Us vs. Them
Language in advertising is one of those things you might consciously miss but subconsciously catch.
The other day, I was scrolling through LinkedIn and Instagram reels when I started seeing post after post about how small business owners keep missing their target audience. The message always ended the same way:
“YOU keep missing YOUR target audience. WE at [business name] know how to TARGET your audience for YOU.”
Something about that phrasing felt off. Then it clicked the message didn’t invite you to be part of the team. It separated you. It implied you were doing it wrong, that you weren’t capable of understanding your own customers.
That’s not a partnership. That’s us vs. them.
And the truth is, this kind of language has quietly become common in marketing. It creates distance between the creator and the client. But as content creators, we have a responsibility to remember that on the other side of the screen is a human being one who’s smart, passionate, and deeply knowledgeable about their field. They might not know marketing as well as we do, but that’s not a flaw. That’s the whole point of what we’re here to do.
When I started Snowbird Studios, it was for that exact reason to help overwhelmed business owners in the only way I knew how.
I know nothing about running a restaurant or professionally mowing lawns, and I’ve told my fiancée that when it comes to plumbing and electrical work, I’ll never try. Why? Because those aren’t my specialties.
The same goes for these business owners. They’re experts in what they do. My job is to help them tell that story, not to make them feel like a target.
We don’t need to fill our content with jargon or gimmicks.
We don’t need to speak to people; we need to speak with them.
Marketing doesn’t have to sound like a military campaign, we’re not hunting clicks, we’re building connections.
When I launched Snowbird Studios, it was partly out of frustration. Coming out of COVID, I kept seeing two things:
Small businesses shutting down or being bought out, and
Big chains are getting bigger and more disconnected from the communities they serve.
It hurts to hear people talk about the very business owners I set out to help as targets, as dollar signs or data points. I’m not against being for-profit; I’m against creating more noise for already overwhelmed and financially stretched businesses.
Promises of “guaranteed engagement” and “overnight growth” rarely help local communities; they create disappointment and distrust.
I’ve always liked the saying: “Teach a person to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime.”
That’s how I think marketing should be.
Good marketing doesn’t manipulate it empowers.
It helps people understand how to communicate their value long after you’re gone.
It connects neighbors, strengthens communities, and gives small businesses a fighting chance in a noisy digital world.
Because at the end of the day, there’s always room to be the expert and there’s even more room to be the helper.
Weekly Challenge
This week, audit your own messaging.
Please take a look at your website, your posts, and even your DMs.
Could you tell me if you’re talking to people, or with them?
One builds walls. The other builds loyalty.
At Snowbird Studios, we don’t believe in “us vs. them.”
We believe in working with you, not talking over you.
If you’re a small business owner who’s tired of feeling like a “target” instead of a partner, or if you want to understand how to connect with your audience in a more human, sustainable way, we’d love to help.
Let’s build something authentic together.
You can start a conversation with us today, whether over coffee, a quick call, or at Contact@Snowbird-Studios.com.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just honest guidance and good storytelling.
In the end, connection is the most potent form of marketing.
