The Marketing Millennials Why Messaging Falls Flat (And How to Fix It) with Emma Stratton, Founder of Punchy | Ep. 341
Aug 20, 2025
Emma Stratton, messaging strategist and founder of Punchy, joins to unveil the secrets behind impactful marketing messaging. She emphasizes the importance of connecting with audiences instead of using jargon, suggesting her 'barbecue rule' for more authentic communication. The conversation dives into the significance of prioritizing value over features in copywriting and explores AI's role as a thought partner, rather than a replacement for genuine writing. Marketers will find powerful strategies to enhance their messaging and engage meaningfully.
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Inward-Facing Messaging Fails
- Most tech messaging fails because it is inward-facing and product-focused rather than customer-centered.
- Emma Stratton says this makes messaging complicated, uninteresting, and irrelevant to buyers.
Lead With Value First
- Lead with value, then benefits, then features (VBF) instead of the reverse (FBV).
- Emma Stratton recommends outside-in messaging that starts with why the buyer should care before listing features.
Star Wars Explains VBF
- Emma uses Star Wars to illustrate feature, benefit, and value: the Force is the feature, Luke's abilities are benefits, defeating Vader is the value.
- The example shows why features alone don't compel non-expert buyers without benefits and value.
