Founder‑Led Marketing: Where to Start — Deep Dive #2
Founder‑Led Marketing: Where to Start — Deep Dive #2. We’ll turn instincts into a system you can run every week.
Voice is the personality; tone is the mood. Document both or drift wins.
Steps
- List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
- Design constraints before concepts — Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail.
- State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
- Define the audience and their stakes — Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices.
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: Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail. 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: Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices. In branding, consistency is a function of decisions captured and reused.
Toolkit
- Positioning line — For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof].
- 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: For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof]. 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 fintech tightened palette tokens and shipping velocity rose because designers stopped re‑deciding shades.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
- Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
- Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).
Related Articles
- Personas That Don’t Lie — Pro Tips #2
- UX Writing That Sounds Like You — Guide #2
- Finding Your Brand Voice — Case Files #2
- Taglines: Short, Sharp, True — Guide #2
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