Today, we’re gonna talk about messaging. Because you really cant talk about voice without talking about messaging at least a little bit.
And, just like voice can feel like this concept, messaging can feel hella confusing when you’re trying to figure it out for yourself.
If you’ve ever tried to get your messaging together, you probably instantly got buried under terms like guiding principles, UVP, mission, vision, differentiators, brand pillars, messaging pillars, key messages, so on and henceforth into eternity…
The internet freaking LOVES a good jargon word.
And a lot of the humans of the internet love to define their jargon words just slightly differently.
I’m a freaking messaging strategist and voice nerd of the highest order, and even I freaking get lost in the sauce of it sometimes.
So if you’re sitting there wondering what you actually need to figure out when it comes to your messaging— and where the hell to start — I’ve got you.
That’s what we’re gonna talk about today.
Alright, so like I said, voice and messaging cannot be talked about in siloes.
Teccchhnniicallyyy they’re separate things, but they are suppperrrr duppperrr intertwined.
They 100% build on each other. And influence each other.
You cannot — or at least should not — talk about voice + personality without also talking about perspective.
Your beliefs.
Your experiences.
Your point of view.
Your motivations.
The reason you’re doing this whole thing, and the humans you wanna do it for or with.
Like with getting curious about the way we show up in a group chat or the vibe of our brand world. Getting clear on your messaging for yourself starts with starting to jot down these bad boys.
When conviction or aha thoughts pop into your head or theres a moment that exemplifies your stances in real time, write it down.
Create a new tab on the note you started in episode 1 so those thoughts have a home. Start collecting them.
A little at a time, you’ll start building a message that’s 100% centred in YOUR actual thoughts and beliefs and experiences, and build an unreplicable message to go along with that unreplicable voice.
If you’re still unclear on your message, your voice is probably gonna feel disconnected too.
And if your voice feels off or flat?
Chances are, you’re trying to deliver someone else’s message in your own tone.
Never hits the same.
And it’s zero fun.
So if you did nothing else, this would be a MAGICAL place to start.
But let’s nerd out just a tad more and hopefully make this all feel just a little bit less confusing.
You’ve probably downloaded a few templates.
Read a few blog posts about pillars of some kind.
And then read another blog post that said something different lol.
This is the bain of my existence.
Brand pillars. Messaging pillars. Content pillars.
What the hell’s the difference?
We’re gonna go into this a bit, but what I want you to focus on is that it really doesnt fucking matter what you call them or what your messaging system looks like, as long as it freaking works for you.
Us messaging humans put things in a system with fancy names because its the easiest way to organize them, but YOU know your brand better than anyone so organize your thoughts however the hell you want.
Alright, where was I lol
Right, pillars and the other jargon associated with messaging.
A lot of “messaging pillar” templates these days are really just renamed content buckets.
So you get categories like:
- “Client wins”
- “Behind the scenes”
- “Process and method”
- “My story”
- “Tips and how-tos”
- “My why”
Or you get slightly zoomed-out “brand themes” like:
- “Authenticity”
- “Mindset”
- “Leadership”
- “Creativity”
- “Brand messaging”
And hey, those are all valid categories. But they are not, messaging pillars.
They help organize your content calendar.
But they don’t help you say anything specific or distinctive.
And you might even be thinking…what do you mean pillars? I thought I was supposed to start with my values? Or my mission? Or whatever else?
And by the time you’ve gone down three Google rabbit holes and tried to cram your brand into some 3-circle Venn diagram, you’re more confused than when you started.
I feel you dude.
So what do you need?
Before we get back to my main squeeze the messaging pillar let’s just break down some of the core key players, quickly. There the foundation. If you know these, you’re in really good shape.
Guiding Principles = values in action. The way you *roll.* Usually internal.
Differentiators = why your version hits different. Could be a lot of things. Your story. Some other edge. Not just the offers. Not just your process. But, your lens. THE VOICE + PERSONALITY. The context. The way you see things. The magic in how you do what you do.
Brand Pillars = High-Level buckets (Optional-ish in my opinion) Brand pillars are kind of like zoomed-out topics or themes. The stuff you talk about all the time.
Stuff like:
- “Creativity”
- “Process”
- “Brand voice”
Fine. Not wrong. But they don’t help you say anything yet. They’re useful for internal organization and can usually double as content themes or whatever. If you’re clear on your beliefs and your edge, you’re probably already embodying your brand pillars without naming them. And in my experience they do not help with the blank page overwhelm factor.
Key Messages = The Stuff That Sticks
These aren’t drafted on Day 1. These are the sticky lines. The ones that get screenshotted. The ones your clients quote back to you. Don’t force them my dude. And definitely dont start with them. Save these bad boys for last.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST…
Messaging Pillars = Where the Magic Lives
Messaging pillars are the narrative threads you keep coming back to. THE backbone of your messaging. They show up in evverrryytthhhinnnggg and are, after brand voice & personality, my absolutely favourite thing to strategize and devise for clients.
They’re not “topics.” They’re takes. They’re convictions. They connect your POV to your content, your offers, and your client conversations.
For example:
“There’s no one right way to do it.”
“Your voice is not a liability. It’s the whole point.”
“It’s just words on the internet.”
Those aren’t vibes. They’re anchors. They help you know what you’re here to say — and why it matters. You should be able to open your Notion and go, “Oh yeah, I can riff on that today.”
Like I said before I want you to build out your messaging in a whatever way or order feels good for you, BUT getting clear on your Messaging Pillars are the thing that will make most of everything else easier.
They become the whole compass for what you say. If done right, obbbviousslly. And in this instance. RIGHT means whatever helps you write the things consistently and with confidence so you dreamy humans can find you and love on your words.
Honestly, these probably already live in your brain. It’s just a matter of writing them down.
Let’s break down one of mine as an example.
EXAMPLE: “There’s no one right way to do it.”
What it means:
I believe in experimentation, personalization, and creative freedom.
I help people build messaging systems that reflect the way they think and work.
Why it matters:
So many founders feel stuck trying to follow the “right” formula.
Content Angles:
- Debunking “rules” in branding or copy
- Voice-first messaging tips
- Behind-the-scenes of nontraditional decisions
- Weird, unscalable things that worked anyway
- Examples of people doing things just cuz and it working out.
Copy examples:
- “There’s no one right way to write copy. But there is a way that feels more like you.”
- “Your voice is not a liability. It’s the whole point.”
- “If you’re trying to reverse-engineer your voice from someone else’s template? You don’t have to.”
ANOTHER ONE OF MINE?
“This isn’t life or death. They’re just words on the internet.”
It’s not just the podcast title.
It’s a permission slip.
It reminds me to loosen my grip.
And it reminds you that writing can feel lighter, even when the work is deep.
Let your pillars emerge from the work. Don’t start with a blank template.
Start with your stories. Your opinions. Your spiciest takes.
Then ask:
→ What’s the throughline?
→ What do I say over and over without realizing it?
→ What truth am I trying to get across in 10 different ways?
Here’s the order I’d walk you through (and do, inside client work):
- Guiding principles – what do you believe, and how do you roll?
- Differentiators – what makes your version of this work different?
- Messaging pillars – what themes do you keep circling back to?
- Key messages – what lines stick with people when you say them?
Okay, maybe you’re listening and thinking:
“Wait. Shouldn’t this be based on… like…what my audience wants to hear?”
Totally fair question.
Let’s talk about it.
Messaging does need to resonate.
It needs to feel relevant. Like you’re saying what your people didn’t know they needed to hear, but now can’t stop thinking about.
But here’s the thing:
That resonance doesn’t come from copying what your audience already says.
It comes from connecting your beliefs to what they’re navigating.
You’ve gotta start with what’s true for you — your actual point of view — then refine it based on what your people need to hear from you in order to trust, believe, or buy.
So yeah — audience research? A must.
Looking at competitors? 100%
Listening for patterns in consult calls, testimonials, DM convos? Golden.
But here’s the key:
Messaging pillars aren’t about echoing what everyone else is saying.
They’re about offering a perspective your people can rally around — or feel safe inside of.
And that YOU can be pumped to create around. Because if you dont enjoy dude, your not gonna do it. And if your not gonna do it, no one is going to see it, let alone your dreamy clients.
So START with your perspectives, then edit and refine to make sure they connect with your audience.
How This Connects Back to Voice
Here’s the thing:
When you’re clear on your messaging pillars, your voice has somewhere to go.
It’s like…you’re no longer trying to “write with personality” out of nowhere.
You’re writing from a POV.
You’re speaking from conviction.
You’re saying the thing you keep wanting to say—but now with more confidence and consistency.
And when your messaging and voice are aligned?
You stop asking: “Does this sound like me?”
Because it feels like you. All the way through. And repeatable — in the best way.
If you’ve been building your brand world since the last episode— your setting, your character, your voice.
I want you to add this question to your quest:
What are the convictions this character keeps circling back to?
If your brand lived inside that bar of mine — what would be scribbled on the wall behind the counter?
What are the “house rules”?
Start that list.
These aren’t just “talking points.”
They’re the heartbeat of what your brand has to say.
And that’s what gives your voice weight, clarity, and direction.
Open up your Brand World not. Start brainstorming…
→ What are the things your brand character always comes back to?
- What do they believe about your industry?
- What do they think people are getting wrong?
- What’s their favorite soapbox?
- What do they whisper under their breath when they scroll?
- What do they want their clients to know more than anything?
- What do they think they need…but you know isn’t the whole story?
Those? Those are your messaging seeds.
You’re allowed to let this build.
Start by noticing what keeps showing up:
- Your rants
- Your pep talks
- The thing you always say on consult calls
- The line that gets people to DM you “omg SAME”
Those moments are not random.
You can edit for strategy later.
But for now?
Notice what keeps showing up.
That’s what we build on.
