The 4 Messaging Mistakes Growing Companies Make

Companies kill their own messaging over time.

Here’s the breakdown of 4 bad habits that seep in as they grow:

(It was great to collaborate with Anthony Pierri in the newsletter to break it down.)

Bad Habit 1 — Speaking to multiple audiences at once

In the world of growth-focused companies, prioritization can be seen as weak.

But instead of effectively speaking to multiple audiences at once, you end up speaking to none.

You must prioritize when it comes to your messaging.

Bad Habit 2 — Choosing the Wrong Champion

Usually, people aim too senior. This leads to 2 problems:

1. There are exponentially fewer CEOs than VPs, directors, & managers
2. CEOs aren’t buying software

(There is one exception: if you’re targeting a small business/startup.)

Bad Habit 3 — Sharing Multi-Order Benefits

The first outcome from using a product is the “1st Order Benefit.”

This may trigger a “2nd Order Benefit,” which can then trigger a “3rd Order Benefit” — and so on.

Most companies land on an Xth order benefit and that is revenue.

The only issue?

Talking about revenue doesn’t really work:

1. It’s not trustworthy
2. It hides your product and its value
3. It deprioritizes differentiation
4. The audience that cares isn’t shopping for software

Bad Habit 4 — Using Vision-Messaging

Messaging lives on a spectrum:

• On one end is the founder’s vision
• On the other end is what the product does today

Customers don’t care about your vision. They care about your product, its features, & how it addresses their problems.

Together, these 4 habits conspire to degrade message clarity over time.

A strange paradox of growth — one good product and marketing leaders must help their companies avoid.