What to Kill First: The “More Features = More Growth” Fallacy
Somewhere along the way, many SaaS founders absorb a dangerous idea: that more features = more growth. That shipping faster means scaling faster. That if adoption slows or churn creeps in, the solution is to build.
Build more. Build faster. Build something new.
But here’s the truth: features don’t grow SaaS companies. Outcomes do.
Adding more bells and whistles might make your roadmap look impressive. But it rarely makes your messaging clearer, your funnel tighter, or your product easier to buy.
In fact, it often does the opposite.
Let’s talk about why the “more features = more growth” fallacy kills momentum — and what to kill first if you want to get it back.
When More Features Create Less Clarity
Early on, your product had one job. One page. One user story. One clear pitch.
And that focus was your growth engine. Customers knew exactly what you solved. Your messaging was crisp. Your positioning was tight.
But as you added features, things started to blur.
Your homepage now lists ten value props
Your demo deck has 40 slides
Your onboarding asks users to choose between six paths
Each new feature added surface area. But not necessarily value.
At some point, the product becomes harder to explain than it is to use. And that’s when growth slows.
The Fallacy of Feature-Led Differentiation
Founders often build to differentiate. If a competitor launches X, they counter with Y. If a customer asks for Z, they ship it to win the deal.
The logic: more features = more reasons to choose us.
The reality: more features = more confusion about who you’re for.
Your best customers didn’t choose you for your roadmap. They chose you because something you did solved a painful problem better than anything else. That’s what you sell. That’s what wins.
When you bury that clarity under a pile of options, you don’t look more robust. You look less focused.
Why Founders Default to Building
There’s a reason this fallacy is so common. Building feels like progress. It’s measurable. It fits the culture of shipping fast and iterating often.
Copy changes? Messaging work? Funnel audits? Those feel fuzzy. Harder to track. Easier to deprioritize.
So when growth plateaus, many founders open Figma or Notion instead of FullStory or Gong. They try to code their way out of a messaging problem.
But if your funnel isn’t converting or your activation rate is slipping, a new feature isn’t going to fix it. Clearer copy probably will.
What to Kill First: A Simple Framework
Before you start planning the next feature, ask yourself: what if we didn’t add anything new?
Instead, what if we removed the things that are blurring our value?
Here’s where to start:
1. Kill Feature Clutter on Your Homepage
If your homepage is a long list of features, strip it back. Start with one clear headline about the outcome your product delivers.
Then back it up with 2-3 features that directly support that outcome. Kill the rest — or move them to a deeper page.
2. Kill Redundant Onboarding Paths
More onboarding choices don’t create a personalized experience. They create paralysis.
Pick the shortest path to the “aha” moment. Guide every user there. You can layer in complexity later.
3. Kill Slides in Your Demo Deck
Your best demos don’t show more. They show less, but better.
Start with the pain. Show how you solve it. Stop there unless asked.
4. Kill Internal Messaging Drift
If your sales, marketing, and CS teams all describe the product differently, that’s not variety. That’s dilution.
Align everyone around one core message. One positioning doc. One clear answer to: “Why do people buy this?”
Growth Comes From Focus, Not Features
When you remove the noise, your signal gets stronger. Prospects understand you faster. Users activate sooner. Teams sell with confidence.
Yes, features matter. But only in service of outcomes. If a new feature doesn’t make your core promise stronger or your value clearer, it doesn’t belong on the roadmap.
Growth isn’t about building more. It’s about doubling down on what works. And killing everything that muddies the message.
So before you build your next feature, ask: what could we remove instead?
More Features Won’t Save You — But Sharper Messaging Might
If your roadmap is packed but your conversions are flat, it’s time to look at your message, not your backlog.
We help SaaS teams cut the clutter, sharpen their positioning, and turn what they’ve already built into a message that moves the needle.
Let’s stop adding — and start clarifying.
👉 Book your free, no-obligation strategy session here.
Or email me directly at admin@jeffriesdigitalmarketing.com
