Nobody wakes up thinking: “I’m going to buy a new SaaS today!”

What they’re really thinking (besides coffee): “How do I make this pain go away?”. Too many people in tech pitch what their product does—instead of what it means for the person using it.

The real value of your product isn’t just in its features, but in how it transforms the user’s life:

• Avoiding stress
• Solving problems
• Helping them achieve their goals

When you focus only on features, people won’t see the transformation.

And transformation is what people are really buying.

Here’s what happens when you sell features instead of outcomes:

• You Get Compared on Price: If they don’t see the outcome, they’ll compare you on the only thing they do understand—price. That means you’ll lose to cheaper options, even if you’re better.
• You Sound Like Everyone Else: Most tools have similar features. When you lead with them, you blend in. No edge. No urgency. You’ll drown in the sea of sameness.
• You Build the Wrong Things: Internally, teams chase shiny features instead of real outcomes. The product becomes an engineering showcase, not a market fit.

The Reason This Happens

People in tech take genuine pride in their technical achievements.

We want to showcase our hard work rather than “dumbing it down” to benefits. We worry that using “marketing talk” will make us look less competent. Some even view emotionally-driven messaging as manipulative.

Listing features feels like the logical, objective path.

Here are other reasons why this happens:

• Assumes the Audience Understands the Value: Builders often skip explanation, assuming the value is obvious. But what’s intuitive to you isn’t always clear to them. Don’t be a victim to the curse of knowledge.
• Focusing on Innovation for Its Own Sake: There’s a tendency to highlight new, cutting-edge features just for the sake of being “innovative,” without connecting them to the customer’s immediate needs or current pain points. Customers care about practical solutions, not just novelty.
• Stuck in Internal Echo Chambers: When you mostly work with technical peers, you reinforce feature-focused thinking—because that’s how everyone around you communicates.

How to Fix It

You must be thinking: “Benefits over features—got it. But how do I do that?”

First, let’s clear the air. I know this shift can feel…icky. Like you’re turning into a dodgy car salesman. But here’s the thing:

• You’re not ignoring your features—you’re just not leading with them
• It’s ONLY manipulative if you’re lying. If the transformation is real, you’re simply telling the truth in a way that resonates

Storytelling sticks because it shows change — a clear before and after. That’s why the most iconic stories follow this arc of transformation.

Just look at these stories:

• Harry Potter didn’t just go to a new school. He became “the boy who lived.” A nobody becomes a hero.
• Luke Skywalker didn’t just get a lightsaber. He went from lost farm boy to leader of the rebellion.
• Frodo didn’t just carry a ring. He went from humble hobbit to savior of Middle Earth.

Transformation is what closes the loop after building up tension from conflict (problems) and consequences (stakes) in your story.

When you give people a clear “before and after,” your message sticks.

Let’s say you’re building a tool that automates customer feedback collection:

• Before: Constant Slack messages. Chasing down PMs for notes. Weekly reporting takes hours.
• After: One dashboard. Feedback auto-sorted. Reports ready in 5 minutes.

Same tool. But the second version shows transformation.

Don’t make people connect the dots—draw the whole picture for them.

Here are other ways to frame your solution as transformation:

1. Use tangible examples

People in tech often give accurate—but intangible—examples.

Imagine if Steve Jobs only explained the technical specs of the iPod:

That’s technically correct. But the audience might be thinking:

• “5GB - How much space is that really?”
• “MP3 player - Don’t these exist already?”
• “USB connectivity - Why would this matter?”
• “10-hours - Is that a lot? Do I need to carry batteries?”

Now compare that to what he actually said:

The audience would think:

• “1000 songs - That’s my whole music library!”
• “In your pocket - I don’t need to worry about the bulk.”
• “Cool. Now I want to know the details.”

See the shift? When the benefit is vivid and concrete, people can see the transformation—and they get curious. You’ve earned their attention.

Hook them with the promise → Explain the specs after.

2. Ask “so what?”

Technical language informs. Emotional language persuades.

Let’s say your product “automates reporting.” That sounds useful but dry. It doesn’t tap into how your customer feels before and after.

Ask yourself “so what” to unpack the real benefit of the solution.

You’re not changing what the product does—you’re changing what it means.

You can see this in how some of the best brands speak:

• Calm doesn’t sell “meditation features”—they sell “better sleep,” “less stress,” and “peace of mind”
• Airbnb doesn’t sell “short-term lodging”—they sell “belonging anywhere”
• Gmail didn’t launch with “1GB of free storage”—they said “Never delete an email again”

People might forget a feature. But they remember how you made them feel.

3. Anchor to identity

People don’t just buy products—they buy better versions of themselves.

Apple used this approach masterfully with the Mac vs. PC campaign. The Mac wasn’t just “less prone to viruses” or “better at graphic design.” It was cool, creative, and easygoing.

The PC? Uptight, corporate, and clunky.

They weren’t just selling specs. They were selling who you were if you chose a Mac. You weren’t just buying a computer—you were declaring your identity.

You can see more examples from other brands:

• Nike - You become someone who “just does it”. No excuses.
• Harley-Davidson – You’re joining a brotherhood of rebels and road warriors.
• Duolingo – You’re not just learning a language. You’re becoming the kind of person who sticks with their goals.

Even in SaaS, identity framing works. If your tool helps engineers write cleaner code, you’re not just saving time—you’re making them feel like pros who ship with confidence.

4. Show the difference

I want you to ban the word “better”.

It’s vague. It leaves people guessing. When you use the word “better”, it makes people ask:

• “Better than who?”
• “How much better?”
• “Better in what way?”

Instead, you should show what makes your solution different. This helps with your positioning in the market. It helps people know if your product is for them—or not.

And this makes it easier for your solution to stand out.

One way to do this is to tell your audience who this product is NOT for, just like how Basecamp does it:

Or like how Hey.com compares screening emails like screening calls:

You get the idea.

Here’s my favourite quote on this topic:

Takeaway

If you want your message to stick (and your product to sell), remember:

• People don’t buy tools—they buy outcomes.
• Features explain, but transformation persuades.
• Use stories to paint the before-and-after picture.
• Make benefits tangible, emotional, and tied to identity.
• Stand out by showing how you’re different—not just “better.”

Don’t just tell people what your product does.

Show them what it does for them.

P.S. I’m working on something special—a course on storytelling for people in tech. To make sure it’s as useful as possible, I’d love your input: Which of these is your biggest struggle right now?

• ​Writing product landing pages that convert readers into customers​
• ​Writing social media posts to build to promote myself & my work​
• ​Starting a newsletter to promote myself and my thoughts​
• ​A combination of the above​

Looking for something else? Reply and let me know!

Adam