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Forget channels. Focus on entry points.

I’ve run 50+ messaging projects, and the same blind spot keeps showing up: what does it take for a prospect to even create space in their brain for you?

Not to choose you over a competitor, or to justify you to a board. But to start thinking about a solution like yours in the first place.

That’s the most underappreciated stage of the Jobs-to-Be-Done sequence: the First Thought.

For context, here’s the full flow:

1. First Thought — creating mental space ⚠️
2. Passive Looking — noticing and learning
3. Active Looking — seeing what’s possible
4. Deciding — making trade-offs and defining value
5. Onboarding — doing the job and measuring satisfaction

Most marketers focus on 3–5. Few invest in stage 1. Yet this is where positioning and category entry points are born.

How to uncover their first thought

Joanna Wiebe (Copyhackers) asks a brilliant question in interviews: “What was going on in your world that led you to look for a solution like [product name]?”

That’s the starting point. But you need more inputs if you want a full picture:

• Ask internally: Sales, product, and marketing — what’s usually happening in a prospect’s world when they arrive?
• Ask recent customers (≤6 months): What was happening before the search? Then dig deeper. Ask happy customers how they’d recommend you to peers — the words they use reveal what prospects expect to hear.
• Mine reviews: Competitor reviews are full of motivation statements like “We needed to…” or “We were struggling with…”
• Check analytics: Look at the trail buyers follow — queries, referrers, sources. In UX this is called information scent: the small clues (keywords, snippets, link labels) that signal they’re on the right path.

Build it into a system

Here’s the workflow I’d love every company to have ready when I step in (you can literally start today):

Step 1: Collect triggers Log “what was going on” in CRM fields, deal notes, and after every interview. Over time, this builds a running record of the real moments that spark demand, so you’re not relying on generic personas or static research decks.

Step 2: Organize inputs Set up a simple spreadsheet or Notion board with columns for Trigger, Source, Frequency, Example Quote. This turns scattered anecdotes into patterns you can see at a glance, which makes it far easier to prioritize messaging angles and back them up with evidence inside your team.

Step 3: Map to entry points Translate raw triggers into clear category entry points. Example: “Board asked for pipeline visibility” becomes “Pressure to prove pipeline clarity.” Framing it this way anchors your positioning in the exact mental state buyers are in when they first consider a solution, instead of defaulting to features or vague benefits.

Step 4: Validate quarterly Review your top 3–5 entry points every quarter and cross-check them with analytics to ensure the information scent lines up with what people actually click, search, or follow to reach you. This keeps your positioning fresh and resilient as markets shift or competitors pop up.

Step 5: Refresh messaging Update your positioning docs, value props, and ad angles with the latest entry point language. Done regularly, this keeps your copy speaking in the buyer’s current words, not last year’s. It also ensures you’re adapting faster than competitors who only refresh during a rebrand or after a slump.

Channels tell you where to reach buyers. Entry points tell you why they start paying attention, and when they’re open to hearing from you. Nail those, and you’re not scrambling to catch up once they’re already comparing options.

If you already have a living entry point system, great, it makes everything faster. If you don’t, that’s where we come in.

Part of our job is helping teams build this from scratch, so we’re not guessing at how to grab their attention.

And that’s how you earn a spot on their day-1 comparison list.

DISCOVERY

New on The Message‑Market Fit Podcast: Sam Dunning on revenue‑first SEO.

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We dig into the shift from buying committees to buying networks, and what that means for content that ranks and actually converts. The practical bits:

• How to find “money keywords” your best buyers search at the point of need
• Why honest competitor pages build trust and shorten the sales cycle
• A simple “blow it out of the water” content checklist you can use today
• What still matters on Google, even with AI search rising
• Customer research as your SEO foundation, not a nice‑to‑have

If you’re proving SEO ROI or building predictable organic growth, this one pays for itself. Listen here →

RESONANCE

Seneca, Letters From a Stoic

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Chris

Chris Silvestri Founder & conversion alchemist

🙌🏻 Let’s be friends (unless you’re a stalker)​

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