NOTE: The AI hosts are generated by NotebookLM and use the StraightUp newsletter as source material. Sometimes they get a little tipsy and go on tangents and like your uncle Al, when that happens there’s no way to know what comes next.

Welcome Patrons!

I was speaking with an entrepreneur this week about one of the most common challenges we run into in business; messaging multiple audiences without confusing them—or yourself. This is something I help clients with as part of the Brand Messaging System. Like I discussed in last week’s newsletter, when you have multiple audiences, you may need one unifying message and messaging specifically aimed at each individual audience. Getting this right, it critical to your ability to clearly communicate your value. So, today, I’m covering how to speak clearly to multiple groups without diluting your message. Pull up a bar stool and let’s get into it.

You Don’t Have to Choose, But…

You don’t “get” multiple audiences by choice. Sometimes, it just happens. Usually, it’s because of our inability to say NO. Been there.

Whether it fits our personality or not, entrepreneurs are generally silent people pleasers. When a client asks us to do something, even if it’s outside of our current offer or skill set, we will generally say, Yes! I mean, after all, we can figure out how to do it, right?

Here’s the problem. Once you say yes, you’ve just expanded your offering.

If you’re like most entrepreneurs, you never get rid of that offering. Heck, you already did the work for someone, so why not keep it around for someone else? And boom! Now you have multiple offers and eventually multiple audiences, all because of the elusive word, no.

I want to be clear on this point. If you are a solopreneur or small business owner, you should be focused on becoming known for doing one thing well, not diluting your brand or offerings with Yes services.

Having said that, it’s possible to juggle multiple audiences if you have a strategy to keep your messaging clear and targeted for each group.

Here are three steps to make sure you keep your messaging pouring out the right tap.

1. Create Clear Profiles for Each Audience

Define what each audience truly needs. What are their desired objectives and the obstacles that get in their way. Larger companies may need strategies for organizational culture, while smaller business may need strategies for social media. Knowing what makes each one tick is your first step.

Action to take: Create separate audience profiles highlighting their differences.

2. Tailor Your Messaging

My favorite. Here’s a hard truth no one wants to hear: you can’t speak to both groups at once. As I discussed in last week’s newsletter, you can create a unified message, but you still need individual messaging for each audience, product, and service.

Sticking with the same examples as above, if larger companies are focused on culture, your messaging needs to be around creating the culture they want.

Smaller businesses would need to see messaging around social media usage.

Action to take: Craft different versions of messaging so you speak directly to each audience.

3. Know The Bars They Visit

Because of their differences, it’s likely your audiences may hang out on different platforms. One group may favor LinkedIn, the other Instagram, meaning you now need to manage two different channels to reach each audience. It’s not impossible, but it’s unnecessarily complex.

Action to take: Assess where each audience resides online. Is there alignment with one audience vs the other? If not, Karma might be trying to tell you something.

Last Call

A final note before we close the tab on this week’s newsletter. Managing two audiences is possible, but it requires clarity and a structured approach.

A tool like The Brand Messaging System can help distill your message for each group and ensure you’re not sending mixed signals.

If you scrolled to the bottom, here’s today’s final shot:

1 Profile each audience: Understand their unique objectives, obstacles, and needs.

2 Tailor your message: Make your message relevant and specific to each group. Without a strategy to create a unifying message, you risk confusion for yourself and your audience.

3 Segment your platforms: Keep your messaging and content organized, relevant, and aimed directly at each group.

BONUS – Use a system: Personal suggestion, but sometimes you need a structured approach to crafting messaging that avoids confusion. If you find yourself in need of assistance figuring out what to say and how to say it in a way that resonates, Hit reply and let’s chat!