I hear this all the time from entrepreneurs:
“Christina, it makes so much sense to me, but when I try to explain it, people just don’t connect. What am I doing wrong?”
Here’s the truth: you’re probably making it harder than it needs to be!
Because when it comes to marketing and selling your offers, complexity repels.
When you’ve lived and breathed your work, you see all the beautiful layers.
You see the nuances.
You see the step-by-step process that gets your clients results.
But your audience? They don’t have that context.
They don’t understand what you mean because they’re not in your brain.
So instead of leaning in, they check out.
- People don’t buy details, they buy transformation.
- People don’t need to know your entire system, they need to believe you can get them from where they are now to where they want to go.
Your job is not to overwhelm them with how much you know.
Your job is to meet them exactly where they are and show them the bridge to the other side.
This is why understanding the buyers journey matters so much.
There are four stages your potential clients move through before they’re ready to buy:
Symptom Aware
They notice something’s off. They’re uncomfortable, frustrated, or stuck, but they haven’t named it yet.
They might say something like “I feel like something’s not working, but I don’t know what.”
Problem Aware
They’ve identified their problem. They know what’s wrong, but they’re not sure what to do about it.
They might say something like, “[Specific Problem] is not working.” or “I can’t seem to figure out why [problem] exists”
Solution Aware
They’ve accepted that a solution exists, and they’re exploring options.
They might say something like, “Should I hire a coach? Try a course? Join a program?”
Offer Aware
They’re convinced your way is the bridge. They know your method, framework, or offer is the path to their transformation.
Now, here’s the mistake I see over and over: Most entrepreneurs build their messaging for offer aware clients only.
That’s great for the people who already know they need what you have, but what about everyone else?
If someone’s still stuck at symptom aware, your language about “3 pillars” or “my proprietary framework” flies right over their head.
You’ve got to learn how to change your messaging depending on where someone is in the journey.
Look, I know you’re proud of your framework (and you should be!)
But here’s the deal: when you’re sharing it, you need to zoom out.
For example:
Instead of
“Pillar one is accountability psychology and the neuro reprogramming framework that creates resilience.”
Change your language for your people
“The first step is creating unstoppable follow-through, so you actually do the things you say you want to do.”
Do you feel the difference?
One is textbook. The other is relatable.
Here’s the secret: people buy what they understand.
If they don’t understand it, they won’t buy it, even if it’s the best thing on the planet.
It all boils down to meeting your people where they’re at.
If someone is just symptom aware, meet them there.
Show them you understand what they’re going through. Paint the picture of what life looks like if nothing changes, and what it could look like if it does.
If someone is problem aware, talk about why their problem persists. Shine a light on what they haven’t yet seen.
If someone is solution aware, show them why your way is the most effective path forward.
And if someone is already offer aware? Great! Make it easy for them to say yes.
When you do this, your content will start resonating, and your offers will start clicking!
Want more support in your messaging?
My good friend, Marisa Corcoran is hosting a masterclass, Leave ‘Em Wanting More! She’s helping coaches and course creators dial in their messaging to make your Clients Say, “Me. Want. Yes. Now!”
