Crafting the Right Message for Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs, and Salespeople

One of the most common topics that comes up in coaching conversations—especially with entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and salespeople—is how to craft a message that truly resonates. Whether you’re putting together a 30-60 second pitch or writing copy, the foundation of an effective message is knowing who you are speaking to. Defining your audience, target client, and ideal client is crucial because it grabs attention, helps others understand your value, and leads to strong referrals.

Understanding the “Who” in Your Message

When you craft a message, the most important question is who you’re speaking to. Identifying your ideal client is key, as it helps others know exactly who would benefit from your services. Here are two examples that show how focusing on who makes a difference:

1. Voiceover Talent Example:
   I asked one of my clients, a voiceover artist, to think about the clients she recently worked with. She mentioned a real estate developer for whom she had done voiceover work for 20 videos to help sell properties. During a networking event, there were real estate professionals present, but many of her other clients wouldn’t have applied to anyone in the room. So, we narrowed her pitch to focus on who—real estate developers—as her ideal clients. We framed the message around the developers’ problem (needing high-quality videos to market properties) and how her voiceover work provided the solution.
2. Real Estate Consultant Example:
   Another client, a real estate consultant, had to figure out who his real client was. Was it the homebuyer, whose property issues he helps resolve? Or was it the real estate agent, who encounters these problems in about 50% of closings? After digging in, we realized that real estate agents were his key referral partners because they face unresolved property issues in 3 out of 5 transactions. The homebuyer might be unaware, but the agents experience the pain firsthand. Focusing on real estate agents as his primary referral partners gave him a clear path to grow his business.

The other thing is by knowing who you’re speaking to and what their problem is—especially in weekly networking groups—you can focus on a different client with a different problem each week. Over time, you’ll share a variety of products, services, and examples of who you work with, consistently educating others on exactly who to refer to you.

In both examples, focusing on the who allowed the message to resonate more clearly and led to stronger referrals. This is key to crafting a pitch that makes people think, “I know someone who needs this!”

Framework for Crafting an Effective 30-60 Second Pitch

Now that we’ve established the importance of the who, let’s dive into the steps for delivering a clear, concise pitch. These times are based on a 60-second commercial, but can easily be adapted for shorter formats. Knowing your time is critical because, in this format, you will always have your Name, Company, Type of Business, and Tagline. The middle section is what you’ll need to adapt, and understanding how much time you have left will help you structure it effectively.

1. Name, Company, Type of Business (5-8 seconds)
   • Start with a clear introduction that identifies you and your business.
     Example: “Hi, I’m [Your Name] from [Your Company]. We provide voiceover services for real estate developers.”
2. Engaging Content (20-25 seconds)
   Choose one of two approaches:
   • Option 2A: Ideal Client → Problem → Solution
     Identify your ideal client, describe their problem, and explain how you solve it.
     Example: “We work with real estate developers who need high-quality videos to market their properties. Our voiceover services ensure their videos are professional and engaging, helping them close deals faster.”
   • Option 2B: Client Problem → Solution → Success Story/Testimonial
     Share a real client’s problem, how you solved it, and the success that followed.
     Example: “Recently, a developer needed 20 commercial videos for a new property. Our voiceover work helped create professional content, boosting their sales efforts.”
3. Specific Ask (10-15 seconds)
   • Be clear about what type of referral or introduction you’re seeking.
     Example: “If you know any real estate developers who need professional video content, I’d love an introduction.”
4. Tagline (3-5 seconds)
   • End with a memorable tagline that reinforces your value.
     Example: “At [Your Company], we bring your marketing to life with professional voiceover solutions.”

Putting the Framework into Action: Sample Voiceover Talent Pitch

To demonstrate how you can apply this framework, here’s an example pitch from a voiceover talent that follows the steps outlined above. This serves as a great template to help you craft your own, adaptable to different client types and industries:

• Good morning, everyone!
  I’m a professional voice-over talent and vocal coach. A great example of something I’m looking to support and connect with is a real estate developer. Just this week, I helped a real estate developer with voice-over work for several commercials promoting apartments, condos, mixed-use buildings, and other business developments. The goal was to help them sell their developments and highlight their projects and portfolios.
• This is the same thing every business is trying to do—sell their products or services!
  If you know a real estate developer, or really any business, trying to bring their message to life and make an impact, I’d love to connect. Keep in mind, audio alone makes up 40% of the message, so ensure that 40% truly maximizes your influence! Contact me to help bring your promotions to life.
• Bottom Line: I bring your projects to life with powerful voice-over work. Because my voice is textured, infinitely joyful, and irresistible.

Explanation: Weekly Adaptability

The italic bold sections in the example are the parts that the voiceover talent can easily change out every week. These elements (like real estate developer, apartments, condos, mixed-use buildings, and sell their developments and highlight their projects and portfolios) represent the specific client and problem she is focusing on that week.

The rest of the pitch—such as the Good morning, the tagline, and general message—stays consistent week to week. This adaptable format allows her to showcase a different type of client with a different problem each time, making it highly relevant while still saving time. This structure ensures that the message stays fresh while still maintaining a recognizable and cohesive presentation. It also shows how easily she can fill in the blank each week to adapt it to the clients and industries she is currently working with.

Integrating Donald Miller’s StoryBrand Framework

Donald Miller’s Building a StoryBrand framework focuses on the importance of clarity and simplicity in communication. By centering your message around the problem, solution, and result, you create a one-liner that quickly connects with your audience. For more on creating your own one-liner, check out this video.

For a free online tool to help you implement what you’re learning here and in the video, and to craft your pitch, click here.

Conclusion

The key to crafting an effective message is knowing who you’re speaking to. When you structure your pitch around your ideal client, their specific problem, and how you provide a solution, your message lands more effectively and leads to better referrals. Whether it’s a 60-second pitch at a networking event or crafting copy for your business, following this framework will help ensure your message resonates.

If you’ve found this insight helpful, or have a breakthrough to share, I’d love to hear from you. Keep rocking, Rockstars!