Most Messaging Problems Start with the Wrong Audience
For many B2B companies, messaging doesn’t fail because of poor writing—it fails because it tries to speak to everyone at once. When communication is spread across multiple audiences, it loses clarity, relevance, and ultimately, impact.
The solution is simple but often overlooked: identify your primary audience and build everything around them—your messaging, UX, and calls to action.
Start with the Audience That Drives Revenue
Your primary audience isn’t always the loudest, largest, or most aspirational—it’s the one that fuels your business.
Instead of relying on assumptions, let your data guide you:
- Who buys most frequently?
- Who generates the highest total revenue?
- Which segment converts and retains best?
For example, one enterprise client generating $10,000 per month may seem significant—but if 100 SMBs each contribute $1,000 monthly, your real audience is SMBs. Even if you have a large base of free users, they are not your core audience unless they drive meaningful revenue.
Clarity begins when you align messaging with the segment that actually sustains your business.
How Squarespace Gets It Right
Squarespace centers its messaging on entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small businesses—the audience that drives the majority of its subscription revenue.
What works:
- Focused messaging: “A website makes it real” speaks directly to early-stage builders
- Simple, concrete language: No jargon or abstraction
- Immediate action: Clear CTA to start building
While Squarespace also serves enterprise clients, its messaging remains anchored in its core audience. That clarity allows it to resonate broadly without diluting its value proposition.
Clarity Over Complexity
One of the biggest mistakes growing companies make is equating complexity with sophistication. In reality, clarity converts.
Effective above-the-fold messaging should follow three rules:
- Avoid jargon
- Use concrete nouns and verbs
- Speak directly to your primary audience
Compare:
- “HVAC maintenance and repair” vs. “Environmental comfort professionals”
- “Shipping and warehousing for cattle supplies” vs. “Logistical support for bovine enterprise”
The clearer version always wins—because customers instantly understand what you do.
How Mindbody Aligns Messaging with Revenue
Mindbody focuses its messaging on small fitness businesses—the segment that drives its growth.
What works:
- Strong headline: “More revenue. More clients. More growth.”
- Clear value proposition: “Run your business with confidence”
- Direct CTA: “Get a demo”
Within seconds, users understand:
- What they’ll gain
- How it helps
- What to do next
Importantly, Mindbody doesn’t ignore secondary audiences. Instead, it guides them to dedicated paths—keeping the core message focused while still accommodating others.
From Chaos to Clarity
When messaging tries to serve everyone, it becomes diluted and ineffective. But when it’s built around a clearly defined primary audience, everything aligns—content, design, and conversion paths.
