Who: A multinational provider of technology hardware, software, and services
What: Mixed-methods approach to message testing and value proposition design
When: During product development, and early enough to influence product development
Building a stronger value proposition
A global technology company known best for desktop hardware was expanding further into workplace software solutions. To support this shift, they needed to refine the messaging around a major new offering. They knew their brand wasn’t (yet) seen as a leader in this emerging space, and they wanted research that would evaluate their product on its own merits, uncover the value propositions that resonated with IT decision-makers, and deliver clear direction on how to strengthen their story for a skeptical audience.
A research approach designed for clarity
The project combined quantitative and qualitative methods to move beyond surface-level preferences. An initial survey of hundreds of IT decision-makers provided a broad view of how different value propositions – and specific elements within those messages – resonated with potential customers across industries and company sizes. Those survey findings helped uncover early patterns of what connected and what fell flat.
Building on those findings, we conducted follow-up interviews with carefully selected survey respondents from around the world who had offered rich, thoughtful feedback in their survey responses. These conversations added critical depth that validated some early hypotheses, challenged others, and brought forward the “why” behind the numbers. Through this deep work, we uncovered nuance that survey data alone could not have revealed, giving the client sharper insight into the emotions, expectations, and objections driving decision-makers’ reactions.
What we uncovered
The findings painted a clear picture of how the client needed to evolve their messaging:
Outcomes first, technology second. Decision-makers responded most strongly to messages that tied the solution directly to business outcomes, such as boosting employee productivity and reducing IT costs.
Prove it or lose them. Despite interest in artificial intelligence, skepticism ran high toward buzzwords and vague claims around AI. Without explaining how, specifically, AI made the solution better, respondents discounted its value.
Tailor to the audience. Analysis of the survey and qualitative insights led us to recommend a new way to segment prospective customers, based on their priorities and buying mindsets and not just their job titles. The client used this to refine and target their messaging more effectively.
Our feedback was highly specific, highlighting which phrases, buzzwords, and vague claims disengaged the audience – and provided direct guidance on how to refine the language to build credibility.
Business impact
Rather than simply reporting preferences, the research gave the client clear, actionable direction on how to improve the value proposition of their new product. We built for them a roadmap for which kinds of messages and elements resonated, and a deeper understanding of which marketing practices – like overusing AI hype or relying on vague productivity claims – would backfire.
Armed with this insight, the client was able to sharpen the value proposition for different buyer personas, and align future messaging efforts with the expectations of a market they were eager to lead.
With a deeper understanding of their audience’s expectations, the client shaped a story that was more believable and more compelling.
Want insights that help you build stronger messages, sharper positioning, and real credibility with your most important audiences?