TL;DR:
Stop overcomplicating your marketing. To connect with customers, you only need to do three things:
- Make your service incredibly simple to understand.
- Make your story relatable so people see themselves in it.
- Show the final result they will get, not just the process you use.
You have a great service. You care about your clients, and you know you can help them. But when you try to market it, something gets lost. Your message doesn’t land. The leads don’t come. It feels like you’re shouting into a void.
If this sounds familiar, take a deep breath. The problem isn’t your service, and the solution doesn’t involve a 100-step funnel or the latest trendy tactic.
The solution is to come back to a place of simple, human connection.
For years, we’ve helped businesses grow by focusing on three foundational truths. These aren’t tricks; they are principles. And once you see them, you can’t unsee them. They will bring a new sense of ease and power to everything you do.
Truth 1: Your Message Must Be Radically Simple
We all want to sound professional. So we use industry jargon, buzzwords, and complex descriptions. We talk about “synergistic frameworks” and “leveraging paradigms.” But instead of building confidence, this language builds a wall.
If people don’t instantly understand what you do, they won’t stick around to ask. Confusion creates doubt, but clarity creates trust.
Your mission is to make your service so easy to understand that a middle schooler could explain it to a friend. We call this the “13-Year-Old Test.”
How to put it into action:
- Write a one-sentence description of your service. No “and”s, no commas. Just one simple sentence.
- For example, if you’re a web design agency, don’t say: “We leverage cutting-edge development stacks and human-centered design principles to create bespoke digital experiences.”
- Instead, say: “We build beautiful websites that bring you more customers.”
See the difference? One is a boast. The other is a promise. Apply this simplicity to your website, your social media, and every conversation you have.
Truth 2: Your Audience Must See Themselves in Your Story
Connection happens when someone feels seen and understood. Your marketing isn’t about you; it’s about your audience and their problems. If they can’t see their own situation reflected in your message, they’ll assume you can’t help them.
There are two powerful ways to make your service relatable:
1. Show them others just like them. Social proof isn’t just about showing your best-ever case study. It’s about showing a range of clients. When a potential customer sees a testimonial from someone in their industry, of a similar size, or with the exact same problem, it clicks. They think, “If it worked for them, it could work for me.”
2. Start with their pain, not your solution. Before you talk about what you do, talk about the problem they are living with. Frame the struggle they feel every day.
- Instead of: “We offer expert SEO services.”
- Try: “Are you tired of being invisible on Google? You created a great website, but nobody can find it.”
This simple shift changes everything. You’re no longer a seller; you’re an ally who truly understands.
Truth 3: You Must Show the Destination, Not the Journey
This is the final and most important piece. Your clients are not buying your process. They aren’t buying your time, your software, or your methods.
They are buying an outcome. A result. A transformation.
Too many businesses get stuck explaining how they do their work. They talk about the steps, the features, and the timeline. While that has its place, your marketing should be almost entirely focused on the end result.
What is the ultimate goal your client wants to achieve?
- A financial consultant doesn’t sell spreadsheets; they sell peace of mind.
- A home organizer doesn’t sell boxes and labels; they sell a calm, stress-free home.
- Our agency doesn’t just sell “brand strategy” or “web development”; we deliver the clarity and confidence you need to grow your business.
Always lead with the destination. Show them the sunny beach at the end of the trip, and they’ll trust you to fly the plane.
Marketing Is Just an Act of Generous Connection
Take a look at your current marketing materials. Which of these truths could bring more clarity and connection?
It doesn’t require a bigger budget or more complicated tools. It just requires you to be simpler, more empathetic, and more focused on the real-world value you provide.
Start there. The rest will follow.
What’s the biggest challenge for your business right now—simplicity, relatability, or showing the result? Let’s talk about it in the comments below. We’d love to help.