Case Studies with a Plot — Deep Dive #2
Case Studies with a Plot — Deep Dive #2. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.
Personas are forecasts, not fiction. Use jobs, pains, and proof—never stereotypes.
Steps
- List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
- Define the audience and their stakes — Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices.
- State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
- Design constraints before concepts — Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail.
Why this matters: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Why this matters: Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Toolkit
- Messaging blocks — Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections.
- Palette tokens — CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps.
- Voice ladder — From formal to playful with examples for each channel.
How to use it: Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
How to use it: From formal to playful with examples for each channel. Save the final in a shared doc; link from tickets so execution matches intent.
Example
A founder started writing one LinkedIn tip daily; inbound doubled in 90 days without ads.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).
- Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.
- Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
- Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
Fix: Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits). Add it to your operating checklist so teams don’t drift next sprint.
Related Articles
- Positioning Traps (and Fixes) — Pro Tips #2
- A Visual Identity You Can Scale — Guide #2
- Palette Systems: Color With a Job — Pro Tips #2
- Brand Positioning That Sticks — Deep Dive #2
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