5 Signs You Have a Brand Messaging Problem (and How to Fix It)

Clear and compelling brand messaging is one of the most important foundations of a successful consulting or coaching business. Yet it is often overlooked or minimized. Many consultants think they have a marketing challenge or a confidence issue, when in reality the struggle starts with how they talk and write about what they do.

If it feels difficult to describe your value in a way that others immediately understand, you may have a messaging problem. The good news is that once it is addressed, everything else becomes easier. Networking becomes more productive, copywriting feels less painful, and the right clients start leaning in and saying they want to work with you.

This article will help you understand what brand messaging is, why it matters, and the most common indicators that it is time to refine yours.

What Brand Messaging Actually Is

Brand positioning defines the unique space you own in the market and in the minds of your ideal clients. It clarifies who you help, the strategic goals they want to achieve, the problems that block those goals, and the unique value you provide.

Brand messaging is the language that expresses that positioning. It becomes the driver of your offers, your website copy, and the conversations you have with prospective clients. Together, brand positioning and messaging create the bridge that connects your expertise to the clients who need it most.

Five Clear Signs You Have a Messaging Problem

1. You are just getting started and cannot articulate your new value

When you launch a business, you must translate your strengths and past experience into a business model and brand that resonates with the clients you want to serve. Without clarity, you end up recreating your former career or spinning in analysis paralysis. Messaging is not a nice to have. It is the first step in building a profitable consulting or coaching business.

2. People do not understand what you do

If you freeze when someone asks what you do, or if your explanation consistently results in blank stares or polite disengagement, that is a messaging issue. You may be networking and doing the right activities, but without the right language, the time and money you invest will not lead to results.

A shift in messaging alone can produce a significant improvement in business development conversations.

3. You are attracting the wrong clients

Sometimes leads are coming in, but they are not the type of clients you want. They may be good people, but the work drains you, takes longer to execute, and generates fewer referrals. Right fit clients are easier to convert and create more profitable, fulfilling engagements.

4. You are pivoting yet still using outdated messaging

If you are shifting your niche, audience, or offers, your messaging must shift with it. Holding onto old language while trying to move into the next level of your business leads to burnout and stagnation. Messaging is not a one time exercise. It must evolve with your goals and growth.

5. You sound like everyone else

If you remove your logo and photo from your website and the copy could belong to any other consultant, your messaging is too generic. Generic messaging leads to being overlooked in a crowded marketplace. Distinction comes from owning your perspective, your strengths, and how you create value in a way only you can.

The Cost of Unclear Messaging

Unclear messaging creates predictable challenges. It produces inconsistent revenue, exhausting business development cycles, and unproductive networking. It also reinforces fear based thinking that keeps you from fully embracing your expertise and worth.

Clear messaging has the opposite effect. It accelerates traction, builds confidence, and increases the number of qualified leads that become clients. It is not simply a brand exercise. It is a strategic business decision that influences long term success.

What to Do Next

Start by paying close attention to how you feel when you talk or write about what you do. Notice how others respond. If there is confusion, hesitation, or a mismatch in the types of clients who show interest, that is a signal.

You can take the next step toward clarity by using my free guide, Confused to Confident, which provides the foundation you need to begin refining your message.

And if you want personalized support from someone who understands the consulting and coaching market deeply, consider my Brand Messaging and Positioning VIP Program. It is designed to help you articulate your value with confidence and attract the clients you are meant to serve.

You can learn more and schedule a conversation here.

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About me: Betsy Jordyn is a brand messaging strategist and business mentor for purpose-driven consultants and coaches. With a background in organizational development—including a consulting career with Disney—she helps experts clarify their unique value, position themselves strategically, and build businesses that deliver impact, income, and personal fulfillment. Connect with Betsy Jordyn to clarify your message, elevate your brand, and attract the clients you're meant to serve. Start here → https://www.betsyjordyn.com/services