Late last year, I made a big decision in my business.
It was one of those “this isn’t working” moments that forces you to take a long, honest look at what you’ve created and admit it’s not doing what you intended.
My signature marketing program was, put simply, too much.
Clients weren’t walking away with more clarity. I was smothering them with marketing love, and they were walking away with more overwhelm.
So, I decided to change it.
Why I thought simplifying my offer was the answer
I didn’t throw the whole thing in the bin, just reshaped it into three new LinkedIn-specific packages.
My thinking was: LinkedIn is where most of my audience needs support, and offering tiered options would make it easier for people to say “yes”.
The structure was neat. The logic felt sound.
And in case you’re wondering how I tested the idea? I didn’t. Not properly.
I consulted an elite focus group of (just) 3 people:
- A business bestie (a web developer who thinks everything I do is amazing – bless)
- A marketing mentor (“Why not test it and see?” she half-suggested)
- Myself (but what did I know? My biggest problem was already overloading people with too much “marketing love”)
Then, I went all in.
Wrote a sales page. Updated my LinkedIn profile. Created a new lead magnet. Talked about it in posts and emails.
I was feeling pretty good about it.
So, how many new clients did I actually sign?
In my mind, this was a no-brainer offer. Clients should have been queuing up like it was a Black Friday sale.
In reality?
Not a single sign-up, and no enquiries. Just an echo chamber of my own hopeful thinking bouncing around inside a very quiet inbox.
I knew launches could take time, but the silence was deafening.
Safe to say, it wasn’t exactly the dream start to the year I’d imagined.
Where it went wrong (and what I learned)
The problem wasn’t just the offer, it was the process behind creating it. I assumed I knew what my audience needed, but I never really asked.
I guessed at the format. I decided on the delivery. I shaped the messaging around what made sense to me, not what was actually resonating with my clients.
And I skipped a crucial step: getting real feedback before going all in.
What’s more, messaging matters.
Even if this was the best thing to come out of my brain since I discovered tea, maybe people needed it framed differently to see the value.
How I got my offers and marketing back on track
Once I dusted off my bruised marketing ego, I did what I should’ve done from the start: I talked to people.
Not just close business friends or loyal clients.
I reached out more widely, to past clients, current clients, peers, mentors, even a couple of competitors I’m connected with. I asked what was working for them. What they were looking for. What they’d love to see, and what they didn’t really care about.
But most importantly, I listened.
The feedback wasn’t always glowing, but it was clear. It gave me the perspective I’d been missing.
Assumptions are sneaky (even when you know your clients)
One of the biggest takeaways was that even when you think you know your audience, assumptions can trip you up.
We get close to our ideas. We overthink and try to out-strategise reality.
But real-world conversations cut through all that. They show you what’s resonating, what’s missing, and where the message needs a tweak (often before you’ve even built the thing).
Three simple ways to gather better audience insights
If you’re shaping something new – whether it’s a service, a resource, or a meaty piece of content – don’t do it in isolation. Here’s how to start small:
1. Ask past clients what stood out
What was most helpful? What did they skip over? Their answers can reveal more than any general survey.
2. Use a LinkedIn poll for quick validation
It’s low effort, but high value. You’ll get real responses, fast.
3. Test a mini version before going all in
A soft launch or early offer lets you gauge interest without committing too much time or energy upfront.
A little feedback at the beginning can save you from a whole lot of fixing later.
What I’d do differently next time (and what you can steal from this)
Next time I’m developing a new offer, I won’t just trust my gut or my inner circle. I’ll talk to my audience early and often before building a thing.
Because real clarity doesn’t come from inside a Google Doc.
It comes from asking better questions and listening closely to the answers.
If you’re tired of guessing what your audience wants and ready to shape a more intentional approach, that’s what I help with in Marketing Momentum.
Over six personalised sessions, we’ll build on what’s already working and create a simple approach that plays to your natural marketing strengths. Together, we’ll focus on what matters most so your marketing feels easier, more consistent, and actually leads somewhere.
