One of my favorite projects to take on with clients is reviewing messaging. This kind of work is particularly fun because I get to have an intimate look at the client’s business and how they think about the business and their work.

As one of my clients put it, messaging can be a real "tug of war of words.” It can be a challenging process because it often leads to a realization that how you talk about your business doesn’t quite accomplish what you thought it would. There can be a few different reasons for that.

You’re too knowledgeable about your own business

Whether your business is product-based or service-based, you have features and benefits associated with what you do.

• Features are the basic facts about your offering.

• Benefits are what the customer gets from your offering.

As human beings, we can all relate to the fact that the most important of these to the customer is going to be what’s in it for them.

Sure, there are going to be exceptions. When I’m buying a computer, I dig into the features and specs at length to decide the size of the hard drive and how much processing speed I can get within my budget.

But that’s just not the way most people buy a computer. If you start explaining the difference between RAM or ROM, a Core i3, i5 or i7 processor, their eyes start to glaze over. At least, that’s what happens to me when I have these conversations. (Maybe it’s just me. Are your eyes glazed over yet?)

No, most people just want their computer to be faster and have enough room for their files, and they may not even know how much storage they’re using on their computer.

While computer manufacturers are all pretty consistent in how they list their products, your competition may be giving your buyers the context they need to understand what they do and whether it applies to them. It’s the difference between picking up a book you’ve never read, starting from page one or opening that same book in the middle because the first half is glued shut.

You don’t know what’s going on or whether you should even care.

Are you telling prospective customers what’s in it for them or just what they’ll get?

What’s funny about computer manufacturers is that they’ve never, ever been good at speaking to the non-tech-savvy buyer. All those feature and specification lists they push out to websites all over are only useful if you’re the kind of buyer who has a working understanding of the jargon.

That’s why technology stores and big-box retailers employ teams of “experts” who can help you decide what you need, then some even sell you maintenance plans so you don’t have to worry.

But you’re not a big-box store with a team of “geeks” who can translate your offering for people. So, how do you communicate with your buyers?

Look at your messaging from your customer’s perspective

This can be tricky when you’re so intimately familiar with your offering but it’s so important. If you don’t see any areas for improvement, ask someone you trust to give their honest opinion (avoid cheerleaders).

The comments and questions you get from customers can be informative as well. Have you ever answered a question multiple times only to wonder why people don’t just read your site and understand it? Well, that could be a sign of two things: Either they aren’t getting to the information (it’s buried) or what you think is clear actually isn’t.

It can be tempting to let your ego get in the way or feel bruised over feedback about your messaging. Ultimately, this is about making sure you’re communicating in a way that resonates and is well understood.

It’s not about whether what you did was good or not. It can be great writing and still not achieve the goal of attracting the right interest. You can’t overcome this is you’re too attached to your chosen words. Commit to finding the right words.

Tell the whole story with empathy and understanding

With the nice weather we’ve been having in Ottawa lately, my family has been using our patio more. But, oy, we’ve got some stingy bugs of the wasp variety and that impacts my enjoyment of the patio as I’m not a fan of getting stung. When a friend told me about fake wasp nests, I started thinking my problem was solved! Until I consulted the google. Sadly, they don’t seem to be a miracle cure.

After searching a specific solution, I did a search based on my problem. And I found quite a few different solutions that I can try. That’s how people think - they’re looking for someone who understands their problem and can offer a solution.

So, you need to start with a nod to the problem. Show them you understand that pain. Address what’s at stake if they don’t act and describe the glorious benefits when they do.

Focus on your potential buyers - this isn’t about you or your business

When you internalize a customer-centric approach to talking about your business, you’ll get better at helping people. Here’s why:

• A customer-centric approach uses the language your customer uses while educating them on specialized terminology that applies to your area of expertise. This makes information about your offering more accessible.

• A customer-centric approach focuses on what’s best for the customer, making them the hero of their story rather than focusing on how your business saves them from the problem.

• A customer-centric approach prioritizes the benefits and outcomes for the customer over what you offer and how you deliver it.

If you’re struggling to do any of these things, it could be that you’re unsure of the problem or you can’t articulate what’s in it for your customers.

Are your benefits really benefits?

When I work with a client to prepare a marketing strategy, I prepare a number of documents for them. I could make a list of those documents and it would be a list of features or deliverables. But the mere fact that my client has possession of those documents doesn’t benefit them in any way.

Instead, the benefits they can enjoy include:

• Clarity about their place in the market,

• Expert guidance on what marketing activities to invest time in,

• Comprehensive (but realistic) action plan tailored to their business and goals,

• Confidence in how to evolve to purposeful marketing that creates a path for buyers, and

• Metrics to track progress on goals.

If I listed out the actual documents I prepare (competitive/situation analysis, key messages, action plan etc.), it would be no different than the tech specs for a computer. As someone who’s immersed in marketing every single day, I understand those terms. But not all my buyers know what they are.

How you talk about your business matters

Avoiding jargon, focusing on the customer, simplifying how you describe your offering - these are all going to help you connect with the right people who need what you can provide. Even when the process feels uncomfortable and hard, the effort will always be worth it in the end.