Why Your Messaging Matters Just as Much in Collaborations as in Your Own Marketing
Yesterday, I joined a round table.
The convo? 🔥
The people? Rad.
The questions? Amazing.
Sign me up for the next one.
But right in the middle, I had a flash—a total messaging moment.
There was another copywriter on the call. She works in the same circles I do. We have overlapping clients. But she’s her. I’m me. Our people aren’t identical.
She told a story about a collaboration that tanked. Not because the offer was bad. Not because the audience was wrong. But because the mindset-focused angle didn’t align with her messaging. It felt inauthentic. And it didn’t land.
Mic drop lesson: alignment matters.
When Messaging Fits Like a Glove (and When It Doesn’t)
Here’s the interesting part: I’ve had collaborations in that exact space work beautifully.
I even run a whole summit steeped in that world.
Why did hers flop while mine thrived?
Not because one of us is better. Not because one of us is “more clear.”
It’s because messaging is as unique as your fingerprints.
A collab that’s in perfect alignment with one person’s message might be a total mismatch for another—even if they’re in the same niche.
And that’s where the magic (or the miss) happens.
Collaborations Are Marketing (So Treat Them That Way)
It’s easy to think of collaborations as bonus opportunities—nice-to-have exposure, a little something extra to fill your calendar.
But that’s selling them short.
Collaborations are marketing. They’re audience-building, brand-positioning, lead-generating opportunities. They carry your message into rooms you might never walk into otherwise.
That’s why clarity is non-negotiable.
When you see collaborations as marketing, you start asking the same questions you’d ask before launching a campaign:
Is the audience right?
Does the positioning make sense for me?
Is my brand showing up in a way that feels like me?
If you can’t answer yes to all three, you risk spending time and energy in spaces that don’t move the needle—no matter how shiny they look from the outside.
👉 CHECK YOUR NEXT BIG MOVE IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS WITH THE CLARITY COMPASS
Messaging as Your North Star
Think about it:
How many blog posts, emails, and social updates are floating around out there about messaging?
None quite like this one. Because this one came straight from my brain, for my audience, my business, my message—which happens to fold in beautifully with the astro-manifesting-yogi-mindset crowd.
Messaging isn’t just about “landing the plane” with the right people at the right time. It’s your north star. It’s the reference point that keeps everything—your offers, your copy, your collaborations—pointing in the same direction.
Without that anchor, you’re making decisions on gut feel alone. With it, you can instantly tell if a collaboration will amplify your business or pull it off course.
Examples of Aligned vs. Misaligned Collaborations
Let’s make this real.
Aligned Collaboration Example:
A mindset coach invites me to speak on messaging at her virtual event. Her audience is full of service providers and coaches who want to connect more deeply with their clients. I’m in. Why? Because my expertise plugs right into their needs, and my voice fits the tone of the event.
Misaligned Collaboration Example:
A SaaS company asks me to present at a tech-heavy conference for developers. Could I talk about messaging? Sure. Would it resonate with the audience in the same way? Probably not. My approach, examples, and energy wouldn’t connect in the way they need.
Both offers could look great on paper. Only one is worth my time.
3 Steps to Finding Your Unique Messaging
If you want your collaborations (and your marketing in general) to work, you need messaging that’s rooted in who you are, who you serve, and how you do it.
1. Embrace Who You Are, and Who You Aren’t
I’m a yoga teacher. I have hippy tendencies. I shun the shoulds. I swear. And yes, I can step into a mindset coach’s audience and feel completely at home.
When you know your own identity this clearly, you can filter out opportunities that aren’t in alignment without second-guessing yourself.
2. Get to Know Who You Really Want to Work With
Talk to them. Ask questions. Watch how they speak. Listen for what matters to them. Empathize.
Deep audience understanding not only sharpens your marketing—it makes collaboration decisions easy. You’ll instantly recognize when another person’s audience overlaps with yours in the right way.
3. Let It All Coalesce
Build your brand and write your copy so it meets your people where they are and taps their emotions. And please—let your weird flag fly.
Because your quirks and viewpoints are the very things that make your message memorable—and make the right collaborations magnetic.
Testing Collaboration Fit Before You Say Yes
Even with a clear message, it’s worth pressure-testing opportunities before you commit. Here are three quick ways to do that:
Listen in first. If it’s a podcast or recurring event, consume some past content. Does the vibe feel like a match?
Ask about the audience. Who are they, what do they need, and how do they typically engage?
Check your gut. Does the idea of showing up here make you excited? Or does it make you feel like you’ll have to “tone down” or “translate” yourself?
If the answer to the last one is anything but excitement, it’s probably a no.
Bottom Line
Collaborations are marketing. But they’re only effective when the message you bring into the room is in alignment with who you are and what you stand for.
When you know your message at a deep, “north star” level, you can step into the right opportunities with confidence—and walk away knowing they were worth your time.
Because the right “yes” amplifies your business.
And the wrong one? Just noise.
👉 CHECK YOUR NEXT BIG MOVE IN 15 MINUTES OR LESS WITH THE CLARITY COMPASS
