Shocking way not to f**k up product messaging

Imagine being a new product marketer at a series-A cloud storage startup.

It’s Day 4, and you’re the first-ever PMM. Building the in-house messaging framework. It’s never a simple task.

What you say next must include everrryyonnnne. 

The CEO demands it. Like “a Karen in a Dairy Queen drive-thru”.

Effective software messaging doesn’t do that — command attention from everyone. A flamboyant recipe for global launch disaster.

What do you say next?

A. Hold your tongue and write a bland message to appease internal stakeholders.

— OR —

B. Speak up and write a decisive one to educate and sell your target market on.

If you chose (A), drink bleach turn back. Not gonna like what you see next.

Welcome to the next episode of Dying 4 Influence. The weekly newsletter for misunderstood B2B product marketers.

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🎯Every effective message has this…

A frame of reference.

Building from what you already know — to introduce a new idea. One embraces to see and receive.

Like switching from earbuds to AirPods. No loose cords? No brainer.

Know this next technique to transform a bland product message into one you can actually digest.

🎯6 surprising ‘frames’ to hang new product messaging* on

^{(*Purely meant for B2B SaaS, sorry 🤷🏾)}

👷🏾‍♂️ Job title
🏭 Industry
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Demographic
📍 Location
🤡 Interests
💊 Pain

Buyers vibe on what they know and understand. It might not be your product first. Build from what they know to get there.

Here's a quick story why.

When I was a PMM at Dropbox, leadership wanted to sell on a cybersecurity use case. Show how using Dropbox reduced cyberattacks.

Now that’s a tough sell!

Hackers don’t want your family photos. Using Dropbox existing audience messaging to sell this would never work.

That’s why I framed our campaign around IT managers instead.

🎯Why did this approach work?

Zach Messler spoke on this last season. Message clarity is to speak on the peripheries of what our buyers know.

One way to do that is through frame of references. Here’s what you might get when done right.

Effective SaaS messaging delivers results every internal stakeholder wants. Your CEO won’t fight hard, when you show this approach.

That speaking to everyone is for friendly grandmas. Keep it out of your product messaging.

🎙Featured Episode = NONE this week

New episode resumes next week. Go play outside until then.

✨ IF YOU DON’T HATE US, SHOP FROM US

Eric broke out his sewing kit to create this new hoodie collection. My mom saw it, and cried tears of joy.

The messaging hit different. She finally knew then I wasn’t a marketer.

She my siblings I was her favorite son.

If you’re not a marketer, and still the least-loved child, shop under the Merch tab on our website. Take a photo with your favorite loved one, and share it with us.

We love all the love.

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