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Stop answering questions, start solving problems

I was listening to Marie Forleo interview Seth Godin when something fascinating happened.

Marie asked what seemed like a standard question about morning routines - you know, the kind that usually gets those minute-by-minute "wake up at 5 AM, meditate for 20 minutes" responses.

But Seth did something brilliant. Instead of listing his routine, he completely reframed the conversation:

"What's important is understanding what a routine actually is," he said. "A routine is a decision not made."

In one elegant Jedi move, he transformed a question about his personal habits into a lesson about decision fatigue and intentional living. He made it about the listener's challenges and goals, not his morning coffee schedule.

This is exactly what great messaging does.

When a prospect asks "What features do you have?" or "How does your product work?", they're really asking about something deeper. Our job isn't to recite feature lists or technical specs. It's to reframe the conversation around what they're truly seeking: certainty, growth, peace of mind.

Let me show you what this looks like in B2B SaaS:

Imagine you're selling a customer feedback platform. Your research shows that product managers are frustrated because they waste hours in meetings debating feature priorities, only to build things users don't want.

Here's how most companies would use this insight:

"Our AI-powered feedback platform aggregates customer data from multiple channels, providing real-time insights through an intuitive dashboard."

But here's how you could reframe it:

"Stop debating what to build next. Start knowing. Turn endless product meetings into 15-minute decisions backed by clear user signals."

See the difference? The first approach answers the surface question ("What does it do?"). The second reframes the conversation around the deeper truth: Product managers don't want a feedback platform - they want confidence in their decisions and time back in their day.

The reframing works because:

1. It speaks to the emotional reality ("endless meetings" = frustration)
2. It uses the customer's language (not "aggregates data" but "what to build next")
3. It follows their thought process: Problem → Promise → Proof

Seth's response worked because he knew his audience struggles with consistency and decision fatigue. He used simple language ("a decision not made") and followed the natural progression from problem (constant decision-making) to solution (creating routines).

Next time you're writing copy, ask yourself: Am I just answering the surface question, or am I reframing it to address the deeper need? Am I making this about my product, or about their transformation?

DISCOVERY

The power of beauty in communicating complex ideas

Is beauty really worth pursuing in a data-first world? This piece argues that yes, we should make things beautiful because there's a lot going on in the back of our minds when it comes to understanding and communicating complexity.

Your ultimate buyer persona profile

My friend and recent podcast guest Ryan Gibson, just published one of the most comprehensive and useful B2B buyer profile templates I've ever stumbled on. You can see exactly how it works in his guide here.

What would it be like to live in the 80s?

I loved this video. The guy buys a bunch of 80s tech to replace every tool in his life and goes a week living like if it was 40 years ago. Vlogging included!

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It's a very vivid throw back and representation of how our needs change and we continuously become more demanding as our technology progresses. Makes me think we're forgetting how to be grateful for what we have too.

RESONANCE

Blair Enns, The Win Without Pitching Manifesto

When you can take action to change your mindset, you naturally separate yourself from most people who’d rather wait an idyllic future when they’re ready and comfortable before taking the first step.

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Chris

Chris Silvestri Founder & conversion alchemist

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