What to Talk About When You’re Not Ready to Sell Yet

You’re building something—a course, an offer, maybe even a new business.
But it’s not ready yet.

And you’re stuck wondering:
“What do I say in the meantime?”

Because you know you should be showing up online.
You know consistency matters.
But you don’t want to oversell something that doesn’t exist yet.
You don’t want to fake hype or talk in circles.

Good news:
You don’t need a polished offer to create content that builds momentum.
You just need a plan to start the conversation before the sale.

Here’s what to talk about when you’re not ready to sell—but you’re ready to start showing up:

Talk About the Problem You’re Building Around

Before people care what you’re offering, they have to care what you're solving.
So start there.

• What frustrates your ideal audience?

• What questions do they keep asking?

• What pain point made you want to build your solution in the first place?

Real talk works here. Share your own experiences. Talk about the moment that made you realize something had to change.

Talk About the Process You’re In

People don’t just want the finished product—they want the behind-the-scenes.
Let them see what you're working on and how you're building it.

• Show your whiteboard notes, sticky drafts, or first drafts.

• Share decisions you’re making (and even the ones you’re stuck on).

• Talk through your research, your struggles, your progress.

This builds trust. It turns your audience into participants, not just spectators.

Talk About What You’re Learning

You don’t need to be an “expert” to share value. Just teach what you’re learning as you learn it.

• “Here’s what I just figured out about creating your first lead magnet.”

• “I’ve been testing three ways to validate an offer—here’s what’s working so far.”

• “I just made a mistake in setting up my email flow. Here’s what I’d do differently next time.”

Learning out loud positions you as relatable and helpful—two things that matter more than perfect content.

Talk With Your Audience (Not Just At Them)

Ask questions. Run polls. Share thoughts and ask for reactions.
Even simple engagement builds relationships and helps you shape your offer with actual feedback.

• “What’s something you’ve always wanted to learn but haven’t found the time for?”

• “What’s the most frustrating part of trying to create content right now?”

• “If I built a course on [your topic], what would you want it to include?”

These conversations are content—and they give you insight you can use later.

The Big Idea: Don’t Wait to Show Up

Your content doesn’t need to be tied to a pitch.
In fact, the best launches start way before you ask for anything.

So if you’re not ready to sell yet, no problem.

Start by being useful.
Start by being honest.
Start by sharing the problem, the process, and the journey.

By the time you’re ready to launch, you won’t be starting from zero.
You’ll have an audience that’s been warming up with you the whole way.