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Why most SaaS messaging never takes off

I've been reading Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series lately (we're talking 1000+ page epic fantasy books), and I'm completely hooked. I'm not typically a fiction reader, but after hearing him on Tim Ferriss's podcast, something clicked.

During the interview, Sanderson shared an idea that immediately resonated with my work. He calls it "the escape velocity of attention," and it perfectly captures what I see happening with B2B SaaS companies struggling to break through.

Here's what Sanderson said:

When Sanderson launched a Kickstarter that broke records ($41.7 million raised), he still only reached about 10% of his existing audience.

Think about that – one of the most successful authors alive, with a massively engaged fanbase, still struggled to reach 90% of people who already follow him.

If a bestselling author with millions of fans can't reach most of his audience, what chance does your B2B SaaS company have without the right messaging strategy?

The answer is in understanding the forces keeping your message from being noticed:

1. The status quo pull

Your prospects are already using something – maybe a competitor, maybe a cobbled-together solution of spreadsheets and prayers. Whatever it is, that current solution creates a powerful resistance to change.

To break through, your messaging needs to generate enough initial momentum to overcome the "we've always done it this way" mindset.

This is why vague value propositions like "we save you time" almost never work – they lack the force needed to disrupt established patterns.

2. The attention filters

To move from barely noticed to seriously considered, your message needs to pass through several filters:

• The noise filter: The average B2B buyer is bombarded with 13+ touchpoints before making a purchase
• The relevance filter: Even if they notice you, they'll quickly dismiss you if your message doesn't immediately connect to their world
• The priority filter: Even relevant solutions get deprioritized if they don't address urgent problems

3. Your message-market fit

Message-market fit is your advantage – the mechanism that can actually overcome these barriers.

When your messaging perfectly matches the conversation already happening in your prospect's head, you're no longer fighting against resistance. You're working with an existing force (their own thoughts) to break through the noise.

Think about how I discovered Sanderson – he appeared on a podcast I already listen to, talked about concepts directly relevant to my interests, and framed them in a way that made me curious to learn more. The result? I bought his 1000+ page book, despite not being a fiction reader.

By the way, I've asked ChatGPT how long it would take me to read the whole 10-part series if I only had one hour a week... it said 10 years. Wish me luck.

How to engineer your message to break through

So how do you apply this to your SaaS company? Here's my practical framework:

1. Simplify complexity: Strip away jargon, unnecessary features, and complicated explanations from your messaging. Simpler messages require less effort to understand and remember.
2. Amplify urgency: Focus relentlessly on the specific pain points that create emotional resonance. Pain creates motivation for change.
3. Remove friction: Eliminate anything that creates cognitive obstacles – unclear statements, vague benefits, or confusing paths forward all prevent breakthrough moments.
4. Connect to existing patterns: Frame your solution in the context of tools, concepts, or processes your prospects already understand. This leverages their existing mental models.

What's most important to understand about breaking through attention barriers is that it's not linear. A message that's 80% of the way there doesn't perform 80% as well – it often fails to register at all, despite the substantial effort behind it.

This is why so many SaaS companies feel stuck. They're putting enormous effort into their messaging but still not achieving meaningful results. They're working harder without addressing the fundamental dynamics of attention.

Would you be interested in a deeper dive into this? Reply to this email and let me know what specific barriers are keeping your message from being noticed. I'd love to help you break through.

DISCOVERY

Episode 32 of The Message-Market Fit podcast is out!

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I had an great chat with Chima Mmeje, Senior Content Marketing Manager at Moz. Here's what you'll learn:

• How to create content that truly resonates with users beyond just rankings
• How to leverage expert voices to build content credibility
• Why brand authority is becoming increasingly crucial in the AI era
• How to diversify your traffic sources beyond Google
• How to balance educational content with product promotion
• How to attract quality traffic that actually drives ROI
• How to effectively audit and update large content libraries (Chima managed 1.4 million pages!)

And way way more.

Check it out here. And if you find it valuable, would you consider subscribing and leaving a rating? 🙏

RESONANCE

Yuval Noah Harari, Nexus

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Chris

Chris Silvestri Founder & conversion alchemist

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

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