The Messaging Pyramid: What to Write First So the Rest Writes Itself
Writing SaaS messaging often feels like trying to solve a puzzle with 100 moving pieces.
You start with the homepage. Then the pricing page. Then onboarding emails. Then a pitch deck. Then product pages. Then an ad campaign. Every asset needs words — and fast.
But the more you write, the more tangled it gets. You tweak one sentence and suddenly nothing else fits. You try to update a headline and it no longer matches your demo script. You rework your pitch and now your emails feel off.
Sound familiar?
That’s because most SaaS founders and marketers start with the surface — instead of the structure.
To write great messaging that actually scales, you need to start with the Messaging Pyramid.
What Is the Messaging Pyramid?
The Messaging Pyramid is a simple framework that helps you write your foundational copy in the right order — so everything else becomes easier, faster, and more consistent.
Here’s the structure from bottom to top:
ICP Clarity — Who are you talking to?
Core Problem — What’s frustrating them?
Core Promise — What outcome are you offering?
Unique Mechanism — How do you uniquely deliver it?
Value Proposition — Your sharpest 1–2 sentence pitch
Once you’ve built this pyramid, writing everything else becomes 10x easier. Your homepage headline. Your email CTAs. Your outbound scripts. Even your pricing page FAQs.
Because you’re no longer guessing what to say — you’re pulling from a clear foundation.
Step 1: Clarify Your ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)
If you skip this step, everything else becomes vague.
Don’t just write for “marketers” or “founders.” Get specific:
Job title
Team size
Stage of company
Industry
Tool stack
Even more importantly, define what they’re struggling with — not just what they look like on paper.
Example:
“We help 3–10 person B2B SaaS sales teams led by a founder who’s still in the sales seat and sick of forecasting in Google Sheets.”
That’s specific. That’s vivid. That’s usable.
Step 2: Define the Core Problem
What is your ICP actually frustrated by?
Not just the surface symptom — the felt pain. The annoying, expensive, recurring issue they’d love to fix.
Ask:
What’s broken?
What are they wasting time or money on?
What do they complain about in Slack?
What do they feel guilty, stressed, or overwhelmed by?
Examples:
“I’m chasing my team for status updates.”
“I’m still building reports manually.”
“I don’t know what’s working in our marketing.”
Write it down in their words. That’s your copy gold.
Step 3: Craft the Core Promise
Now flip the pain into a payoff.
What future state does your product unlock for them? How will their day, week, or workflow be better?
Keep it grounded. Be specific. Don’t promise to “unlock growth.” Say:
“Know exactly who’s working on what — without chasing updates.”
“Automate weekly reports and get 5 hours back.”
“Track campaigns that actually drive revenue.”
This is the heart of your message. It’s what you’re selling — not the features, not the UI, but the outcome.
Step 4: Name Your Unique Mechanism
This is the “how.” It’s the piece most competitors gloss over — but when done right, it becomes your moat.
Ask: Why is our approach better?
What do we do differently?
What’s our workflow, architecture, or insight?
What tradeoffs did we make on purpose?
Examples:
“We don’t integrate with 15 tools. We replace them.”
“We built this for one job: founder-led sales.”
“Other tools give you data. We give you decisions.”
You don’t need a totally new technology. You just need a distinct point of view.
Step 5: Write Your Value Prop
Now — and only now — do you write the headline, the pitch, the 1-liner.
Pull from the rest of the pyramid:
“We help small SaaS sales teams forecast accurately without spending 6 hours in Google Sheets — using a purpose-built pipeline view your team will actually update.”
Or simplify:
“Forecast clearly. Close faster. Built for founder-led sales teams still using spreadsheets.”
Now your message isn’t a guess — it’s a reflection of a real ICP, a real problem, a real outcome, and a unique delivery method.
Why the Pyramid Works
Most SaaS messaging gets written backwards. Founders try to write a homepage headline before they’ve nailed the core promise. They pitch in a demo without knowing the ICP. They build ad copy without clarifying the mechanism.
That’s why it feels scattered.
But when you build from the bottom up:
Everything aligns
Everything speeds up
Everything resonates more
Because every word is connected.
Final Thought: Build the Base First
If your messaging feels scattered, your funnel inconsistent, and your team unsure what to say — start here.
Don’t write another landing page. Don’t launch another campaign.
Build your pyramid:
ICP
Problem
Promise
Mechanism
Value prop
Then — and only then — start writing.
Because once your foundation is clear, the rest writes itself.
Ready to Build a Messaging Foundation That Actually Converts?
If your SaaS messaging feels scattered or your team keeps rewriting the same pages, it’s time to build your pyramid.
We help founders clarify their ICP, sharpen their value prop, and craft copy that scales across your entire funnel.
Let’s write your base — so the rest writes itself.
👉 Book your free, no-obligation strategy session here.
Or email me directly at admin@jeffriesdigitalmarketing.com
