You know what you're selling. You know how to price it.

But none of that matters if you can't communicate it in a way that makes people want to work with you.

Here's the truth:

"People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

You could have 20 years of experience, incredible frameworks, and proven results. But if you lead with that, you'll sound like every other coach.

The secret? Start with empathy. Show them you understand their world better than they do. Then everything else you say will land.

This page shows you how to craft messaging that makes prospects think: "This person gets me. I need to talk to them."

Step 1: Get the Pain Right (Or Everything Else Fails)

Here's the most important thing you'll read on this page:

If you get the pain wrong, nothing else matters.

It's like marketing a pregnancy supplement to men. You could have the best product, the best price, the best messaging—but you're talking to the wrong problem.

So before you write a single message, you need to understand:

1. What pain are they experiencing right now?

2. Is it the right kind of pain that makes them take action?

The PURE Framework: Is It the Right Pain?

Not all pain is equal. Some pain makes people take action. Some doesn't.

Use the PURE framework to check if you're targeting the right pain:

P - Painful
It's creating serious challenges. Shrinking margins. Cash flow struggles. Missing time with family. Stress affecting health.

U - Urgent
It needs to be addressed immediately before it spirals further. Not a "nice to have." A "must fix now."

R - Recognized
They're fully aware of the issue. No denial here. They know it's a problem.

E - Enduring
It won't go away on its own. Action is required to fix it.

Example:

❌ Not PURE: "Your branding could be better"
(Not urgent, not recognized, not enduring)

✅ PURE: "You're working 70-hour weeks and still struggling with cash flow"
(Painful, urgent, recognized, enduring)

Action: Write down 3-5 pain points your ideal client is experiencing. Run them through the PURE framework. Only use the ones that pass all four criteria.

Step 2: Enter the Conversation Already Happening in Their Head

The best messaging doesn't introduce new ideas. It articulates what they're already thinking.

You need to get inside their head and understand:

• What keeps them up at night?

• What frustrates them every single day?

• What do they wish was different?

Exercise 1: Current Day vs. Ideal Day

Current Day:

• They wake up anxious about cash flow

• Interrupted all day by team issues

• Meetings go off track

• They get home drained, questioning what they achieved

• Missing dinner with their kids again

Ideal Day:

• They wake up clear and focused on priorities

• Team runs smoothly without constant interruptions

• Meetings are productive with clear outcomes

• They get home energized, having hit their targets

• Home for dinner, present with family

When you can describe their current day better than they can, they assume you have the solution.

Action: Write out your ideal client's current day and ideal day in detail. Use this to craft messaging that shows you understand their world.

Exercise 2: The Late Friday Night Test

Imagine your ideal client on a Friday night after a bad week, bad month, bad quarter.

They're sitting with their spouse, glass of wine in hand, and they say:

"I just wish..."

What do they say next?

Not in "coach speak." In their words. Raw. Frustrated. Honest.

"I just wish we could close more deals without me having to do everything."

"I just wish I could find the right people who actually do the work they're supposed to."

"I just wish we had better quality customers instead of these nightmare clients."

"I just wish I could take a holiday without everything falling apart."

This is the language you use in your messaging.

Not polished. Not professional. Real.

Action: Write down 5-10 "I just wish..." statements from your ideal client's perspective. Use this language in your outreach.

Exercise 3: The Mentor Exercise (What They'd Say to Someone They Trust)

Imagine your ideal client sitting across from a mentor they deeply respect.

The mentor asks: "How can I help?"

What does your client say? Not the surface-level answer. The deep, vulnerable truth.

"I'm exhausted. I'm working 70-hour weeks and we're barely profitable. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I feel like I'm failing."

This is the pain beneath the pain.

Action: Write out what your ideal client would say to their mentor in a moment of total honesty. This reveals the emotional pain, not just the tactical problem.

Step 3: Paint the Crossroads

Understanding their pain is only half the equation.

You also need to show them the crossroads:

Path 1: Do Nothing (Things Get Worse)
If they stay where they are, the problem doesn't stay the same. It gets worse.

• Cash flow gets tighter

• They burn out completely

• They miss more time with family

• The business plateaus or declines

Path 2: Take Action (Things Get Better)
If they work with you, here's what changes.

• Cash flow improves

• They work fewer hours

• They're home for dinner

• The business grows

Your messaging needs to paint both paths clearly.

Example:

"Right now, you're working 70-hour weeks and barely breaking even. If nothing changes, next year will be the same—or worse. But if we fix your systems and get your team accountable, you could be at £2M revenue, working 40 hours, and home for dinner. Which path do you want?"

Action: In your messaging, always paint the crossroads. Show them what happens if they do nothing vs. what happens if they take action.

Step 4: Use Specific Numbers & Timeframes

Vague messaging doesn't work. Specific messaging does.

Bad: "I help businesses increase profit."

Better: "I help businesses add £300K in profit."

Best: "I help engineering companies grow from £1M to £3M in revenue in 3 years while the owner cuts their hours in half."

The formula:

• Before state (£1M revenue, 70 hours/week)

• After state (£3M revenue, 40 hours/week)

• Timeframe (3 years)

• Specific details (engineering companies, owner)

Why Numbers Matter

Numbers make you sound believable and authentic.

Clients can judge your offer against clear parameters.

Compare these:

❌ "I help businesses grow"
✅ "I helped a law firm grow from £200K to £1M profit in 3 years"

❌ "I help owners work less"
✅ "I helped an MD cut his hours from 70 to 40 per week in 6 months"

The second version is 10x more credible because it's specific.

Action: Write down 3-5 before/after examples with specific numbers and timeframes. Use these in your messaging.

Step 5: Prioritize the Right Pain Points

Your ideal client has multiple problems. You can't talk about all of them.

You need to prioritize.

Ask yourself:

1. Which problem is most PURE? (Painful, Urgent, Recognized, Enduring)

2. Which problem do they care about most right now?

3. Which problem can you solve fastest? (Quick wins build trust)

Example:

A business owner might have:

• Cash flow issues (PURE, urgent, they care a lot)

• Team performance issues (PURE, urgent, they care a lot)

• Marketing issues (less urgent, they care less)

Lead with cash flow or team performance. Not marketing.

Action: List all the problems your ideal client has. Rank them by PURE criteria and urgency. Lead with the top 1-2.

Step 6: Painkillers vs. Vitamins

Painkillers: Solve immediate, urgent pain (e.g., "fix cash flow crisis")
Vitamins: Prevent future problems (e.g., "build long-term systems")

Most people buy painkillers, not vitamins.

They'll pay to stop the bleeding right now. They won't pay to prevent a problem they don't have yet.

Your messaging should lead with painkillers, then position vitamins later.

Example:

Painkiller (initial messaging): "Are you struggling with cash flow and working 70-hour weeks?"

Vitamin (sales call): "Once we fix cash flow, we'll build systems so this never happens again."

Action: Identify which of your client's problems are painkillers (urgent, immediate) vs. vitamins (preventative, long-term). Lead with painkillers.

Pro Tip: Positive vs. Negative Messaging

Marketers will tell you negative messaging always works best:

"Are you sick and tired of working 70-hour weeks?"
"Frustrated by low profit margins?"

But sometimes positive messaging works better:

"Are you looking to increase profit?"
"Want to grow to £5M revenue?"

Why?

If an industry is really struggling (e.g., post-Covid), people are overwhelmed by negativity. They need hope, not more pain.

Our recommendation: Test both. Start with positive. If it doesn't work, try negative.

Action: Write 2 versions of your core message—one positive, one negative. Test both.

Step 7: Market Sophistication (Why You Need to Be Specific)

Markets evolve. Messaging needs to evolve with them.

Level 1: "I help people lose weight."
(Works when the market is new and no one else is offering this)

Level 2: "I help people lose 10 pounds."
(Works when competitors enter and you need to be more specific)

Level 3: "I help people lose 10 pounds in 6 months."
(Works when the market is crowded and you need timeframes)

Level 4: "I help new mothers lose 10 pounds of baby weight in 6 months."
(Works when you need to target a specific group)

Level 5: "This one weird trick melts fat off new mothers' bellies."
(Works when the market is saturated and you need curiosity)

The coaching industry is at Level 3-4.

You need:

• Specific outcomes (not just "I help businesses grow")

• Specific numbers (£1M to £3M)

• Specific timeframes (in 3 years)

• Ideally, specific groups (engineering companies, law firms, etc.)

Business coaching version:

❌ Level 1: "I help businesses grow"
❌ Level 2: "I help businesses increase profit"
✅ Level 3: "I help businesses add £500K in profit in 2 years"
✅ Level 4: "I help engineering companies add £500K in profit in 2 years"
✅ Level 5: "The simple system that helped an engineering MD add £9M in profit in 4 years"

Action: Write your messaging at Level 3-4. Use specific outcomes, numbers, timeframes, and (if possible) specific groups.

Step 8: Use Proof From Your Career or Clients

Specific proof = instant credibility.

Two types of proof:

1. Career Proof (what you did in your corporate career)

"I ask because at JCB I used a system to grow the Attachments Business from £150K/yr profit to £9M in 4 years by keeping the team accountable." (James Baker)

2. Client Proof (what you've done for clients)

"I ask because Stephen Ward, MD of Clerksroom, grew his law firm's profit from £200K to £1M in 3 years and cut his working hours in half by following my system." (John McCarthy)

Career proof is better when you're starting (you don't have clients yet).

Client proof is better once you have results (more relevant, more believable).

Action: Write 2-3 proof statements using the formula: [Name/Company] + [Before State] → [After State] + [Timeframe] + [How]

Step 9: Research Like a Detective

You can't empathize if you don't understand your client's world.

Here's how to research:

1. Look at LinkedIn profiles

• What do they post about?

• What frustrates them?

• What language do they use?

2. Read industry forums

• What questions are they asking?

• What problems come up repeatedly?

3. Use AI tools

• Ask ChatGPT: "What are the top 5 problems a [your ideal client] faces?"

• Ask: "How would a [your ideal client] describe [specific problem] to their spouse?"

4. Talk to people in the industry

• Ask: "What's the biggest challenge you're facing right now?"

• Listen for language, emotion, urgency

The goal: Understand their world better than they do.

Action: Spend 2-3 hours researching your ideal client. Write down the exact language they use to describe their problems.

Putting It All Together: The Messaging Formula

Here's the formula for effective messaging:

1. Lead with empathy (show you understand their current situation)
"I know you're working 70-hour weeks and struggling with cash flow..."

2. Paint the crossroads (show what happens if they do nothing vs. take action)
"If nothing changes, next year will be the same—or worse. But if we fix your systems..."

3. Use specific proof (show you've done this before)
"I helped an engineering MD grow from £150K to £9M profit in 4 years..."

4. Make it about them (focus on their outcome, not your process)
"...which means you could be at £3M revenue, working 40 hours, home for dinner."

5. Call to action (make it easy to take the next step)
"Happy to share what worked if you're interested. Does Monday or Wednesday work for a quick call?"

Summary: Your Messaging Checklist

Before you write any message, make sure you:

✅ Understand the pain (use PURE framework)
✅ Enter the conversation in their head (Current Day vs. Ideal Day, Late Friday Night Test)
✅ Paint the crossroads (do nothing = worse, take action = better)
✅ Use specific numbers & timeframes (before/after with details)
✅ Prioritize the right pain points (most PURE, most urgent)
✅ Lead with painkillers (urgent problems, not preventative)
✅ Be at Level 3-4 market sophistication (specific outcomes, numbers, groups)
✅ Use proof from career or clients (specific examples with results)
✅ Research deeply (LinkedIn, forums, AI, conversations)

Now you know what to say. The next page will show you exactly how to reach out.

Ready to start generating leads? Continue to "Lead Generation" and discover the specific tactics for warm network, personalized outreach, and automation.

Does this work? I've made it simple enough for a 10-year-old (step-by-step, clear examples), covered all the key concepts (PURE, empathy, crossroads, specificity, market sophistication), kept it scannable with bold headers and action items, and set up the bridge to Lead Generation. Let me know if you want any adjustments!