The other day, I was at the dentist for a routine check-up, lying back in the chair, trying to pretend I wasn’t internally panicking about my flossing habits.

As my dentist inspected my teeth, they started calling out numbers to the dental nurse.
 “Zero, zero, zero, zero, zero, zero…”

I wasn’t nodding along in understanding—mostly because I physically couldn’t with a hand in my mouth—but also because I had no idea what those numbers meant.

Were they scoring my teeth? Was this some kind of dental bingo? Should I be worried?

Eventually, when I could actually speak, I asked, “What do those numbers mean?”

The dentist laughed and explained it was a periodontal charting system—a way to measure gum health. Zeros meant all was well. Simple enough… once it was explained.

And that’s when it hit me: this is exactly what happens in marketing.

The Curse of Knowledge: What’s Obvious to You Isn’t Obvious to Them

As professionals—whether therapists, dentists, or marketing strategists—we live and breathe our work. We know our industry inside out. But the more we know, the harder it becomes to remember what it was like not to know.

That’s the curse of knowledge—when something is so second nature to you that you forget other people don’t have the same context.

In marketing, this plays out in two major ways:

1. You Might Be Confusing Your Audience Without Realising It

Imagine if my dentist had just said, “Your gum score is 000000” and moved on. No context, no explanation. I wouldn’t have known if I should be celebrating or frantically Googling “early signs of gum disease.”

This is what happens when professionals use jargon, assume prior knowledge, or skip over foundational concepts in their content.

For example, if you’re a therapist specialising in trauma work, you might casually say, “I help clients with emotional dysregulation and attachment wounds.”

But to someone outside the therapy world, that might as well be a string of random numbers.

Instead, meeting your audience where they’re at sounds more like:
 “I help people who feel overwhelmed by their emotions and struggle with relationships.”

See the difference? One speaks in industry terms; the other speaks in human experience.

2. You Can’t Assume People Have Read Everything You’ve Ever Posted

Another thing about marketing? Your audience isn’t following along in chronological order.

Sure, you might have been posting about your expertise for years. But someone seeing your post today could be brand new to your world. If all your content assumes a certain level of background knowledge, those new people are going to feel lost fast.

This is why your content shouldn’t just get more advanced over time. You need a mix—some posts for people who are just discovering you and others that dive deeper for those who’ve been around for a while.

It’s like a good Netflix series. You don’t assume everyone has watched from season one. You offer a quick recap or an easy jumping-in point so new viewers aren’t completely lost.

How to Make Sure You’re Meeting Your Audience Where They’re At

Break It Down Like You’re Explaining It to a Friend
If you wouldn’t say it in a normal conversation, it probably needs simplifying.

Repeat Yourself More Than You Think You Need To
Your ideal clients aren’t memorising your content. They need to hear things multiple times before it sticks.

Check for Assumed Knowledge
Read through your last few posts. Would someone completely new to your industry understand them? If not, tweak for clarity.

Mix Beginner and Advanced Content
Some posts should introduce core concepts. Others can go deeper for those ready to take the next step.

At the end of the day, marketing isn’t about proving how much you know. It’s about making it easy for the right people to see how you can help them.

And that starts with making sure your content speaks their language—not just yours.

So, next time you’re creating content, ask yourself: Is this sounding like a dental bingo moment? If it is, take a step back and simplify.

Your audience (and their metaphorical gums) will thank you.

Not sure if your profile and content are working for you or against you? Book The Audit and I’ll let you know!