Are you Creating for you or your Audience?
It’s easy to fall into the trap of building content, products, or messaging that speaks more to your own interests than to your audience’s needs. Now, this isn’t always wrong, but most of the time your passion for your product doesn’t guarantee that same enthusiasm from your audience.
The takeaway? To truly connect with your audience, you need to create for them—not yourself. This means understanding their pain points, studying their needs, and being willing to step back to view your messaging with fresh eyes.
The Common Trap: Focusing on What You Care About
When you’ve invested time, resources, and energy into building something, it’s only natural to want to showcase all the exciting details. But that’s where businesses often miss the mark. Instead of crafting messaging that resonates with the buyer’s needs, they end up talking more about features and technicalities that they find exciting.
Case in Point: AI Companies Missing the Mark
Let’s take a quick example. I often see AI enterprise companies—especially in fields like automation, data analytics, or cybersecurity—falling into this trap. Their messaging tends to focus on developers, highlighting the complexity of their algorithms or the sophistication of their models.
Here’s the issue: The real decision-makers, like C-suite executives, don’t care about the tech jargon, and sometimes don’t even understand it. They’re not interested in the intricate details of your AI models or how innovative your code is. What they care about is results.
The language that wins their attention? It’s all about impact:
How does your solution cut costs?
How does it boost efficiency?
How does it solve their business challenges?
When you shift your messaging to focus on outcomes and business value, you’re more likely to capture the attention of those who control the budget.
Questions to Ask Yourself to Align with Your Audience
To avoid falling into the trap of self-centered products, messaging and content, take a moment to reflect. Here are a few questions to help you assess whether you’re truly speaking to your audience:
Who are my primary decision-makers and stakeholders?
Are you targeting developers, managers, or C-suite executives? Different personas care about different things—make sure you’re tailoring your message accordingly.What are the top challenges my audience faces?
List out their pain points. Are they struggling with inefficiencies, budget constraints, or outdated processes? Your product should be positioned as a solution to those challenges.How does my product or service deliver measurable results?
Focus on outcomes like cost reduction, time savings, or revenue growth. Concrete results speak louder than technical specs.Am I using language that my audience understands?
Review your messaging for jargon. If it’s full of technical terms, consider simplifying it to focus on clear benefits.If I were in my audience’s shoes, would I be excited about this?
Sometimes, a shift in perspective is all you need. Imagine reading your messaging for the first time—does it capture attention, or does it get lost in technical details?
Exercises to Refine Your Messaging
Now that you’ve reflected on your current approach, here are some practical exercises to ensure your content is aligned with your audience’s needs:
Create an “Audience Persona” Worksheet
Write down the key characteristics of your ideal customer, including their job title, goals, challenges, and what success looks like for them. Use this persona as a reference whenever you create new content or messaging.Conduct a “Benefits vs. Features” Audit
Review your website copy, sales emails, or product materials. Highlight every instance of a feature (what your product does) and a benefit (the value it delivers). Aim to have at least twice as many benefits as features.Interview Current Customers
Reach out to your existing customers and ask them:What challenges did they face before using your product?
How has your solution impacted their business?
What language do they use to describe their pain points and successes?
These insights can be gold when crafting messaging that resonates.
Write a 1-Page Pitch Targeted at Different Personas
Try writing a concise pitch tailored for a specific audience. For example, one pitch for a CTO and another for a CFO. This exercise forces you to adapt your message to what each persona values most.
Bottom Line: Speak Their Language, or Risk Leaving Money on the Table
If you’re not addressing your buyer’s core concerns, you’re leaving money on the table. You might have a world-class product, but if your messaging doesn’t align with what your audience truly cares about, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities.
So, the next time you create content, write copy, or pitch your product—ask yourself: Am I creating this for me, or for them?
Want more insights like this? Sign up for our newsletter for deeper takes on storytelling, sales strategies, and ways to drive growth in your business.
