Sarah spent $47,000 on ads in six months. Posted every day. Had 12,000 followers.
Made zero sales. Sound familiar? Let me show you what's actually broken.
Problem #1: You're Talking to Everyone (Which Means No One)
Sarah sold productivity software for creative agencies. Her ads targeted "small business owners interested in productivity."
That's like standing in a stadium and shouting "Who wants pizza?" Sure, some people do. But you're also yelling at people who want tacos, salads, or nothing at all.
The fix: Get specific. Instead of "small business owners," try "design agency owners with 5-15 employees who miss deadlines because their team uses 8 different tools."
See the difference? One person reads that and thinks "That's literally me."
Problem #2: Your Offer Sounds Like Everyone Else's
Quick test. Go read your homepage. Now read your competitor's homepage.
Do they say basically the same thing?
Most offers say: "Get more leads. Grow your business. Increase revenue."
Cool. So does everyone else.
Real example:
Bad: "We help you get more customers"
Good: "We get you 15 qualified sales calls in 30 days, or you don't pay"
The second one is specific, has a timeline, and removes risk. That's what wins.
Problem #3: You're on the Wrong Platform
Here's the truth: Your customer isn't everywhere. They're somewhere specific.
If you sell expensive B2B software, your customers aren't scrolling TikTok at work. They're on LinkedIn during lunch or listening to podcasts on their commute.
Ask yourself: Where does my customer go when they actually want to solve this problem?
A wedding photographer should be on Instagram and Pinterest (where people plan weddings), not LinkedIn.
A CFO tool should be on LinkedIn and industry forums, not Instagram.
Match your platform to where they're already looking.
Problem #4: Your Content Doesn't Solve Real Problems
Most content exists just to exist. Three blog posts a week. Daily social posts. Weekly newsletters.
But nobody's reading because none of it helps them do anything.
Try this: Before you create anything, ask: "Would someone pay $20 for this information?"
If not, don't post it.
Example of good content:
Bad: "5 Tips for Better Marketing" (vague, useless)
Good: "Here's the exact email sequence that got us 34 replies from cold outreach last week" (specific, actionable)
Problem #5: You Don't Stand Out
Pop quiz: What makes you different from your competitors?
If you said "quality" or "customer service" or "results-driven," that's your problem. Everyone says that.
Real differentiation comes from being specific about HOW you're different:
Example 1 - Different Method: "We don't run paid ads. We build your audience through partnerships with micro - influencers in your niche."
Example 2 - Different Speed: "Logo design in 24 hours using our library of 500 pre-made templates customized for your brand."
Example 3 - Different Guarantee: "We run your Google Ads. If we don't cut your cost-per-lead by 30% in 60 days, we refund everything plus pay your ad spend."
Pick one thing. Own it. Stop trying to be good at everything.
What to Do Right Now
Don't try to fix everything at once. Pick ONE problem from above:
If your targeting sucks: Call your three best customers. Ask them: "What problem were you trying to solve when you found us?" Write down their exact words. Use those words in your ads.
If your offer is bland: Rewrite it with this formula: "I help [specific person] get [specific result] in [specific time] or [what you guarantee]."
If you're on the wrong platform: Look at your last 10 customers. Where did they come from? Do more there. Stop everything else for 60 days.
If your content is weak: Delete your content calendar. Create one piece this week that solves one painful problem completely.
That's it. Pick one. Fix it this wee