Like tree sap becoming maple syrup, the outcome's distilled, sweet, and leaves you wanting more:
Because of [1] a large, unaddressed change in the customer's world:
Now's the time to [2] respond with a specific approach you uniquely enable, by a certain date.
If we do, [3] we'll create good outcomes that align with our priority.
If we don't, [4] bad outcomes will continue, and get worse.
It works, because it captures the archetype of every story ever told across time:
Something changes, which creates a choice. A decision about what to do next. A decision that creates one of two possible futures: good or bad. (Page 19)
Another important reason this structure works is because our brains love contrast. We can't see "value" in isolation. Only when things stand in comparison to each other.
Our messaging is clear in black and white, but it fades away in shades of gray.
So we'll define "value" in this book as:
Value = good outcomes (-) bad outcomes
As the gap between these two futures grows, so does your value.
Which is a function of your messaging-not your product or service.
You can deliver incredible amounts of customer value that nobody knows about, because it was never messaged. So in practice, it's like it never happened at all.
This also means you have three jobs we'll cover from here:
Create a strong point of view on what's changing
Develop an approach that guides a response
Clearly message what's at stake (Page 20)