The Messaging Framework I Use to Uncover a Product’s Real Value
When I’m brought in to help a startup with messaging, it’s rarely because they haven’t written anything down. More often, it’s because something about their story isn’t landing—whether in a sales deck, on the homepage, or in how the team talks about the product in meetings.
They’ve got headlines. They’ve got taglines. But what they don’t have is resonance.
I’ve been in those moments before. The product is strong. The vision is clear. But the words? They fall short of capturing the why. They focus on features, not impact. They feel interchangeable with competitors, even when the product isn’t.
That’s when I dig in. Because if the product is solid and customers are finding value, then the story is in there. You just have to know where to look.
Where Most Startups Go Wrong With Messaging
There’s a common misconception I see across early stage B2B SaaS teams: that messaging needs to be clever, emotional, or inspirational at every touchpoint.
In reality, the job of messaging isn’t to impress. It’s to clarify.
At the top of the funnel, your audience is scanning for fit. Does this solve my problem? Is it made for someone like me? Can I tell in five seconds or less? This is not the place to lead with abstract vision statements.
The emotional payoff matters—but only after you’ve helped your audience understand what you do, how it works, and why it’s different. I’ve learned to treat emotional hooks like seasoning: used intentionally, in the right spot, they can elevate the story. But too much, too early, and it muddies your signal.
My Approach to Building a Messaging Framework
I don’t believe in one-size-fits-all templates. But I do have a process I return to again and again, especially for startups still in the throes of product market fit. It helps me surface the real value of the product, not just the surface-level features.
Step 1: Gather Everything You Can
Start with what you already have:
Customer testimonials
Sales call transcripts
User research or interview notes
Market reports
Competitive analysis
Onboarding surveys
Support tickets
If it gives you a window into what people think, say, or feel about the product, pull it in. This part is messy on purpose. You’re not looking for the perfect phrase yet—you’re collecting raw material.
Step 2: Cross-Reference and Look for the Gaps
Once you’ve got the inputs, start mapping them against each other.
Are customers and prospects using the same language as the sales team?
Is there a disconnect between what you think your differentiators are and what users are actually mentioning as valuable?
Are there gaps in your messaging coverage—like features you highlight that no one seems to care about, or benefits that customers mention that you’ve never led with?
This is usually where I uncover the most insight. And it’s also where your strategic bet comes in.
Step 3: Keep Your Strategic Bet in Mind
Messaging can’t be purely reactive. You can’t just echo what people say: they’re often only seeing part of the picture. At some point, you have to make a call: what are you doubling down on? What’s the angle you’re willing to stand behind, even if it takes time to educate the market?
Startups often try to cover everything, afraid of leaving something out. But effective messaging has a point of view. You’re not just describing what the product is. You’re making a case for why it matters, and why now.
That means choosing what you amplify. Sometimes it means taking a risk. But if the messaging is always safe, it’s rarely memorable.
Finding the Real Value Beneath the Surface
In customer interviews, I’m always listening for what someone says third.
The first thing is usually functional. The second is often about speed or convenience. But the third thing, that’s where the gold is. That’s where people start talking about impact. How their day changed. How their confidence improved. How they stopped worrying about a thing they used to obsess over.
That’s what I want to put into words.
Because people don’t buy products. They buy outcomes.
Validating the Message
Good messaging sounds right. Great messaging works.
I validate mine using both qualitative and quantitative feedback:
Do bounce rates drop on the new landing page?
Are reps getting further into conversations?
Are prospects repeating back key phrases unprompted?
Are people clicking, responding, and converting?
You won’t always get it right the first time. Messaging is iterative. But when it starts to click, you feel it across the board—on sales calls, in email replies, in the way your own team talks about the product.
Messaging Is a Mirror and a Megaphone
Ultimately, I think of messaging as both reflection and amplification. It reflects the real value that users experience, and it amplifies what you want the market to believe about your product.
For startups still navigating product market fit, that balance is delicate. But when you find it, everything else gets easier. Content, enablement, demand gen, onboarding—all of it starts with the words you choose to say who you are and why it matters.
And that’s why I always take my time getting the messaging right.
