TL;DR: The WHO/WHAT/DIFFERENTIATOR/VALUE framework is an operational grid for structuring B2B messaging. Each axis answers a question the prospect is already asking. The goal: anyone in the company can pitch the value proposition in 4 sentences and 30 seconds.
Why don’t existing B2B messaging frameworks work in practice?
There’s no shortage of messaging frameworks. StoryBrand, Value Proposition Canvas, Jobs-to-be-Done — the literature is extensive. Yet most B2B startups we meet still don’t have structured messaging.
The problem isn’t lack of methodology. It’s lack of priority. Academic frameworks demand two-day workshops, sticky notes, and a certified facilitator. At a growth-stage startup, nobody has that time. Messaging stays permanently « on the to-do list ».
What’s needed is a tool that fits on one page, validates in 30 seconds, and deploys the next day. The WHO/WHAT/DIFF/VALUE framework was built for exactly that.
How does the WHO/WHAT/DIFF/VALUE framework work?
The framework rests on 4 questions, in a specific sequence. The order isn’t arbitrary — it mirrors the cognitive sequence a prospect follows when evaluating a solution.
Axis 1 — WHO: Who are you speaking to, precisely?
Not « B2B companies ». Not « innovative SMEs ». Who, specifically: which job title, which company size, which daily problem, which decision moment. The precision of the WHO determines the relevance of everything else. Messaging that addresses everyone speaks to no one.
Axis 2 — WHAT: What do you do, in terms your prospect understands?
The temptation is to describe features. Resist it. The WHAT should express the transformation — what changes in the customer’s life after using your solution. A prospect isn’t looking for « a semantic analysis engine powered by advanced NLP ». They want to « understand what their customers actually think ».
Axis 3 — DIFFERENTIATOR: Why you and not a competitor?
This is the hardest axis. And the one most often botched. « Our team is passionate » is not a differentiator — it’s a statement 100% of your competitors could make too. A real differentiator is structural, verifiable, and hard to copy. It might be proprietary data, a unique methodology, exclusive market access, or a technical integration nobody else offers.
Axis 4 — VALUE: What measurable result does the customer get?
Numbers. Timelines. Percentages. « Reduce your sales cycles by 35% » is more convincing than « improve your commercial efficiency ». VALUE anchors the promise in the concrete. Without it, your messaging remains a claim floating in mid-air.
How do you validate messaging with the Point of View test?
The test is straightforward. Formulate your messaging in 4 sentences — one per axis — and ask someone unfamiliar with your company to read them. Can they reformulate what you do, for whom, and why it’s different? In under 30 seconds?
If yes, your messaging works. If they hesitate, rephrase, or ask clarifying questions, there’s work to do.
Here’s a concrete example for a fictional cybersecurity startup:
WHO: CISOs at mid-market industrial companies (200-2,000 employees) managing connected OT environments.
WHAT: A platform that detects threats on industrial networks in real time, without disrupting production.
DIFF: The only solution covering IT and OT simultaneously with a single agent, where competitors require two separate deployments.
VALUE: Detection time reduced from 72 hours to 15 minutes. Deployment in 5 days, not 5 months.
Four sentences. Thirty seconds. Zero ambiguity.
What mistakes should you avoid when building B2B messaging?
Three errors come up repeatedly in the startups we advise.
The first: confusing messaging with a tagline. The tagline is the tip of the iceberg. Messaging is the underlying structure that feeds the tagline, the pitch, the website, the emails, the presentations. Working on the tagline without the messaging is decorating a house that has no foundation.
The second: writing for yourself rather than for the prospect. Tech startups love talking about their technology. The prospect wants to know what it changes for them. Every sentence in your messaging should survive the « so what? » test — if the prospect can read it without feeling concerned, it’s dead weight.
The third: seeking consensus. Effective messaging makes choices. It excludes audiences, it commits to a positioning angle, it takes sides. Messaging that tries to please everyone ends up convincing no one. Some prospects should read your site and think « this isn’t for me ». That’s the signal it’s working.
How do you deploy the framework inside a startup?
Deployment happens in three phases.
Week 1-2: Diagnostic. Interview the founder, sales team, and 3 to 5 customers. Compare what the company says with what the market understands. This is where the surprises live.
Week 3-4: Framework construction. Fill in the 4 axes, test formulations, validate with the Point of View test. Iterate until you have 4 sentences that pass the 30-second test.
Week 5-8: Deployment. Update the website, reformat the pitch deck, train the sales team, align marketing content. This is the longest phase — and the most neglected. A brilliant framework that stays in a Google Doc is worth nothing.
The time investment is modest relative to the impact. In practice, startups that structure their messaging see measurable results within 8 to 12 weeks: shorter sales cycles, better conversion rates, faster commercial onboarding.
FAQ
Does the WHO/WHAT/DIFF/VALUE framework work for all B2B sectors?
Yes. The framework is sector-agnostic. It has been tested in SaaS, cybersecurity, data infrastructure, professional services, and deeptech. The structure stays the same — only the content changes.
Do you need a consultant to apply this framework?
Not necessarily. The framework is designed for self-service use. An external perspective does help avoid the main bias: writing for yourself rather than for your market. The Messaging Health Check provides a free initial diagnostic.
How do you adapt the framework for international markets?
The structure stays identical. What changes is the calibration of the WHO (personas vary by market) and the formulation of VALUE (the metrics that matter differ between France, Germany, and the US). Translation alone is never enough.