What bad messaging is costing your business

Picture of Maureen Zeitler
Maureen Zeitler

The truth is, it’s not always your pricing, your niche, or even your strategy.
Sometimes, it’s your messaging.

You’ve got the right offer. You’ve put in the work. You’re showing up consistently. But even with all that effort, something still feels off. The right people aren’t reaching out. Sales feel harder than they should. And you’re starting to wonder what you’re missing.

When your words aren’t matching your passion, your business starts working against you. Because bad messaging doesn’t just fall flat—it creates quiet confusion. It dulls your credibility, makes your offers harder to grasp, and pushes your dream clients right past your page and probably onto someone else’s.

How to know your messaging isn’t working?

If you’ve ever found yourself over-explaining what you offer, or seeing people clearly not getting it—you’re not alone. Bad copy can be bland, boring, forgettable.  We want to bring your brand to life.  To be the unforgettable amongst the generic.  

Bad messaging happens to coaches, entrepreneurs, and even agencies all the time. You’ve got incredible results, but your copy just isn’t doing them justice.

Maybe your words sound like everyone else’s in your space. Maybe your tone shifts from platform to platform, leaving people unsure which version is the real you. Maybe your offer is so packed with features, the real value gets overlooked.  We want to focus more on the transformation.

If people don’t get it quickly, they won’t stick around to figure it out. And that’s costing you.

How to know your messaging isn't working.  Man speaking in code and other man not understanding.

What could it really be costing you?

Pushing ideal clients away

The misalignment shows up in all kinds of frustrating ways—

from mismatched expectations to clients who drain your time and energy.

Your clients aren’t properly aligned to your business model.

When you’re working with the wrong people

Your poor messaging may be costing you more than you even know. It might not just be that the right clients aren’t finding you—your messaging could be actively repelling them.

Sometimes, working with the wrong-fit clients isn’t anyone’s fault—it happens because neither of you had the clarity upfront. Without strong messaging to filter and attract the right people, you both walk in unsure, hoping it’ll click. And you may be wasting your time with the wrong people.  And they probably feel it too.

Your message should filter, not confuse

People are busy, distracted, and scanning—not studying. If your message doesn’t grab attention fast and make your value crystal clear, you’ve already lost them.

When your copy doesn’t clearly communicate what you do, who it’s for, or why it matters, it creates this quiet disconnect. The people who would be perfect for your offers? They’re bouncing. 

Or worse, they’re assuming you’re not the right fit for them and clicking off before they ever reach out. What’s left is a revolving door of mismatched clients—ones who drain your time, second-guess your value, or need convincing at every step. You deserve more than that.

A brand that feels pieced together

When everything feels out of sync, it’s hard for anyone to understand what your brand actually stands for.

When your visuals and voice don’t match your value

You’ve got an incredible offer. You’ve poured your heart into your business. But if your messaging and brand identity feel inconsistent or slapped together, it compromises the entire experience.

Instead of coming across as intentional, established, and confident, a piecemeal brand creates the impression that you’re still figuring things out—even if you’re years in. Your dream clients want to trust you. They want to feel like you’re the real deal. But without a clear throughline in your voice, values, and visuals, it’s easy for them to move on to someone who “feels” more put together, even if they don’t bring nearly the same value to the equation.

Everyone wants to work with the company that has it all together—or at least appears that way. And with some super polished competitors, perception matters. Strong, consistent messaging isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s what signals professionalism, reliability, and confidence. It’s what turns a “maybe?” into a “oh yeah.”

Missed sales and revenue

Unclear messaging doesn’t just impact your engagement. It hits your bank account, too.

If your sales pages aren’t converting or your launch is met with underwhelming results, odds are it’s not your offer—it’s how you’re communicating it. People can’t buy what they don’t understand. If you’re relying on clever-sounding copy, industry jargon, or not making your value obvious, you’re leaving money on the table. Strong messaging doesn’t just sound good—it sells. It bridges the gap between “I think I need this” and “take my money.”

People can’t say yes to what they don’t understand

People want to feel confident before they click buy. They want a full, clear picture of what they’re getting, how it will help them, and why they should trust you to deliver it. Vague or wishy-washy copy creates doubt—and doubt stalls sales. Clear, confident messaging removes friction and fuels conversions.

Client confusion

If your audience is confused, they’re not converting. Period.

Your messaging should answer questions before they’re asked

If you’re constantly trying to explain what you do—and people still don’t get it—your messaging is working against you. Confusion leads to hesitation. Hesitation kills sales. 

Your potential clients should be able to scroll your site, read a sales email, or land on your social media and instantly understand what you offer, how it helps them, and why it’s different. 

Anything less and you’re asking them to do too much mental work (and they won’t stick around to do it).  Your client wants to feel like they know you and your product before the first meeting.  When there is a clear understanding everything else will fall into place. 

Make your messaging do the work for you

What if your marketing didn’t have to feel so hard?

It positions you as the obvious choice

That’s what great messaging does. It acts like your best salesperson—working for you around the clock, converting dream clients while you focus on delivering your magic. It builds clarity, trust, and connection. It turns your values into a voice that resonates. And it transforms your offer into a must-have.

When your messaging is doing the heavy lifting, you don’t have to hustle so hard just to be understood. You just get to show up and shine.

No more overexplaining. No more second-guessing. No more wondering if people get it.
Because they do—and they’re ready to work with you.

Leave the burnout behind. Let your message lead the way.

graphic of  what could it really be costing you?  Lost leads, Missed sales, Client confusion, brand inconsistency

What powerful messaging ACTUALLY does

Because when you say the right thing, the right people listen.

Great messaging changes the game.

It positions your offer in a way that’s crystal clear, emotionally compelling, and undeniably magnetic—before you even hop on a sales call. It builds trust without really even trying. Makes people feel like they know you before you even meet.  It creates brand consistency so people feel your value before they fully understand it.

When your messaging is aligned, people see themselves in your words. They feel seen, understood, and ready to take action. Your first call feels effortless. Your right-fit clients just know you’re the one. And the wrong fits? They quietly opt out—saving you time and energy.

No more chasing. You start attracting. And best of all? You finally have messaging you can reuse everywhere—from your homepage to your socials even your podcast intros.  This will not only help your clients, but takes a major mental load off of you.  

Building your marketing messaging framework

A marketing messaging framework is the foundation of how you communicate your value. It defines what your brand stands for, who you’re speaking to, and why your offer matters. It’s not just a tagline or a mission statement—it’s the thread that ties everything together, from your homepage to your next sales call.

At Revonish, we approach messaging through a strategic, copy-first lens. That means we don’t just plug in boilerplate phrases or guess what your audience wants to hear. We ask the right questions. We get to the heart of what makes your business different. And we uncover the language that speaks directly to your best-fit customers.

When you have messaging that reflects who you are and what your customers actually care about, everything clicks into place. Your content gets clearer. Your campaigns get stronger. And your audience gets it—fast.

Messaging isn’t just about saying the right thing. It’s about understanding your story so you can sell with confidence, clarity, and purpose.

Nicole and Maureen co founders of Revonish side by side at coffee bar

Ready to fix the problem?

If your messaging isn’t pulling its weight, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to figure it out on your own either.

Our DNA Brand Lab is built to help you find the words that reflect your value, attract your dream clients, and actually convert. No more burnout. No more chasing wrong-fit leads. Just clear, confident messaging that sounds like you and brings in the people you actually want to work with.

You’re already doing incredible work. Let’s make sure your messaging reflects that.→ Explore our Brand DNA premium service
→ Or book a free consultation. we’ll talk it through.

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