Hi {{first_name}},
Anton Chekhov said: "If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there." (source)
He was talking about playwriting. But he might as well have been talking about messaging.
Too many B2B consultants and agencies are telling stories that don't make sense.
Not because they can't write or haven't found the right words. Because they're introducing plot elements that never resolve. They're putting guns on the wall that never fire.
When a buyer engages with messaging on a website, a LinkedIn profile, or a sales conversation, they're following a plot, and they need the story to make sense.
Here's how a story is supposed to work:
Act 1: The Problem The consultant says, "You have low brand awareness. Nobody in your market knows who you are."
Act 2: The Solution "We'll build a strategic content program with thought leadership on LinkedIn, guest posts in industry publications, and speaking opportunities at conferences."
Act 3: The Outcome "You'll generate 50 qualified leads per month."
…Wait. What just happened??
Brand awareness doesn't generate qualified leads. That's a different story. If the problem is brand awareness, the outcome should be: "Decision-makers in your market will recognize your company name and understand what you do."
The consultant just put a gun on the wall in Act 1 and fired a completely different gun in Act 3.
Compare that to a coherent narrative:
"We help B2B SaaS companies convert free users to paid customers without increasing sales headcount."
Problem: Free-to-paid conversion is too low
Solution: Automated onboarding + targeted nurture sequences
Audience: B2B SaaS companies with product-led growth models
Outcome: Higher conversion without adding salespeople
One straight line. No gaps. No unresolved plot threads.
Unresolved plot threads are the root of most messaging struggles.
Consultants see all the stories they could tell. They solve efficiency problems AND revenue problems. They work with startups AND enterprises. They deliver faster processes AND better outcomes.
All of that might be true. They probably CAN deliver all those things.
But trying to tell every story means buyers can't follow any of them.
Strong messaging requires a coherent narrative arc. This means choices.
The consultant has to choose which story they're telling.
Which problem is Act 1. Which solution is Act 2. Which outcome is Act 3.
And then (this is the hard part) they have to let go of the plot threads that don't serve that story.
If the problem is brand awareness, don't lead with lead generation metrics. That's a different story.
If the solution is content strategy, don't tout sales productivity as the primary outcome. Stay in the story.
If the outcome is market recognition, that's what gets measured, not the downstream effects.
Every choice closes a door. That's what makes it strategic.
This is difficult to do because every door closed feels like an opportunity left on the table.
"But brand awareness DOES lead to more leads eventually!"
"But we CAN help both startups and enterprises!"
"But all these outcomes are related!"
Those are all valid stories. They're just not THIS story.
Buyers need one coherent narrative.
They need to follow a straight line from problem to solution to outcome without getting lost in subplots that go nowhere.
When the story makes sense, everything else gets easier. Sales conversations flow naturally. Objections dissolve because they've already been addressed in the plot. Pipeline becomes predictable because the right people recognize their story immediately.
When the story doesn't make sense, no amount of clever copywriting fixes it.
The work isn't finding better words. It's deciding which story to tell.
What problem opens Act 1? What solution drives Act 2? What outcome closes Act 3?
Get the narrative arc right, and the messaging writes itself.
Keep trying to tell every story at once, and buyers will keep walking away confused.
Make sure your story makes sense.
Katie
P.S. If you're struggling to explain what you do in a way that actually lands with prospects, let’s talk. Grab 30 minutes here or just reply to this email.