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Ever had someone explain something to you in a way that made zero sense?

Like a financial advisor throwing around jargon like amortization schedules or a mechanic rattling off details about torque converters—when all you wanted to know was how much it’s going to cost you?

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That’s the Curse of Knowledge in action. And it might be creeping into your copy.

👋🏻Welcome to issue 42 of no-fluff insights on messaging strategy & copywriting. (If a friend forwarded this to you, you’re in good company: subscribe here.)

What is the Curse of Knowledge?

The Curse of Knowledge is a cognitive bias where experts struggle to see things from the perspective of a beginner. Once you deeply understand something, it’s almost impossible to imagine not knowing it.

The result?

You write copy that makes perfect sense to you—but leaves your audience feeling dumb.

And nobody likes feeling dumb.

When people feel confused, they don’t stick around trying to figure it out. They leave. They go hire someone who makes them feel smart instead.

The worst part? You don’t even realize it’s happening.

Because two other biases are working against you:

😎 Cognitive Bias Blindness: You assume other people fall into these traps, but not you. (Spoiler: everyone does.)

👏 Confirmation Bias: You focus on feedback that confirms your messaging is working while ignoring signs that it’s not landing.

These biases create blind spots that make your copy less effective—without you even realizing it.

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Is this happening on your website?

• Cognitive Bias Blindness tricks you into thinking your messaging is clear—because you understand it perfectly. But your audience doesn’t have your background or experience.
• Confirmation Bias makes you focus on compliments instead of conversion rates. You might hear “I love your website!” while still struggling to book clients.

If you’re not sure, here’s how to tell:

• People ask the same clarifying questions on sales calls. If they don’t understand your offer from your website, they won’t convert easily.
• Your site has high bounce rates. If visitors leave quickly, they likely didn’t find what they needed (or didn’t understand it).
• You hear "I didn’t realize you did that!" from potential clients. If people who already follow you don’t fully grasp your services, your messaging isn’t clear.
• Your team struggles to explain what you do consistently. If your messaging isn’t clear internally, it won’t be clear externally.

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This is about more than just words. It’s about positioning and clarity.

Think back to the last time you:

• Had a sales call where the prospect asked something you swore was obvious
• Had a dream client tell you they didn’t realize you even offered XYZ service
• Were so sure your messaging was clear… only to hear crickets

That’s the Curse of Knowledge at work.

And here’s the thing: it’s not just a copy issue—it’s a messaging strategy issue.

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How unclear messaging kills conversions

Your audience isn’t dumb. But they are busy, distracted, and definitely not thinking about your business 24/7.

So if your website makes them work too hard to understand:

• What you do
• Why it matters
• Why they should care

…they’ll leave. And they won’t come back.

And this isn’t just a guess. A Harvard Business Review study found that 73% of consumers feel that companies fail to understand their needs due to unclear communication.

Let that sink in.

3 out of 4 potential customers feel misunderstood.

At the core, this is a messaging strategy problem.

If your copy isn’t built on a clear, strategic foundation, it’s not just confusing—you’re making it harder for visitors to trust you. And easier for them to walk away.

Your website doesn’t need “better copy.” It needs a messaging strategy that actually converts.

Great copy isn’t just about sounding good. It’s about:

• Speaking to the right audience. If you don’t clearly define your ideal client’s pain points and desires, your copy will always feel vague.
• Using their language, not industry jargon. Your words need to match how your audience thinks, talks, and searches.
• Guiding them through a decision-making journey. Website visitors shouldn’t have to work to figure out what to do next. They should feel naturally led to take action.

Without strategy, businesses end up with copy that’s either too vague, too clever, or too technical—and none of those convert.

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A few real-world examples

These businesses probably think their messaging is clear. But to an outsider? It’s a mess.

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🚫 The expert trap: A cybersecurity firm’s homepage says, "We provide enterprise-grade zero-trust security frameworks leveraging AI-driven threat detection." (Translation: We keep businesses safe from cyber threats.)

🚫 The clever-over-clear mistake: A coaching program for entrepreneurs leads with, "Unlock your next level." (Of what? My business? My mindset? My bank account?)

🚫 The industry jargon overload: A software company describes their product as "a SaaS-based holistic solution for optimizing cross-channel marketing touchpoints." (Just say it helps people run better marketing campaigns.)

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The result? Confused visitors. And confused visitors don’t buy.

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The fix: make it stupidly simple (without dumbing it down)

The best website copy passes what I call the "So what?" test.

For every sentence, ask yourself:

• Would a total outsider instantly understand this?
• Is it clear why this matters to them?
• If they skimmed, would they still get the point?

Some quick fixes:

• Use plain language. Instead of "We optimize revenue-driving engagement strategies," say "We help you get more leads and sales. Without wasting time."
• Lead with outcomes. Don’t just say what you do. Say why it matters.
• Ask a stranger to read it. If they look confused, you’ve got work to do.

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Steal this 2-minute messaging test

Worried your copy might be confusing? Here’s a dead-simple way to check:

• Find someone unfamiliar with your business: a friend, a peer, or even an AI tool.
• Show them your homepage for 5 seconds.
• Ask them two questions:
  1. What does this business do?
  2. Why would someone hire them?

If their answers don’t match what you thought your website was saying, you’ve got work to do.

Your dream clients don’t live in your world. They live in theirs.

Your job isn’t to impress them with how much you know. It’s to make it impossibly easy for them to say, "Yes, this is exactly what I need."

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What’s next?

Run the 2-minute messaging test above.

If your homepage fails the test, it’s time to fix it. Because if your copy isn’t clear, your best clients are slipping away, and you won’t even know it.

Need a second set of eyes? Hit reply with your homepage headline and I’ll tell you if it’s working, or if you have the Curse of Knowledge.
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Until next time,

Stacy

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