Confessions of a Messaging Wizard: I Committed the Cardinal Sin of Messaging
I fucked up.
I committed the cardinal sin of messaging – I spoke to the wrong person.
Yes, even a messaging + marketing wizard like me makes mistakes.
And sure, I could pretend like it didn’t happen and not share this with you (because most people would) – but that’s not how I roll.
Because understanding the cardinal sin of messaging (and what happens when you make it) is exactly what will help you fix your own messaging moving forward.
So in today’s episode of the How I Do Content Podcast, I’m owning my mistake and sharing what needs to shift for next time to make sure I’m speaking to those Beyonce-level clients only.
So let’s get into it.
Here’s what happened
A couple of weeks ago I opened up spots inside Micro Messaging off the back of running the Obvious Choice Offer Mini-Mind.
Now, I am well versed in launching at this point. I know what’s required from a messaging + marketing perspective to get people moving + saying yes.
But I got distracted – I got caught up in the noise of the great AI debate.
And I probably don’t need to tell you, that it’s fucking loud.
As soon as you open Instagram, Threads, your inbox – you’re bombarded with the “adapt or die” messaging or most recently the whole “ChatGPT vs Claude” discussion. AI and AI adoption is the hottest of hot topics in the online space right now.
And not gonna lie, it feels like when you talk about anything else, it just gets drowned out pretty quickly.
So what did I do? I hyper-fixated on that conversation and started creating content around that topic.
And while yes, I do need to acknowledge the use of AI because it IS something people are getting distracted by instead of focusing on their messaging…but I don’t need to make it my entire launch messaging.
Because that’s how you commit the cardinal sin of messaging.
The Cardinal Sin of Messaging
When I think about my perfect-fit client for Micro Messaging she isn’t doom-scrolling about algorithm changes or losing sleep over which AI tool to use.
She’s:
- obsessed with her work
- brilliant at what she does
- got clients getting real results
But she’s frustrated that more people aren’t finding her.
She wants to take her business to the next level – to expand outside of Instagram and 1:1 offers and basic witch content that sounds like a robot wrote it.
And that’s the thing with an echo chamber like Instagram, you can open it up and start believing it’s reflecting back reality. But that’s not always true and all it does is make you lose sight of what’s really important – your ideal client.
So when I started speaking to the distracted, the fence-sitters, the people deep in the AI debate – I was ignoring the exact person I built Micro Messaging for.
That’s the cardinal sin of messaging: speaking to the wrong person.
And this is something I realised at the end of the launch – which again is why I believe that no launch is ever a complete failure and also the perfect example why you always need to work on your messaging.
Because if I made this mistake – then it’s quite possible you are too.
The lesson
The lesson here is that – well firstly, ideal client work is always important. Sorry, not sorry.
And secondly, it isn’t just about who you speak to, it’s also about the angles you use to reach them.
There are a few different angles your messaging needs to hit, and most people are only hitting one or two.
And here’s what I mean by that.
Think about your ideal client for a second. They’re one person, but they’re not having the same day every day.
Some days they’re:
- feeling fired up and ready to back themselves
- watching someone else land the opportunity they wanted and wondering why that isn’t them
- deep in the problem
- feeling ambitious about what’s possible on the other side of it.
So if your messaging only ever speaks to one of those moments, you’re only ever reaching them on one kind of day.
Which means you’re missing out on a lot of opportunities to convert them into a paying client.
And it’s your messaging angles that help you to reach your Beyonce-level clients. They’re the different entry points into the same conversation and when you rotate through them intentionally, you’re increasing your chances of hitting the target.
So here are the five angles I should’ve been hitting – instead of getting stuck talking about the AI debate.
Angle One: Acceptance
This is the angle that names what your ideal client has become used to. The thing they’ve normalised so completely, they’ve stopped seeing it as the problem.
When you name it, they feel seen.
So instead of talking about AI, I could’ve been speaking to the business owner who has just accepted that getting clients is hard. That referrals are how it works. That Instagram is a slow burn.
They’re brilliant at what they do, they’re getting their existing clients incredible results — but they’ve accepted that the right people just aren’t finding them. And they’ve stopped questioning why.
Angle Two: Use case
This is the day-in-the-life angle. What does the problem actually look and feel every single day.
The more specific and recognisable you make it, the more they see how much you understand exactly what’s going on for them.
So instead of talking about AI, I could’ve been speaking to the business owner who sits down to write a piece of content about their offer, and what comes out sounds nothing like the magic they actually deliver. It’s flat. It’s generic. It could have been written by anyone. So they either post it anyway and get crickets or they scrap it and don’t post at all. Meanwhile their clients are out there raving about them. And none of that energy is making it into their content.
Angle Three: Failed solutions
This is the angle that acknowledges everything they’ve already tried that hasn’t worked and why.
When you name their failed attempts, you validate them in a way. They’ve just been solving the wrong problem. And you make your solution feel genuinely different from everything they’ve already tried or dismissed.
So instead of talking about AI, I could’ve been speaking to the business owner who has tried showing up more consistently, filming more reels, getting better at hooks. And some of it has helped with reach but it hasn’t helped with the right people finding them. Because the problem was never the format. It was what they were actually saying inside it.
Angle Four: Misconceptions
This is the angle that dismantles the beliefs that are keeping them stuck. The things that feel completely logical to them but are working against everything they’re trying to build.
This is the angle that positions you as someone who knows their shit.
So instead of talking about AI, I could’ve been challenging the belief that once they nail their niche or get clearer on their offer, the messaging will just fall into place. That clarity of direction automatically equals clarity of communication. It doesn’t. You can know exactly what you do and still have no idea how to say it in a way that makes the right person stop and think, that’s exactly what I need.
Angle Five: Identity
This speaks to who your ideal client is becoming, not just where they are right now. When you speak to that version of them, you stop selling an offer and start selling a future they’ve already decided they want.
So instead of talking about AI, I could’ve been speaking to the business owner who wants to be known. Not just followed – known. The one who gets invited onto podcasts because they’re the Dumbledore-level expert. Who has an email list full of people who actually buy. Who has moved beyond Instagram and 1:1 work because their messaging is magnetic enough to fill a group program, build a waitlist, and create demand before they even open the doors.
That’s who they’re becoming and that’s what I should have been speaking to.
And look, these are just five examples of the angles I could’ve been rotating through to reach my perfect-fit client. There are so many more and that’s kind of the point. When you truly know your ideal client, you never run out of ways to speak to them. You just have to make sure you’re actually using them and speaking to the right person.
So you might be wondering…
What’s shifting for me
Going forward I’m focused on speaking to my version of the Beyonce-level client.
The ones who are like the wizards already inside Micro Messaging.
The people who come into a program ready to move. Who show up to every call, ask every question, and implement everything – fast.
Who are obsessed with what they do and frustrated that more people aren’t finding them yet.
Who have reached a point in their business where they want more – whether that’s launching a group program, moving beyond 1:1 work, growing their email list, getting on podcasts, or just being known as the expert they already are outside of the Instagram bubble.
These are not the people who are getting distracted by AI debates and trial reels. These are the people who see messaging as the priority – and who are ready to treat it that way.
That means less content that speaks to the fence-sitters and the excuse-makers, and more content that calls in the person who already backs themselves and just needs the right guide to bring it out in their messaging and marketing.
And if that’s you – slytherin to my DM’s over on Instagram over @thesocialbolt and let’s chat about how we can make that happen together.
The Takeaway – How to Avoid Committing the Cardinal Sin of Messaging
Take this as your reminder that no matter how loud the noise gets online – your ideal client is out there and they’re ready and waiting for you to speak directly to them
Stop getting distracted by what everyone else is talking about and start talking to the person who actually needs to hear from you.
Because that’s how you avoid being like me and making the cardinal sin of messaging!
Want More?
Instagram: @thesocialbolt
Watch my 13 minute One Offer, 5 Angles here
Join the Micro Messaging Waitlist here
