Personas That Don’t Lie — Playbook #2
Personas That Don’t Lie — Playbook #2. The goal isn’t clever—it’s clarity people can repeat after hearing it once.
Content that works trades novelty for usefulness repeated consistently.
Steps
- Design constraints before concepts — Constraints produce coherence; they are not creative jail.
- Define the audience and their stakes — Name who loses what if nothing changes; real stakes sharpen choices.
- List three proof points — Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust.
- State the promise in plain words — Avoid poetry; say the outcome a buyer can point to later.
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: 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: Social, data, demos. Proof turns belief into trust. 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.
Toolkit
- Positioning line — For [audience] who struggle with [problem], we deliver [outcome], proven by [proof].
- Messaging blocks — Headline • subhead • bullets • CTA mapped to page sections.
- Palette tokens — CSS variables / design tokens for color and spacing across apps.
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: 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.
Example
A dev‑tools startup replaced clever taglines with a plain promise and saw demo requests up 34% in six weeks.
Common Pitfalls & Fixes
- Collecting adjectives — Translate adjectives into constraints (type size, palette count, tone limits).
- Feature soup — Group features by outcomes buyers feel; features support, outcomes sell.
- Guides nobody reads — One page first. Depth later. Adoption beats length.
- Logo first — Write positioning before pixels; a logo is a receipt for choices.
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
- Proof: Social, Data, and Demos — Field Notes #2
- Category Design for Mortals — Guide #2
- Case Studies with a Plot — Guide #2
- UX Writing That Sounds Like You — Guide #2
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