​Read online​

Welcome to Unpacking Meaning. If you received this from a friend and enjoy it, ​subscribe here.

How to frame a problem people can't ignore

​Last week I talked about how neutral messaging isn't just forgettable—neuroscience shows it literally fails to engage the brain's emotional and attentional systems.

And how the right kind of attention comes from combining your unique point of view (what you see that most don't) with strong value messaging (what's specifically in it for them).

Today I want to show you what that looks like in the wild.

This week HubSpot released their vision for what they're calling the Agentic Customer Platform. It's a great example of opinionated messaging done well, and it's not even conversion copy. It's an article.

Which proves the point: this approach works for any marketing asset. It's narrative strategy, not rigid copywriting formulas.

Plus, beyond being a masterclass in messaging, it's also an accurate picture of what's coming next for a lot of SaaS: agentic systems, context management, and human+AI collaboration.

But let's break down how they do it.

Setting the stage with insight

HubSpot doesn't open with "we built a thing." They open with a problem framing rooted in a clear point of view: AI's output is impressive, but without context, it doesn't move the needle on business outcomes.

Then they connect that insight to the gap: AI lacks "the right information at the right time, combined with the judgment to know what to do with it."

This is where POV does its job. Without it, the problem framing is weaker, even if you nail the value messaging later, you've already lost momentum.

Creating contrast

Bob Moesta

Next, they introduce the alternatives - the current state of things. They explain how context is buried across systems, and how existing AI tools don't solve for that fragmentation.

This is subtle competitive positioning. They're not calling out names, but they're making it clear: the way most companies are trying to solve this doesn't work.

And that contrast is what makes the need for a solution feel urgent.

Painting the perfect world

Now they connect the dots: here's what it looks like when you actually solve this problem.

They describe the ideal state, then tie it directly to their solution. In a sales pitch, you might separate these, ideal world first, then your solution, to make it more gradual and smooth. Here, they combine them, which works because this is more announcement than pitch.

Tying features to outcomes

This is where value messaging takes over. For each layer of the platform, they connect the feature to the final outcome.

They don't just list what it does, but also explain why it matters - complete customer data means better decisions, business context means smarter AI, team context means knowledge doesn't disappear when someone leaves.

Features alone don't hold attention, but features tied to outcomes make someone lean in.

Bringing it full circle

They close by recapping the entire narrative in one section: "Why This Matters."

It walks through the same sequence:

• The insight (AI without context doesn't deliver results)
• The alternatives that don't work (fragmented systems, cobbled integrations)
• The perfect world (context in one place, powering everything)
• The solution (HubSpot's platform)

This is their core narrative strategy.

And it's exactly what would make the right prospect think:

"Wait… that's exactly what I'm thinking… but I've never seen it framed like that."

That's how you create attention.

That's how you stand out in 2026 and beyond.

I expect to see more messaging aligned with this narrative from Hubspot very soon. Keep an eye out for it.

DISCOVERY

How to write better value proposition copy

It’s tempting to start writing headlines by brainstorming endlessly, hoping the perfect words will magically appear.

But that’s backwards.

The best headlines don’t come from your head. They come from your customers’ mouths.

I just published a new video walking through my exact process for extracting headline ideas and value propositions from customer reviews, without guessing, or generic formulas.

​

Here’s the framework I use (after I’ve done the research):

1. Start with the filter: “I want to…“

Every snippet you pull from customer reviews should complete that sentence. Why? Because it gives you emotional direction (moving toward a goal or away from pain), reveals jobs-to-be-done, and shows you exactly where your prospects are in their journey.

2. Look for motivation, not features

You’re not mining reviews for what people like. You’re looking for what they’re hiring your product to do. The language they use to describe their struggles, their goals, their decision-making process, that’s your raw material.

3. Use AI to make sense of the noise

I scraped 65,000 words of customer reviews and used OpenAI’s browser to extract every angle that completes “I want to…” It gave me dozens of directional ideas, categorized by jobs-to-be-done, in minutes. Then I used my own judgment to pick the ones that matched our research and ICP.

Let me be clear, this is NOT a shortcut. It’s about using AI strategically to surface patterns you’d miss, then applying your expertise to turn those patterns into copy that actually converts.

The video covers:

• How to scrape and structure customer review data
• The exact prompt I use to extract headline ideas
• How to filter for emotional direction and sophistication
• Why this can add to your own brainstorming

If you’re a founder, in-house marketer, or PMM who’s tired of staring at a blank page wondering if your copy resonates, this one’s for you.

Messaging Breakdown live session 📣

Next Wednesday, February 11th at 9am PT, I'm teaming up with Gururaj Pandurangi (founder of ThriveStack) for a live Conversion Alchemy session, where we'll tear down real B2B SaaS websites and messaging in front of everyone.

We'll walk through:

• What's working (and what's not) in your homepage hero
• Where prospects are getting stuck in their decision journey
• How your messaging maps to the psychology of how buyers actually evaluate, compare, and convert

This is the same approach I use with clients, rooted in buyer psychology, and focused on what actually moves people from "maybe" to "yes."

Here's how it works:

Save your slot here and submit your page if you want.

We'll pick a handful of submissions and do live walkthroughs during the session. Even if yours isn't selected, you'll see the frameworks in action and walk away with a clearer lens on your own messaging. We might also run more sessions in the future so you can still get a chance.

​Join the live session and submit your page here.​

See you there.

RESONANCE

April Dunford, "Sales Pitch"

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Chris

Chris Silvestri Founder & conversion alchemist

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

When you're ready, here's a few ways I can help

Not sure where to start? Take our free message-market fit scorecard.​