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Business success is dependent on a solid financial foundation & success looks different to everyone & there is a lack of equity of access to resources and information for small business owners and independent contractors & there is a societal narrative making us believe “balance” is our ultimate goal & … There are so many “&”s that impact being your own boss. Let’s have some frank discussions on the basics of business with a holistic focus on everything that helps business owners define and find success.
Molly Beyer: [00:00:08] Welcome to the Ambiguous &: Business Basics and Beyond, the podcast where we have frank discussions on the basics of business with a holistic focus on everything that helps business owners define and find success. Each episode is a reminder that success isn't one thing, it's a whole lot of ambiguous ands. Like, subscribe, or follow, and let's explore these ambiguous ands.
[00:00:36] Hello and welcome to the Ambiguous &: Business Basics and Beyond. I'm your host, Molly Beyer, and I'm here to lead you through frank and holistic conversations on the basics of business. In the last two episodes, we talked about referrals, what makes them work, and how clarity in your messaging directly impacts whether or not those referrals will happen, because your network can only refer to you as well as they actually understand you. So today we're going to take that next step. How do you actually build messaging that your network can use in real conversations? Most business messaging is built to sound good, very little of it is really built to be repeated. And if your messaging isn't repeatable, it's really not referable. So to make this practical, I'm going to walk through this using my basic framework. Balance, accountability, support, integrity, and communication. This isn't just a business operations framework because it really is also very effective as a filter for how you present what it is that you actually do.
Molly Beyer: [00:01:38] So balance for B, we're balance. We're going to really keep it simple enough to use. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is overloading their messaging. They try to include every service they perform, every nuance of the business and really every possible client that they can help. And then what they end up doing is really sharing something that nobody actually remembers. So balanced messaging really is simple, but not vague, and specific, but not overwhelming. So here is an example. So we've got some unbalanced: I offer bookkeeping, tax prep, payroll consulting, financial strategy on and on and on and on and on. Balanced is: I help overwhelmed business owners get clarity on their numbers. So that's something that people can actually really hold on to and repeat as well.
[00:02:35] So A, we're looking at accountability. You really want to own the problem that you solve. And this is where a lot of messaging really gets passive. People will say things like, I work with, I assist with, I support, but they never really clearly own that problem. They don't own the problem that they're actually solving in their messaging. So accountability and messaging sounds something like calling out the issue directly at naming who it's actually for, taking responsibility for that outcome. So some examples, instead of: I assist business owners with financial organization, I would use something like: I help business owners who feel out of control with their finances, get clarity and direction. So that's really owning what it is that I do.
[00:03:26] Next we're going to look at the S and that is for support. We really want to make it easy for other people to use. So your messaging again it's not just for you, it's really for your network. So the question becomes, can someone else comfortably say this on my behalf? So supportive messaging really uses natural language. It avoids jargon or industry terms. And it really is connecting to real life situations that the people your network are talking to can understand. So try tying this back to an earlier example, we can say this week, I'm looking for a business owner who keeps saying, I know I'm making money, but I don't know where it's going. That's something that's really easy to listen for. And it's also really easy to repeat.
[00:04:18] Next, we move on to the I for integrity. So we're really going to make sure that this is something that is true and aligned with what it is that we're doing. Clear messaging really only works if it's actually honest. And if you're overpromising, if you're exaggerating, or if you're trying to sound like something that you're not, people are going to really feel that disconnect because the integrity in your messaging really means that it reflects how you actually work it's really aligned with your values, your time freedom, reducing your stress and sustainability, whatever those values are that you've determined, and it attracts the right clients, not just more clients. So this is really where an anti-hustle approach really matters. You're not here to say yes to everything, you're here to say yes to the right things.
[00:05:09] And then finally we move on to see communication. We really want to make this transferable. So this is where everything really comes together. Good messaging isn't just clear, it's transferable. So it should stick after one hearing, it should be easy to repeat, and there should be trigger recognition within that messaging. So a quick test is if someone hears your message once, can they repeat it later, can they use it in a conversation, and can they connect it to a person? If not, it's really not ready yet.
[00:05:43] So let's take all of this and build a simple, strong message. If you're working hard in your business but still don't feel clear on your numbers, I help you understand what's actually happening so you can make more money with less stress. That hits balance, it's clear and not overloaded. It's accountability, it's owning the problem. Support, it's easy to repeat. Integrity, it's aligned with the work that I do. And communication, it is transferable.
[00:06:17] So here is a practical exercise. If you're listening, here's a simple place to start. Write down the exact phrase your ideal client says when they're frustrated, what that problem is costing them, and what changes after working with you. And then turn that into 1 or 2 sentences. Not a paragraph, not a list, just something someone else could actually say out loud. And then let's take this one step further, because clarity isn't just about simplifying your message, it's about making sure it actually lands with the right people.
[00:06:59] So let's move from networking with our referral partners to networking with potential clients. Think about what happens at a networking event. What's the first first question that somebody asks? What do you do? And most of us answer that question very literally because here's the truth of this, most people don't actually care what you do. That sounds counterintuitive, but it's not what they're trying to answer when they're asking you that question is really for things in their own mind. They want to know what you can do for them, they want to know what they have to do, how long it's going to take, and they want to know how much it's going to cost. So if your messaging doesn't quickly start answering those, even indirectly, you're really going to lose their attention and you're going to lose that connection.
[00:08:04] And so when you really get this right, that message becomes what I like to think of as a dog whistle for your ideal client. So the right people hear it and immediately think, oh, that's for me and everybody else. They just really naturally filter themselves out. And that's not a bad thing because that really is clarity. That means that you've gotten your message right. One of the simplest ways to begin shaping this is by shaping it into a simple sentence. And so you really want to look at, you know, you say I help, and then enter who it is you help, do, what it is you help them do, without that pain that they want to avoid. Because until this is clear, everything else, your marketing, your referrals, your conversations, they will feel harder than they need to be.
[00:08:53] So we're going to look at a little bit of what this looks like in practice. So instead of something like I run a marketing agency, try, I help small business owners who feel invisible online, get seen by the right people so they can consistently bring in new clients without guessing what to post. Instead of I'm a personal trainer, try, I help busy professionals build strength and energy back into their routine without spending hours in the gym or overhauling their entire lifestyle. Instead of: I do IT tech support, try something like: I help business owners keep their systems running smoothly so they don't lose time, money, or sleep over tech issues. Instead of: I'm a business attorney, try: I help business owners protect what they've built so they can grow with confidence instead of worrying about what could go wrong.
[00:09:44] You really hear a difference in those sentences, don't you? That second version, it's not about the service, it's about the person and really what they care about. And that is the part that most people miss in these situations. Your clients are already having this conversation in their head, they have that problem they don't want, and they have a result that they want but don't have yet. So your job is not to interrupt that conversation, your job is to enter it. Your job is to identify what actually differentiates you. And a lot of people think that their differentiator is their experience, their credentials, their story, their process, their level of service. And those things do matter, but they're not what makes someone choose you. Those are comparators. They help people evaluate options, but they don't make the decision. A comparator is about the product, a differentiator is about the customer. So what actually sets you apart is your ability to demonstrate that you understand what your client's going through, why it matters, and what it feels like. Because when someone hears your message and thinks, you get me, you've got me, you can help me, that's when they choose you.
[00:10:54] And at the end of the day, this comes down to something really simple. People love to buy, they hate being sold to. What they're actually looking for is a change in how they feel. They want more clarity, more confidence, less stress, and more control. And this is where we come full circle. If your messaging reflects that understanding, two things are going to happen. Your clients feel it and your network can repeat it. Because now instead of saying, oh, Molly does bookkeeping, they can say, you need to talk to Molly. She helps business owners who feel completely overwhelmed by their numbers, finally understand what's going on. That's a referral. So here's something to think about. Are you describing what you do or are you showing people that you understand them? Because only one of those builds connection. Remember, you don't need better marketing, you need clearer communication. Because when people understand you, they talk about you. And when they talk about you, clearly, your business grows without you having to push for it.
[00:11:58] Thanks so much for hanging out with us again today. We'd love to hear your feedback on today's episode, as well as any requests for future content. Drop a comment or suggestion and join us next time for more frank and holistic conversations on the basics of business. Please also like, subscribe, or follow so you never miss an episode. And until next time, I'm Molly Beyer and this has been The Ambiguous &: Business Basics and Beyond. Have a wonderful day.