In the last few weeks, I sat in on a business development meeting with firm leaders around the table. The agenda was clear: why aren’t we landing more work? For the first half hour, the conversation circled around project types they wanted to pursue, how much effort they’d been putting into proposals, and the sting of losing—even when clients had specifically reached out asking them to submit. Finally, one of the principals cut through the noise: “Our proposals aren’t speaking their language.” Bingo. That one line said it all.
The truth is, most firms assume the fix is external: update the website, redo the brochure, overhaul the proposal template. And sure, fresh graphics never hurt. But what really moves the needle is messaging that speaks so clearly to your client that they can’t help but think: they get me, this is exactly the problem I need solved, I can see us working together.
Here’s the difference.
Generic messaging:
“We take a collaborative approach and provide innovative, sustainable design solutions tailored to each client’s needs.”
Resonant messaging:
“Clients come to us when they’re tired of cookie-cutter solutions. Our strength lies in listening between the lines—translating unspoken concerns into designs that work for real people, not just ideal conditions.”
Which one would you hire?
When your messaging is vague, you force your clients to connect the dots. And let’s be honest—they don’t have time for that. So they default to the firm that made the connection easy—the one who spelled out exactly how they’ll solve the problem. That’s why the firms that “do everything right” on paper sometimes still lose. It’s not effort they’re missing—it’s resonance.
I started Ivi Gabales Consulting because I kept seeing talented firms lose to competitors not because of capability, but because of clarity. The good news is you don’t need to scrap everything you’ve built. You just need to tune your messaging so it speaks your client’s language, makes your value unmistakable, and connects across proposals, interviews, websites, and conversations. When your messaging resonates, you don’t just get noticed—you get hired.
If any of this sounds familiar, it may be time for a fresh set of eyes on your materials. A messaging audit can reveal where things are falling flat—and where small changes could make a big difference.
