Have you ever bought a gift for someone that you thought they would really, really love?

And then when they opened the gift, they didn’t like it nearly as much as you thought they would? 

It’s happened to the best of us… 

And if we aren’t good at guessing what even the people we love the most want and need, what makes us think we can guess what our students, clients and customers (and even total strangers) want and need?

When it comes to your message, you can’t figure it out at home, alone, in your head.

Because -- when you try to figure it all out in your head before you really get started -- there’s a good chance you’ll miss the market you want to serve, because you’re giving them something that you think they need… rather than what they actually want and are willing to pay for.

You need feedback to craft the right message. You CAN’T assume that you know what people want. 

Is Your Message Getting Lost in Space?  

Sometimes it feels like you’re on planet YOU, and all your students, clients and customers are on planet THEM. And you don’t know how to get to their planet… yet. 

That’s where your message comes in… 

Think of your message as the spaceship that allows you to travel from planet YOU to planet THEM, from your world to theirs.

So what does it mean to have a message? I know it’s a loaded term, and people tell me ALL the time that they don’t know what their message is or they need clarity on their message before they can move forward…

And I get it. Crafting your message is one of the hardest things you’ll do as an entrepreneur. It’s not a flip that you switch. It’s not something you do once and call it a day. Instead, you have to constantly evolve, iterate, and refine as you get more clear and grounded in the unique value you’ve got for the world.

But before you dive headfirst into crafting your message, you need to get clear on what a message actually is. 

What is a “message”?

Let’s start with the dictionary definition and go from there. 

There are quite a few, and I’ve pulled five for you. 

A message is…

1.  A verbal, written or recorded communication sent to or left for recipients who can’t be contacted directly.  
2.  An official or formal communication (I’m not so crazy about that definition)
3.  An email or a similar electronic communication
4.  A significant point or a central theme, especially one that’s got political, social, or moral importance
5.  A divinely inspired communication from a prophet or preacher

So what do these definitions have in common? 

They all have a recipient… someone who receives the message. That’s why -- when you nail your message -- you can inspire millions while making millions. 

Your message is the essence of your business, your products, your services and your brand (and how you position your brand is paramount to your success). 

And when you’re able to really convey the essence of all of that -- in just a few words -- amazing things happen. 

Here are some examples of simple messages that have moved millions, made millions and changed the world we live in today:

Start With Why -- Simon Sinek

Chicken Soup for the Soul -- Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen 

“Turn your wounds into wisdom.” -- Oprah Winfrey

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus -- John Gray 

Escape from Cubicle Nation -- Pamela Slim

“Treatment originates outside you; healing comes from within.” -- Dr. Andrew Weil 

“Courage is contagious.” --  Brene Brown

JUST DO IT. -- Nike

Think different. -- Apple 

Notice that’s just two words. 

And of course…

Live Your Message 🙂

Why were these specific messages able to move mountains? 

They’re simple. The best messages are really, really simple. 

Mark Twain famously said, “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”

It takes so much more time and effort to get to simplicity -- to boil down the essence of all that you are and all that you do to just a few words. To take this confused, tangled mess of ideas in your head and to be able to clearly communicate and articulate that to your audience. 

I get that. 

But -- at the same time -- having a clear, simple and “attention-getting” message is more important now than it ever has been in the history of business.

Your Message is More Important Than Ever Before

I believe we live in a message-first world and if you simply log on to any social media platform -- from TikTok to Facebook -- there are messages everywhere competing for your attention. You’re being pinged 24/7.  

And so are your students, clients and customers.

It’s an Attention-First Economy and as my friend Michael Drew says, “Before someone will give you their money, first, they have to give you their attention.”  

So, one of your greatest skills as an entrepreneur, the greatest skill you can develop, is to learn how to get people’s attention and keep it… long term. 

Because if you can’t get someone’s attention with your message and your free stuff, are they going to give you their money? 

Absolutely not. 

But when the world falls in love with your message, amazing things happen. This is when you’re invited to speak on huge stages, invited to join elite masterminds, and featured on top podcasts and all those top venues.

So how do you craft a message that people tune into rather than tune out of? 

You first need to know the three parts… and how they work harmoniously together.

Part I: The message itself (the words you actually speak)

This is what most people think of when they hear the word “message”. And all the dictionary definitions suggest that your message is very you-centric. 

But you can create a message that resonates with your audience by providing real VALUE. By identifying how can you HELP your tribe clear a hurdle they’re currently facing. 

And when you combine that value with your unique story -- told with complete authenticity -- you can start to move mountains for your students, clients and customers and for your business. 

This leads me right into part two of your message…

Part II: The person who receives your message

WHO you’re speaking to is just as important as WHAT you’re saying. The best messages are targeted to a specific kind of person. They’re not for everyone. 

For example, my student Mariella Serra’s message -- “Break Free From the Corporate Corset” -- isn’t relevant to you if you have no desire to escape, or you’ve already escaped long ago, or if you were never part of the corporate world to begin with. Make sense?

This message catches a very specific kind of person at a very specific moment in their life.

And this level of specificity is really working for Mariella! With the right message aimed at the right person, she was able to double her prices and now she’s regularly landing $10-50K coaching clients who are resonating with this new message. 

So the important thing to remember is that: Who you’re speaking to is JUST as important as what you’re saying… 

Which brings me to part three of your message…

Part III: The messenger (YOU)

This is how you show up -- your level of energy, confidence and alignment with what you’re saying. 

Believe it or not, how you show up as you speak your message is responsible for as much as 80% of how that message is received…

So while the actual words you’re saying matter, how you show up as you speak your message matters even more. 

And a good percentage of that is about how you’re different to your tribe. Why they choose to do business with you instead of anyone else. 

As Teddy Roosevelt famously said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Even if you believe 100% in what you do, if you’re not communicating in a way that shows your belief, energy and enthusiasm, people aren’t going to want to follow you, buy from you or work with you.   

Before you go…

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