spoke about anything and everything - peppered with lots of swear words because it made me feel edgy and all
#rulebreaker.
And I would get a lot of positive comments on my content like…
“Love this!”
“So true”
“🙌 🙌 🙌”
People were enjoying my content but I couldn't seem to translate those praise hands emoji’s into sales.
Looking back, it’s bloody obvious why.
I had no central message. My content wasn’t taking people in any particular direction. And I had no clear offer, let alone any reason why someone would buy it.
If you’re in Stage 2, you’re probably feeling really frustrated
Because there’s a WHOLE lotta effort going in, with seemingly little reward.
But with the benefit of hindsight, I can say that this period of infuriating wheel spinning was actually serving up the exact gifts and lessons that I would need to make my present day business a success.
So stay the course and trust the process… because this mess may soon become your message.
Stage 3 - The clouds parted and the angels began to sing
In 2017, my coach at the time, encouraged me to make a decision which would ultimately change the entire trajectory of my business… in a VERY good way.
She asked me to narrow my focus and choose ONE angle out of “all the things” I had been trying to do, and really lean into that ONE thing as my speciality.
I talk more about that decision and how I made it in this video
With no exaggeration… from the MINUTE I made that decision, EVERYTHING in my business became so much clearer and easier.
I knew what kind of content I needed to create
I knew how to show up online and talk about what I could offer
I knew which lead magnets would get people opting in like crazy
I knew what my signature offer needed to be
And all of a sudden, sales started to flow.
Because my potential clients “GOT it”. They could understand exactly what I offered and how it would help to solve their problem.
And equally important…
I GOT it!
I was no longer throwing a pile of spaghetti at a wall hoping it would stick. I was throwing darts at a target and watching them land.
This is where I realised the gifts of my previous struggles. If I hadn’t had such a hard time figuring out my messaging in stage 2, I would not be able to speak with such passion and conviction about just how important it is to nail your message.
Because I saw the radical difference that a clear and compelling message made in my own business. I saw my results turn around on a dime when I started getting this part right and now I’m so bloody driven to help others experience that same shift.
From my mess, came my message.
If you’re in Stage 3, you’ll be feeling that momentum starting to build.
Now that you’re clearer on those foundational pieces, with a clear offer and compelling messaging, you will be well on your way to booking out your services.
Now is the time to look at the strategic steps you need to take to create some leverage so that you can grow your audience and your income without burning out.
Stage 4 - Embodiment
The best way I can describe where I’m at right now with my messaging, is that I embody it.
I don’t need to rely on templates, structure or scripts anymore, because my message is IN me.
I inherently know what to say and when, and using that compelling language has become the totally natural way I communicate in my business.
I know how to create threads through all of my content that entice the RIGHT people to take the next step - without having to resort to fear based, sleazy marketing tactics.
And now, my voice is strong that my audience can recognise my “style” before they see my name attached to it.
It’s taken a lot of trial and error to get to this point - and certainly a lot of action over perfection. But there’s still room for me to grow.
What I Still Need To Work On
In my early days, I was sharing whatever content was on my heart and mind. It was pretty haphazard and didn’t have much “purpose” behind it, but it helped people to get to know ME and it created a lot of connection.
When I started creating more strategic content, it served my business extremely well - but it was very easy to fall into the trap of pumping out “my 3 step system to XYZ result” type content and letting the “connection” element fall to the wayside.
It’s still a work in progress for me to integrate the two of those together in a way that feels meaningful.
I find it hard to just share what’s on my heart without trying to shoehorn a “valuable lesson” in there. And I still have those gremlins that want to tell me that my life or opinions aren’t all that interesting and my audience doesn’t reeeally want to hear them.
But the more I’ve tried to play with that, the more replies I get to every email and the more connected my community has become.
So I want you to hear me when I say that my messaging is STILL not perfect. But I wouldn’t have been able to make the progress I have, without taking action despite that.
The only way that your messaging is going to get any better is by you sharing it… in all it’s imperfect glory… and continuing to hone and refine it as you go.
So here’s to your mess becoming your message.
Mel
PS: Do you want my eyeballs on your messaging to tell you what to tweak to make it WAY more compelling?
My super popular FREE "Pimp Your Promo” Bootcamp is coming back. Join me to discover the ingredients you need for a clear and compelling message that gets your dream clients saying
“sign me up!”
The bootcamp kicks off in a couple of weeks, but you can register now to secure your spot.