People buy in the tension.
No one thinks: Hmmm, this problem isn’t that pressing yet. Let’s invest our time and money into solving it.
They buy in the moment where staying the same starts to feel worse than changing.
Last week, I shared my process for collecting the real language your best-fit clients use and why it matters.
While the tidy testimonial language you get after they’re already thrilled with the value you’ve provided is powerful social proof, it’s not the same as the messy, pre-decision language–the language that’s relevant and earns trust while your buyer is weighing their options.
- the hesitation
- the doubt
- what they already tried
- what almost stopped them
- what finally tipped the scale
Collecting the language is a start; now you need to understand what it’s actually telling you.
Quick note: The way you approach messaging when you’re validating an idea at $5k/mo is different from how you approach it when you’re leading a team, managing revenue targets, and feeling the pressure of growth.
This conversation is geared toward businesses in that middle space. You’re established, good at what you do, and word of mouth has helped you grow. But you’ve hit a wall.
(If you’re earlier than that, you can absolutely take pieces of this and apply them. Just keep the lens in mind. The level of strategic depth you need increases as the complexity of your growth increases.)
Sales cycles are longer and buyers are more cautious. You’re explaining yourself more than you should. Word of mouth still matters, but it’s no longer enough to carry growth on its own.
That’s the stage where deeper strategy becomes necessary.
To be fair, this problem has always existed at this stage. But in the current market, it feels like a double whammy.
You have to be clearer and more resonant than ever.
How to spot patterns in Voice of Customer data
Last week, I shared my process for combing through customer insights and analyzing the data for Jobs to Be Done.
Let’s say a consulting firm says they need a new website. Here’s what probably shows up repeatedly in their VoC:
- “We keep having to explain what we actually do.”
- “Referrals get on calls confused about scope.”
- “We sound like everyone else at first glance.”
They think the job is to redo the site.
The language reveals the actual job–to make their differentiation obvious so sales conversations don’t start from scratch.
Those are not the same problem.
If you start writing before you see that pattern, you’ll improve wording, but you won’t remove friction. And friction is what slows growth.
Another key thing I look for is repetition.
If three separate clients say:
- “We’ve outgrown our messaging.”
- “We’re in a different stage now.”
- “Our positioning doesn’t reflect who we are anymore.”
This is really about who they’ve become. The job isn’t to write better copy but to realign how they’re perceived with their new identity.
And if you ignore that and just “tighten the messaging,” you’ll be back here in six months wondering why it still feels slightly off.
You can’t take what your target audience says at face value.
Pay attention to:
- what made the problem feel urgent
- what they tried that failed
- what nearly stopped them
- what had to feel true before they said yes
People buy with emotions first and validate their decisions with logic. Messaging that ignores decision logic rarely holds up under pressure.
Using VoC to identify buyer segments and messaging angles
When you cluster language by patterns, you’ll notice not everyone is hiring you for the same reason.
This makes sense because your target audience is not a monolith.
In one dataset, two clear groups might emerge.
Group one:
- “We just need clearer language.”
- “People don’t get it right away.”
Group two:
- “We’re losing deals we should be winning.”
- “Buyers are comparing us on price.”
Both could hire me for messaging. But one needs clarity and the other needs competitive positioning.
If your homepage collapses those into one vague promise about growth, neither group feels fully understood.
And when buyers don’t feel understood, they hesitate.
This is why buyer personas aren’t fluffy exercises. They help you identify the values, beliefs, and pressures shaping each segment, so you can map the right Jobs to Be Done to the right message.
And this becomes even more critical when multiple decision-makers are involved.
Messaging that travels: aligning VoC with decision-makers
Let’s review VoC for a B2B SaaS company selling workflow software.
The first buyer isn’t the CEO. Often it’s the Head of RevOps.
They’re the one saying:
- “I need our CEO to see the revenue upside here.”
- “If we can’t tie this directly to growth, it won’t get approved.”
- “My team is already stretched. I can’t introduce something that slows them down.”
- “If ops isn’t on board, implementation will stall.”
On the surface, they’re hiring software.
Their real job is way more complicated.
They have to bring in something that improves performance without overwhelming their team or damaging their reputation if it flops.
They’re navigating pressure from both sides. Growth sounds exciting; implementation feels risky. (And guess which one keeps people up at night.)
Now shift the lens.
If the CEO sees your message first, the internal dialogue sounds different:
- “We’re plateauing.”
- “Where’s the leverage?”
- “How does this drive revenue?”
- “Is this worth the investment?”
That’s the internal dialogue your VoC points to.
The CEO is worried about momentum and return, not day-to-day workflow. They’re evaluating a different risk than RevOps is.
When messaging reflects revenue upside, internal buy-in, and implementation risk—the exact language buyers are already using—it becomes usable.
It reflects the exact tension each person is carrying so when they talk about it internally, the language already fits.
That’s what interpretation unlocks.
If you read last week’s email, you might remember me saying this week would focus on tactical application.
Headlines, copy… How to actually use this language.
And then I realized I got ahead of myself. Because there’s an important step that sits between collecting the language and writing the copy.
It’s a step I know to take instinctively.
It’s also the exact step many marketers and business owners skip.
They gather the Voice of Customer, highlight a few strong quotes, and start drafting.
It feels productive and looks strategic. It’s neither.
Collecting language tells you what was said. Interpreting it reveals what had to feel true for someone to say yes.
It shows you where the real friction lives.
- What the tension is really about
- Who’s carrying the risk
- The internal narrative that has to gel before a decision is made
That translation layer is what turns “good” copy into strategic messaging.
So yes, next week we’ll get tactical, but I wasn’t about to hand you a formula or checklist without making sure you understand what it’s built on.
Until next time,
Stacy
When you’re ready, here’s how I help:
1. Copy audit: Get a fresh set of eyes on your website, sales page, or key asset. You’ll walk away with a prioritized roadmap of what to fix first and exactly how to fix it.
2. Clarity call: Not sure what’s working, or what’s not? Get clarity on the problem that’s been spinning in your head. (One client called it “therapy for her brand.”)
3. 1:1 positioning, messaging, & copy projects Curious whether it’s a good fit? Let’s chat. (Don’t worry. It’s just a conversation. No pressure or hard pitch.)
