# SaaS messaging document

Keep this reference compact enough to use when writing. Link to restricted source records rather than copying sensitive research material. The example is fictional.

## Scope

- Owner, version, and date:
- Content or campaign this supports:
- Primary audience and buying situation:
- Secondary roles and relevant concerns:
- Next action:
- Positioning brief reference:

## Core explanation

- What the product helps someone accomplish:
- How it helps:
- Conditions needed to understand the promise:
- One-sentence explanation:
- Category or familiar frame of reference:
- Wording that would imply unsupported scope:

Fictional explanation: “Investigate recurring API test failures with relevant test context in one view.” Compatibility and setup terms still need explanation. This wording requires verification against a real product before use.

## Message hierarchy

| Message | Question it answers | Capability or mechanism | Benefit hypothesis | Supporting proof | Necessary qualifier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main explanation | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Supporting point 1 | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Supporting point 2 | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Fit information | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |

## Claim ledger

| Exact wording | Capability, benefit, or measured result | Evidence source and date | Approved public use, if relevant | Scope and limits | Accuracy owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |

Do not turn a paraphrase into a quotation or a product demonstration into a quantified result. Use customer evidence only within its agreed scope.

## Questions and objections

| Reader question | Direct answer | Supporting source | Where it belongs | Owner | Unknown or follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compatibility | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Setup effort | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Offer terms | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |
| Existing alternative | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |

## Format briefs

Copy for a launch page, email, demo, sales conversation, or another format.

- Format and audience:
- Reader's starting knowledge:
- Question to answer first:
- Main explanation:
- Relevant supporting point and proof:
- Limits that must remain visible:
- Next action:
- Draft wording:

## Comprehension review

- What readers believe the product does:
- Whom they believe it serves:
- Expected next-step experience:
- Misunderstandings affecting fit or action:
- Preferences, recorded separately:
- Specific revision or test:
- Owner and review condition:

## Change log

| Date and version | New product fact or evidence | Claim changed | Wording retired | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in | Fill in |


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Original resource by Jon Bishop. CC BY 4.0. Illustrative examples are not customer results.