If every app/product “saves time and money,” why do we all feel cash-strapped and burnt out?
Sure, saving time and money are always compelling benefits. But at a certain point, if everybody makes the same claim, it starts to strain belief—and it loses any emotional impact. Worse still, it fails to set you apart.
So, how can you position your product beyond “save time and money”? Go back to this oldie-but-goodie copywriting framework of motivators (see image) from Victor O. Schwab, which I’ve tweaked over the years for my own use.
Yes, the familiar "save time and money" are included here. But just look how many other options there are! Of course, you can’t just pick arbitrarily: You need to know your audience—what resonates with them, and how it ties to your product’s real benefits.
But it's also worth testing some of these on your social channels or some of your SEM campaigns.
When I worked at a cloud accounting company, we found that the "Pride of Accomplishment" need really resonated with business owners looking to master their accounting. This was an exciting change for our creative team, which pushed them into some new territories. It also captured our positive brand spirit more and formed a deeper connection with our market.
Three of My Personal Favourites 💖
With the caveat that your market/product should really dictate where you hunt, I have to confess there are some of these universal needs that I love playing with. They include:
1. Pride of Accomplishment
I think this feeling is often overlooked, but we're all massively aware of it. Whether it's doing that dreaded task (taxes, housecleaning, working out), or actually mastering something you felt you could never achieve (feeling on top of your finances, setting a record distance, hitting a milestone at work), this is a very warm feeling to tap in.
Nike's "Just Do It" messaging promises some of this feeling. If your competitors are all agitating pain, frustration, fear of failure, this can be an upbeat option to help you stand apart.
2. Being “First” at Things
This is less applicable, but it feels really relevant right now for so many AI/AI-assisted products. If you’re going after early adopters, this is a feeling that's really important to this group. They want to lead the pack. And they're okay with products that are still a work in progress (to some extent) if it means they get to stay on the cutting edge.
3. Avoiding Embarrassment
This one hits hard! We don't talk a lot about this feeling in marketing, but we all know that inner wince when you feel stupid. Grammarly is a great example of a product that speaks to this message in a way that summons a visceral experience that's familiar to anyone who's sent an important email only to notice a spelling or grammatical mistake after hitting send. This 'cringe factor' can also lend itself to wonderful marketing creative as it's a dramatic emotion (whereas saving time and money is much more subtle to portray).
I'm curious where your brand is at: Are you sick of “save time and money” messaging or still championing it?
And, of course, if you need help with your brand positioning and messaging, let’s chat!
