Ever feel like your marketing is just shouting into the void? Like you’re surrounded by opportunity, but no matter how loud you yell, no one stops to listen? So, naturally, you shout louder. But still—crickets. Eventually, you just give up, thinking, What’s the point?
Here’s the thing: it’s not about how loud you’re shouting. People can hear you—they’re just not paying attention because you’re saying the wrong things. Ouch, right? But don’t worry—this happens to everyone at some point.
When it does, it’s easy to spiral. You start thinking, Why is everyone else crushing it while I’m stuck here barely scraping by? You feel like you’re failing, like you’ve got no idea what you’re doing, and maybe even start questioning whether you should be in business at all.
Here’s the good news: there’s a fix. It’s not magic, but it’s pretty close. In marketing speak, we call it Market Message Match. In real talk? It’s about meeting your audience where they are right now—speaking their language, addressing their current frustrations, and being the solution they didn’t even know they needed.
Let me break it down for you with an example.
The Kitchen Renovation Conundrum
Imagine you own a business that does kitchen renovations. Sales are slow, so you decide to run ads promoting… well, kitchen renovations. Makes sense, right? After all, some people are actively looking for new kitchens.
But here’s the kicker: that’s maybe 2% of your market. The other 98%? They’re not even thinking about kitchen renovations yet. They’ve got other stuff on their minds.
Now, here’s the twist: about half of that 98% could be potential customers—they’re just not there yet. They’re still stuck in the problem phase, not the solution phase.
Right now, they’re thinking:
– Why can’t I ever find a Tupperware lid when I need it?!
– Ugh, I need more storage space.
– I’m so embarrassed to have people over with this stained benchtop.
They’re frustrated, annoyed, maybe even a little embarrassed. They’re not thinking, I need a kitchen renovation. They’re thinking, I need my life to be easier.
So, What’s the Fix?
If you want to grab their attention, you need to start where *they* are—right in the middle of their frustration.
Instead of running ads that scream, “New kitchens on sale now!” try this:
– “How long did you spend looking for Tupperware lids last week? We get it—the struggle is real.”
– “Ever told your friends, ‘Let’s just go out for dinner’ because you were too embarrassed about your cracked splashback? You’re not alone.”
See the difference? You’re acknowledging their pain points and making them feel seen. You’re not shaming them or making them feel inferior—you’re just saying, Hey, we get it. We’ve been there too. And we can help.
The Secret Sauce: Know Your Market
There are two key ingredients to nailing your Market Message Match:
- Know How They’re Feeling Right Now
If you don’t know what’s keeping your audience up at night, you’re just guessing. Need help figuring it out? Grab your free copy of our Client Crystal Ball [HERE]. - Know Where to Reach Them
– The 2% actively looking for your product? They’re on Google. Run short, sharp ads with strong calls to action targeting relevant keywords.
– That same 2% might also be on socials—but they’re there for other reasons. Use retargeting ads to reach people who’ve already visited your website or engaged with your brand.
– The other 98%? They’re on socials and YouTube, Googling things like, “How do I stop losing my container lids?” Here’s where you offer solutions—maybe a helpful guide or a blog post. Once they engage with that, you can retarget them with more direct ads about your kitchen renovations, or email and SMS if they opted in for a free down load.
Bringing It All Together
Here’s the main takeaway: people are busy. They’re wrapped up in their own lives, their own problems, and their own “OMG, where is that Tupperware lid?!” moments.
As marketers, it’s our job to understand that, create solutions to help, and craft messages that meet them where they are right now—not where we *want* them to be.
So, stop shouting louder. Start speaking their language. And watch how quickly they start paying attention.
Need help matching your message to your market? Grab some time with us HERE, we can help.