SMART Storytelling

You're putting yourself out there. You're showing up–at events, in one-on-one conversations, on social media, at community gatherings, in pitch meetings, during your launch, while canvassing door-to-door.

And yet... people still don't seem to get you.

They're not connecting with your message the way you hoped. They're nodding politely but not engaging. They're not remembering what you said. Or worse…they're misunderstanding what you're actually trying to communicate.

And it's frustrating as hell, because you know you have something valuable to offer. You know your work matters. You know you're here to make a real impact.
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So why isn't it landing?

The Rush to Just Get It Out There

Here's what I see happening with so many brilliant equity-driven leaders and folks stepping into new levels of visibility:

You feel the urgency to get your message out there. There's so much at stake. There's so much to say. And there's this pressure—real or perceived—to prove you belong, to show you're legit, to establish your credibility now.

So you show up. You have the conversations. You give the speeches. You launch the thing. And you hit all your talking points, rattle off your impressive résumé, and try to squeeze in everything that makes you the brilliant person you are.

At best, you’ve got a loose strategy. Or perhaps you often feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants. No judgment here. Trust me, I get it. I’ve totally been there, too. 

You're running a tight ship. You're being scrappy. You're doing a million things at once—leading your team, serving your clients, building your campaign, managing operations, handling finances.

And your messaging strategy? It doesn't even make the to-do list because you know enough of what you want to say. You know what you stand for. So you just... say it.

But rushing without strategy means you're showing up without thinking through how you're guiding your audience through an experience. You're not taking them on an emotional journey--you're just... telling them things and hoping it sticks.

Rushing means not connecting the dots between your vision, mission, and how your audience fits into your story. 

Whether that's a lackluster launch that didn't convert, canvassing conversations where voters smile and close the door, fundraising events where people are polite but don't donate, or networking conversations where people say "interesting!" but never follow up.

When people don't have a clear emotional path to follow? When they can’t see themselves in your world (or you in their world)...They get confused. They disengage. They move on.

What's Really at Stake

This isn't just about engagement metrics or conversion rates or vote counts.

When you don't have a strategy for how you're taking people on an emotional journey—when you're not connecting the dots between your vision and how they fit into your story—you're not just missing visibility. You're missing connection.

And for equity-driven leaders like you, connection is everything.

Connection is what builds trust. Connection is what turns casual conversations into devoted superfans. Connection is what happens when someone can see themselves in your world and see you in theirs—when they understand not just what you're doing, but how they belong in it.

Your message isn't landing because people aren't feeling it. They're not experiencing the journey from where they are now to where you want to take them. They can't picture themselves in the story you're telling.

It’s time to get SMARTYou don’t need to tell more stories. You just need to tell the right stories, and tell them SMART-ly. This is about thinking through not just what you're saying, but how you're saying it, how people experience it, and how they see themselves inside of it.

Whether you’re preparing to launch a new offer, big initiative, or you’re needing to see if your messaging needs a tune-up, these are 5 steps to help you stop getting misunderstood, start being understood, and get organized around a messaging strategy that gets people invested in journeying with you.

S - Strategize: What's your core message? Not the 47 things you could say. The one thing that needs to stick. What do you want people to walk away remembering about you and your work? And how does that connect to what matters most to them?

M - Map: What's the emotional journey you're taking people on? Where are they starting emotionally, and where do you need them to end up? Are you thinking about how to move them from understood → safe → empowered → excited → committed? Or are you just sharing information and hoping they connect the dots themselves? Mapping the journey means being intentional about what people need to feel at each stage—not just what they need to know.

A - Align: Does your language actually match your values and your authentic voice? Because people can smell inauthenticity. If you're using language that doesn't sound like you—whether that's in a fundraising email or a doorstep conversation—they'll know. Your messaging has to feel true. And it has to feel true in a way that invites people in.

R - Roll Out: How are you implementing this across all your touchpoints? Do you have a plan for how you're showing up? Are you guiding people through an emotional experience in every interaction—showing them how your vision connects to their life, their community, their future? Or are you just winging it and hoping for the best?

T - Take Lead: Are you owning your narrative, or are you letting others define you? Are you playing it safe and sounding like everyone else, or are you showing up as the leader you actually are? Are you making it clear not just who you are, but who your people are—and why they belong with you?

Visibility isn't just about being seen. It's about being understood.
If you've been putting yourself out there and still feeling like people don't get you, here's what I want you to know:

Being understood requires strategy. It requires thinking through the emotional experience you're creating for your audience—in every interaction, on every platform, at every touchpoint.

It requires connecting the dots between your vision and how people fit into that vision. It requires showing them a world where they can see themselves—and where you can see them.

It requires you to slow down long enough to ask: What journey am I taking people on? Where are they starting? Where do I want them to end up? What do they need to feel along the way? And how do I help them see that this story—my story—has a place for them in it?

You're not too much. Your message isn't too complicated. You're not doing it wrong.
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You just need a strategy that helps people actually feel what you're trying to say—and see where they belong in it.