I’m not a fan of shortcuts… except when they work. This is one instance where they do: krafting kompelling kopy.
You know how you’re supposed to communicate benefits, not features? Going a step beyond that is communicating business outcomes that really speak to the minds and hearts of your buyers.
The shortcut is this: in business, you either help people make money or save money.
So, whatever you’re selling, tie what they’re getting into how it’ll help them have more $ at the end of the day.
Cut to the chase and get to the bottom line.
Add everything else afterward – they’re all secondary, tertiary benefits.
Need help brainstorming outcomes? Here are 3 simple questions that help: Have, Feel, Average day.
1. what did they HAVE before they started using your company… and what will they HAVE afterwards? »» low margins, high employee turnover, high churn rates are a few of the many “have’s” you may come up with for business solutions in the “before state”.
For “after” states, you have high profits and the opposite of these things, as well as immaterial wins like prestige or brand recognition.
2. what FEELINGS did they experience before vs after using your company? »» overwhelm and anxiety are common “before” states.
Hopefully, some “after” states will be peace of mind, feeling successful, confidence etc.
3. what was their AVERAGE DAY like before vs after doing business with you? »» chaos and gruntwork are common “before states for business software… time freed up for doing creative work (also a “have”) are some common “after states”.
The jobs to be done framework helps with this too.
Blend these outcomes into the messaging and use them consistently wherever and whenever you communicate.
What can you do now? Audit your website and copy for traces of the above transformations/outcomes. If they’re hard to find, it’s a flag…
