Are You Marketing to the Right Person?

I've been thinking about why some marketing messages get attention — and why perfectly good ones get scrolled right past.

It's rarely the service that's wrong. You can have a strong offer, real experience, and a genuine want to help people, and still struggle to get the right clients to notice you.

More often, the problem is the message.

Most of us start by explaining what we do. Coaching. Consulting. Training. Automation.

None of that is wrong — it's just not how your ideal client actually thinks about their day. They're not lying awake thinking, "I really need a consultant who specializes in process optimization." They're thinking things like:

"Everything still depends on me."

"My team keeps making the same mistakes."

"We're busy, but we're not actually making money."

Good marketing doesn't start by explaining what you sell. It starts by showing someone you already understand what they're living through.

Here are five questions worth asking before your next post, email, or ad goes out.

1. Who Are You Talking To?

Try to talk to everyone, and you end up talking clearly to no one.

Before you hit publish, ask: Who actually has this problem? Who has the authority to fix it? Who's actually ready to invest in solving it?

"I help businesses grow" could describe almost anyone — which means it lands with almost no one. Compare that to something like, "I help business owners who are still involved in every decision build a team that can run without them." That version won't appeal to everyone. That's exactly the point. The right person should recognize themselves immediately.

Specific marketing feels personal. Vague marketing is easy to scroll past.

2. What Problem Are You Actually Solving?

People don't buy coaching, consulting, or software because those things exist. They buy what those things give them — more time, less stress, a stronger team, some control back.

So instead of saying, "I develop standard operating procedures," try asking, "Does your team know what to do when you're not there?" Instead of "I offer sales consulting," try, "Are you paying your sales team for activity, or for results?"

The service explains what you do. The problem explains why anyone should care.

3. Where Will They Actually Hear It?

Not every platform is right for every audience. The question isn't "where do I like posting?" It's "where are the people I need to reach already paying attention?"

Maybe that's LinkedIn. Maybe it's a Facebook group, an industry newsletter, or the local networking breakfast you already go to. You don't always need a new idea — sometimes you just need to say your strongest one in more places.

4. Are They Actually Ready to Buy?

Not everyone who sees your content is ready to call you. Some people don't even know they have a problem yet. Others know something's off and are quietly researching. A smaller group is ready to act right now — and all three need a different message.

Someone who hasn't named the problem yet might respond to something like "Five signs your sales compensation plan is hurting performance." Someone comparing options wants more like "Salary, commission, or bonus: which structure actually works?" Someone ready to move just needs a clear next step: "Book a compensation review and get a plan this week."

Same problem. Different message, depending on how ready the person actually is.

5. Why Should They Act Now?

Even once people understand the problem, most will still delay fixing it. That's normal. But your message can still make waiting feel like the wrong call.

Ask what it's actually costing them — time, money, a customer, a good employee, their own energy. Real urgency isn't about pressuring anyone. It's about being honest that doing nothing is also a decision, and usually not a free one.

Before You Hit Publish

Run your next message past five quick questions: Am I speaking to the right person? Am I naming the problem the way they'd actually say it? Am I putting this where they'll see it? Does it match how ready they are? Have I given them a real reason to act now instead of later?

The right message has to reach the right person at the right time.

Don't start by explaining everything you sell. Start by showing people you already understand what they're going through.

Penny

PS: For more newsletters, check out my blog. We also offer two complementary visits to our weekly Think Bigger Friday online mastermind for small business owners ready to grow and who want to be around like-minded people.