Free template · GTM strategy & ICP
The B2B Messaging Framework
One source of truth for what you say: core message, three pillars, proof and persona angles.
What's inside
- How a message house works
- A fill-in core message and three pillars with proof
- Words to use and words to avoid
- Persona-specific messaging angles
Who it's for
Teams where the website, outreach and sales calls all say something different.
Why it matters
In many startups the website says one thing, outbound emails say another and each sales call opens with a different pitch. Buyers notice, and it becomes hard to tell which message is actually working. The usual cause is that nobody wrote down a single version of what the company says, so every person on the team invents their own.
A message house fixes this with one core sentence, three pillars that support it, proof for each pillar and angles for each buyer role. Built from your positioning, it becomes the reference for the homepage, sequences, decks and call openings. The template also asks you to collect the words buyers use and the words you avoid, which keeps copy honest.
How to use it
- 1Write your core message as one sentence that names who you help, the outcome and how, based on your positioning.
- 2Define three pillars, and for each record what it means, the proof behind it and the buyer pain it answers. Rephrase any pillar you cannot prove yet.
- 3Fill in the words and phrases buyers use, taken from calls and replies, and list the jargon, hype and unprovable claims you will avoid.
- 4Complete the persona angles table with what each role cares about, which pillar to lead with, an opening line angle and the proof that convinces them.
- 5Apply the framework to your homepage, outbound sequences, discovery openings and sales deck, then review it quarterly against won and lost deals.
Read alongside it
- Sales and marketing alignment for startups
- How to write a cold email that gets replies
- ICP vs buyer persona: what's the difference?
The B2B Messaging Framework: FAQ
- What is a B2B messaging framework?
- A messaging framework is a single reference document for what a company says about itself. It usually includes a core message, three supporting pillars, proof for each pillar and variations for different buyer roles. Teams use it to keep the website, outreach, decks and sales calls consistent.
- What is a message house?
- A message house is a simple structure for messaging. The roof is your core message, one sentence on who you help and the outcome. The pillars are the main reasons to believe it. The foundation is the proof behind each pillar, such as customer quotes, real results or how the product works.
- How do you adapt messaging for different buyer personas?
- Keep the core message the same and change which pillar you lead with. A CEO may care most about speed, a sales leader about pipeline and finance about cost. For each persona, note what they care about, the opening angle and the proof most likely to convince them.
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