What makes you different? Do you have a concise and compelling answer to that question? When it comes to positioning, less is more. But too often, companies get wordy and convoluted, losing the plot in a sea of text. Emma and Adam Ketterer argue that true clarity comes from radical constraints. In their new book, Eight Words or Fewer, this marketing duo shares how to distill your difference into a single line that sticks: a micropitch.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why B2B companies naturally fall prey to the instinct that more must be better when defining their value proposition
- The strategic breakdown that occurs during the last mile of the positioning process and how to build for brevity from day one
- Tactical ways to overcome the anxiety of leaving things out by showing your stakeholder work and mapping customer journeys
- How to use a homeopathic distillation framework to create a micropitch that infuses everything from sales decks to homepages
- The creative and editorial realities of writing a pocket guide on concision as a married couple
Episode Chapters
- (00:00) Intro
- (01:34) Why We Struggle with Brevity
- (03:27) Losing the Plot in the Positioning Process
- (06:44) Overcoming the Anxiety of Distillation
- (09:59) The Subline and Structure of Eight Words or Fewer
- (12:08) How to Kill Your Darlings
- (15:27) The Micropitch as a Brand Strategy Anchor
- (17:26) Collaboration and Constraint as a Married Couple
- (22:57) Finding Your Point of View and Conviction
- (25:38) Brands That Make Us Smile
- (27:50) Where to Connect with Emma and Adam
About Emma and Adam Ketterer
Emma Ketterer and Adam Ketterer are seasoned marketing professionals specializing in positioning, messaging, and content strategy for B2B technology companies. Emma brings extensive experience from both the agency and corporate sides, currently serving as the Global Lead Editor at Celonis. Adam is a co-founder of Beneath, a specialized B2B marketing agency. As a married couple, they blended their strategic and creative insights to co-author Eight Words or Fewer: Distil your difference into the perfect micropitch, a pocket guide exploring the critical intersection where strategic brand positioning meets ultra-concise writing.
What Brands Have Made Emma and Adam Smile Recently?
Emma found recent inspiration in the B2B tech space through GitHub’s smart, witty, and exceptionally well-produced explainer videos. Adam pointed to the timeless, iconic print campaigns of The Economist, noting how the brand’s playful, minimalist approach continues to inspire creative professionals to riff on its memorable format across digital and physical signage.
Resources & Links
- Connect with Emma and Adam on LinkedIn.
- Check out their new book, Eight Words or Fewer.
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On Brand is a part of the Marketing Podcast Network.
Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!
