I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a client come to me saying:
“I think I need a new website.”
“I think we need to hire an agency.”
“I think ads will fix it.”

But nine times out of ten… what they really need is clearer positioning.

If your value story isn’t nailed down, no shiny new website or flashy ad campaign is going to fix it. You’ll just end up amplifying confusion.

The right order of operations looks like this:

1. Positioning → Get crystal clear on the transformation you deliver.
   
2. Messaging → Document how to talk about it.
   
3. Marketing channels → Share it consistently.
   
4. Optimisation → Refine based on results.
   

Skip straight to step three, and you’re just throwing money at noise.

Here’s a quick self-audit for leaders before you invest another dollar in marketing:

• Can your team describe your value without lapsing into jargon?
  
• Do you know the transformation clients pay for (beyond the features)?
  
• Are your brand values actually documented — or just assumed?
  
• Does your messaging differentiate you from agencies/competitors?
  
• Can every staff member articulate your services clearly?
  
• Are there 3–5 marketing themes your business should be known for?
  
• When you raise prices, does your messaging rise with it?
  

If you can’t answer “yes” to most of these, your positioning isn’t clear enough yet.

Here’s the takeaway: People don’t buy your process. They buy the transformation. Unless you’ve made that transformation obvious, you’re wasting money on execution.

This article was inspired by my conversation with Paula Maidens on the Big Dreams, Great Teams podcast. You can listen to the full episode here.