Besides the fact that the 5-step formula doesn’t exist and actually doesn’t work, because, well #disconnectedcontent, this is not the reason your business isn’t as successful as you want it to be.
Here’s four reasons you’re missing the mark and what you can do to fix it.
Commitment to visibility
I speak to so many women who nod along when I talk all things content. They know the bits, but do you know the thing that’s lacking (besides a strategy)? Follow through. It usually manifests in excuses like not having enough time, too busy, not having the right colour top on for a Facebook Live. Yes, changing your top is a time suck and we are all too busy and strapped for time. But if we really want something then we will find the time and change the top.
The difference between where you are and where you want to be is how you commit to turning up in your business. It doesn’t have to be a Facebook Live every other day or posting in 20 Facebook Groups every day. Whatever feels right for you, is within your means and achieves your objectives is fine.
If you’re posting sporadically about your new online course or write a blog once every few months about your new thing and you get crickets, it’s not your messaging. It’s your commitment to visibility.
Not aligned with your vision
This one’s a biggie. In my Relaunch Interview Series this topic came up A LOT. When you’re projecting an image or persona that doesn’t align with where you want to take your business, guess what happens? Your audience picks up on that weird energy and you put them off. Truly.
My branding served me well for 4 years. It represented who I was at the time and was also within my budget (kind of!). I loved it. The colours stood out and it was a little bit quirky, like me. I’ve grown since then and where I want to take my business has changed.
I wasn’t getting many new clients, my business growth had stagnated and I thought it was all about my messaging. I tried different words, different images.
It wasn’t until my coach pointed out that my look no longer served my vision that I realised that I was misaligned.
Moral of the story – check the way that you are presenting yourself aligns with the type of client that you want to attract and where you want to take your business.
You think you know her, but really you don’t
I come across so many women who think that they know their ideal client but when I ask them to tell me about her, it turns out that they don’t really know that much about her after all!
Go past the demographics and think about who is she at a social event? What makes her roll her eyes? What makes her laugh out loud? Who does she most trust in her life? How does she dress?
All these questions help you go beyond the usual avatar templates and get to the core of who she really is and what floats her boat. And this is the key to your success.
If you don’t know your ideal client in this way then even if you did find the magical 5 step formula to crafting the perfect message, it just wouldn’t work. Because how can you craft a message if you don’t know who you’re speaking to?
Lack of clear direction
You try #allthethings but never really stick it out on any of them. You know how to do Insta stories but fall flat when it comes to captions in your feed. You want to increase your reach but focus on creating pretty graphics for Insta. Sound familiar?
Understanding your vision and objectives needs to be the driving force behind your actions. And that comes down to strategy.
If crafting the perfect message is your objective, then great! Let’s address all the strategic things that help you achieve your messaging. Deep dive your ideal client, articulate your vision and focus on engagement on your platforms. Measure and review. Messaging not working? Then go back to the drawing board and refine.
Not understanding your client journey
You have your ideal client. Tick. You understand your vision. Tick. Still struggling for sales? If you’re having trouble translating your following into sales then the problem is not what you’re saying, it’s when you’re saying it.
Are you making sure that you provide testimonials? Providing easy ways to work with you? Automated emails that deliver continued value?
Knowing what types of content to produce and when is just as important as knowing what to say. Mapping your client journey is the easiest way to understand your ideal client’s challenges and feelings at each stage of their journey with you from first connection through to onboarding them as a client.
If you’re struggling with translating your content into sales, then look at what types of content you need to deliver in each stage of the client journey. If you need some help you can grab a free copy of The Content Roadmap. This guide will help you discover exactly what you need to create to move your ideal client from “say, what?” to “hell, yes!”.
So, it’s not your messaging that sucks. It’s some other part of your content strategy that needs work.
