Make It Make Sense: Translating Your Expertise Into Marketing Language

How to explain what you do so people get it, want it, and pay for it

Introduction:

You know you’re good at what you do.You’ve got years of experience, real results, glowing referrals—and still, when someone asks what you offer, you freeze.

You either ramble, simplify too much, or use industry terms they don’t understand.

So what happens?

• Prospects ghost

• Website visitors bounce

• People refer you for the wrong thing (or nothing at all)

It’s not that your service is too niche.It’s that your language is too expert.

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1. Expert Language = Invisible Language

You’ve spent years mastering your field.But the more fluent you become in your expertise, the harder it becomes to explain it to someone outside it.

Why? Because you’re using insider language—terms, acronyms, and frameworks that feel normal to you… but confusing to your audience.

Your goal isn’t to “dumb it down.”Your goal is to translate without losing the value.

Try this:

For every technical word, ask: “What does this mean in real-life terms?”Example: Instead of “We optimize legacy systems for compliance risk,” say, “We help organizations modernize outdated processes to avoid fines and legal issues.”

2. Use the Words They Would Say — Not What You’d Write in a Pitch Deck

If your ideal client searched Google, what would they actually type?

Not:

“Fractional business strategy partner for B2G procurement readiness.”

But maybe:

“Help with bidding on government contracts.”“How to respond to RFPs for my small business.”“Why am I losing every proposal?”

Real people use real language.If your marketing isn’t echoing that, they won’t recognize your offer as the answer.

What helps: Listen to your actual customers—record calls, read reviews, scan your DMs. Use their words in your headlines and service descriptions.

3. Talk Less About the Process, More About the Payoff

Nobody buys your process.They buy what the process gets them.

That means:

• Don’t lead with “We use a 7-phase framework…”

• Lead with: “In 30 days, you’ll have a proposal ready that reflects your value and follows every compliance rule.”

What helps:Create a side-by-side map:

What You Do	What They Get
SWOT analysis	Clear roadmap to win more bids
Compliance checklist	Peace of mind that nothing is missing
AI-driven matching	Faster decisions about which bids to pursue

4. Anchor Your Message in Outcomes, Not Credentials

Your audience isn’t asking “How qualified are you?”They’re asking:

“Can this person help me solve my problem?”

Show that by:

• Highlighting past wins

• Sharing before/after case studies

• Quantifying what changes when people work with you

Instead of:

“I’m certified in 3 systems and trained with X organization.”Try:“Clients who used our system cut proposal time in half and won 3x more contracts within 6 months.”

5. One Clear Message Beats Ten Clever Ones

Clever copy might impress you.Clear copy converts others.

If your messaging takes mental effort to understand, it’s costing you leads.

Run this check:Could a 7th grader explain what you do after reading your homepage or LinkedIn bio?If not—simplify.

Stick to one:

• Promise

• Person you serve

• Problem you solve

• Path you use

Repeat it everywhere, until your audience starts repeating it back to you.

Conclusion: If They Don’t Get It, They Don’t Buy It

Your expertise isn’t the problem.Your brilliance isn’t the barrier.Your offer isn’t too niche.

But if the way you talk about it confuses people, they’ll move on—even if you were exactly what they needed.

When you translate your work into marketing language that makes sense to the right people, everything changes:

1. More clarity

2. Better-fit clients

3. Less explaining

4. More yeses

Your work is powerful.Now let’s make it sound that way.

Keywords: marketing language, expert messaging, client clarity, offer positioning, audience-first communication

Publisher: CTC Global Solutions Corporation

Publication Date: 07/28/2025

Topic: Messaging & Communication