The First Thing You Should Check Before Tweaking Your Messaging

When someone tells me they’re struggling with their messaging, the first thing I do isn’t edit their copy or give them new frameworks. Instead, I ask them:
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“What is your brand archetype. And your ideal client’s archetype?”

Your brand archetype isn’t just a fun label—it’s a lens for understanding how you show up, the tone you naturally carry, and the way you attract people. It determines whether your messaging feels authentic or forced, inspiring or off-putting.

Your ideal client’s archetype is equally important. They have a worldview, motivations, and fears that shape how they interpret your message. Messaging that resonates with them isn’t about fancy language—it’s about speaking in a way that aligns with how they experience the world.

​Let's talk about why this all matters.

Why This Matters First:

Before you get lost in “fixing” words or polishing sentences, understanding these archetypes gives you clarity:

• You know what tone works without guessing.
  
  
  
• You know what kind of stories resonate and which ideas fall flat.
  
  
  
• You can craft messaging that feels inevitable to your audience—they recognize themselves and are drawn in naturally.

Too many people treat messaging like a cosmetic problem—“make it prettier, punchier, snappier.” But messaging isn’t cosmetic. It’s structural and relational. And nothing reveals whether your messaging has the right structure and relationship to your audience like understanding archetypes.

So before you tweak a word, map an email sequence, or brainstorm another post—check your archetypes first. If your messaging isn’t landing, this is often the root of the problem.

Messaging that resonates doesn’t start with words. It starts with understanding who you are, who they are, and how the two naturally meet.

Do you know your brand archetype? And your audiences? If not, book a virtual tea for a 30-minute strategy session to figure out your archetypes.

And if you already know them, is your archetype coming out in your messaging? If not, let’s chat. Book a virtual tea for 30-minute strategy call to assess and align your messaging with your brand archetypes.

Stay Curious, Culture Changer!
🎈Justine

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Red Balloon Station is a creative hub for storytelling and brand messaging, dedicated to amplifying the voices of equity-driven Women of Color entrepreneurs and creatives. Through strategy, storytelling, and sales, we’re here to help you harness your own words and stories, forging meaningful connections with your dream audience and making a lasting impact on people, the planet, and culture.


Justine Wentzell-Chang is an Eldest Daughter of Immigrants, Mother, Activist, and your Station Master/Chief Word Wizard at Red Balloon Station bringing you strategic messaging and story-centered, conscious copywriting services. 

With a law degree and over a decade of experience making & writing movies that sell globally, I learned a thing or two about writing stories that sell. Now I’m here to give you a spoonful of strategy and conviction to make your words convert...in the most unforgettable way!

Your story deserves to be told—by you. For too long, others have controlled the narrative, distorting the brilliance, resilience, and impact of Women of Color. But you’re here to change that. You’re not just building a brand, you’re shaping culture, challenging the status quo, and creating a ripple effect of empathy, equity, and positive change. My job? To make sure your messaging reflects that power—clearly, confidently, and in a way that sticks.