Quit using your own words. Ask your clients to describe what you did for them, then tell that story on social. Nobody cares about your process or your why. They care about what changes in their life when they hand you a credit card, and your clients already know how to say it better than you do.
The question came in simple: I’m terrible at telling my story on social media, and some people make it look effortless. How do I tell it better so it doesn’t sound like a sales pitch?
Why does my social media sound like a sales pitch?
Because most of us think the fix is describing our business better. If people only knew how good we are, how we do it, why we do it. Look at most business accounts and they’re describing their processes. That misses the point.
Remember the big trend where everybody was supposed to tell you their why? I could rant on this one. Nobody cares about your why. The only thing they care about is what’s in it for them. What’s the transformation? That’s the whole conversation.
How do I find the right words?
Ask the people you just helped. When the work is done, ask them, “Just out of curiosity, how would you describe what we did?”
They’re not going to say you aligned their brand assets and simplified their SEO. They’re going to say something like “You figured out why I’m different and told the world, and now my phone is ringing.” That’s the story. Their words are going to be completely different from yours, and theirs are the ones to use.
I ask a version of this all the time: if someone had never heard of me, how would you describe what we do? It works really well.
How do I make this a habit instead of a one-time thing?
Tie it to the end of every job. Do a recap call when you wrap up, send a short feedback form, or just ask the question on your way out the door. Now every client you finish hands you your next social post. Then you riff off of what they said.
Should I use video?
Yes, if you can. And not the version where you’re in front of a screen in a tie reading a script. Just talk to people about how you changed somebody’s business. Leave the technical stuff and the process out, and talk about what’s different after they hire you. Keep it as conversational as you possibly can.
Here is the homework
Pick your last three happy clients and ask each of them how they’d describe what you did. Write down their exact words. Then make one post or one short video this week built on the best answer.
Questions owners ask
What should I post about my business on social media?
The change your clients get, told the way they tell it. Skip the process, the features, and the backstory. Post about what’s different in someone’s life or business after they worked with you.
How do I talk about my business without sounding salesy?
Use your clients’ words instead of your own. It stops being you bragging and starts being a real story about a real result.
What question should I ask clients at the end of a project?
“If someone hadn’t heard of me before, how would you describe what we do?” Their answer is usually better marketing copy than anything you’d write yourself.
Does my origin story matter at all?
Not much to a buyer. People want to know what changes for them. Lead with that, every time.
Related
This one came from the Idea Slam Mailbag on the Businessing episode for Thursday, September 10, 2026. You can watch the full episode here.
Full episode with transcript: Host Your Own Event for Under $200: Businessing, September 10, 2026
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