Do you say things as they are? Or do you clutter your SaaS messaging with implicit market-y and salesy talk? You might think you know the answer. But few notice how implicit their messaging is.

What seems clear to you, may confuse leads and users. As a result, it makes them less interested in your product.

So moving from implicit to explicit messaging is not a matter of choice. Instead, it’s a matter of survival and thriving for your SaaS.

Definitions

First things first. Let’s define our terms.

→ Implicit messaging

Do you know the feeling when someone hints at something without saying it?

And you’re not sure whether you got it?

This is implicit messaging. It happens when the communicator implies something without expressing it clearly.

Life example:

What you say: ‘I’m cold.’

What you imply: ‘Close the window.’

SaaS example:

What you say: ‘Get started in no time with our software.’

What you imply, but leads and users may not fully get:

• They can setup the software easily.
• They don’t need help with the setup.
• They can start using the software almost immediately.
• They can save X hours on set-up.

And that’s how you might miss expressing the wide variety of benefits your software provides.

✏️ Implicit messaging relies on implied or suggested meanings.

❌ The receiver may or may not understand what you imply.

Implicit messaging uses implicit language.

Implicit language refers to words, phrases, and expressions that hint at meanings without stating them clearly.

→ Explicit messaging

Explicit language is the opposite of implicit language.

You don’t have to think twice to make sense of a message. What you read or hear is what you get.

Life example:

What you say: ‘Close the window.’

What you imply: ‘Close the window.’

SaaS example:

What you say: The software setup is easy—no help needed. You can use the tool almost right away. The setup takes less than 10 minutes, saving you up to 2.5 hours compared to other tools.

What your leads and users understand from your message:

• They can easily set up the software.
• They don’t need help with it.
• They can start using it almost immediately.
• They will save up to 2.5 hours.

And that’s how you’ve listed some benefits of your product.

✏️ Explicit messaging involves stating clearly what you want to say.

✅ The receiver will understand the exact thing you want to say.

Explicit messaging uses explicit language.

Explicit language involves words, phrases, and expressions that leave no room for ambiguity.

Main difference: implicit vs. explicit

You force leads and users to do the work when using implicit messaging. And that’s only if they’re willing to give you their time and attention.

In most cases, they’ll stay with what you said. They won’t try to figure out what you’ve implied.

With explicit messaging, your leads and users don’t have to figure things out. What you say is what they understand.

They don’t have to waste time and effort on decoding your messaging.

The dangers of implicit messaging

Implicit SaaS messaging is bad because:

• It falsely presumes that leads and users have prior knowledge of the topic.
• It’s confusing and ambiguous. People usually don’t get what you imply.
• Different people will interpret your messaging differently.
• It provides insufficient details, leaving a knowledge gap.
• It may lead to the wrong conclusions.
• It requires extra effort from leads and users to understand.

As a result, your SaaS leads and users may:

• Form the wrong perception of your SaaS.
• Disconnect or disengage.
• Take no or minimal action.
• Take unwanted actions, such as canceling their free trial.
• Go to a competitor.

The strengths of explicit messaging

Explicit SaaS messaging is good because:

• It’s clear and straightforward. People will get what you say.
• It doesn’t leave room for interpretation.
• It’s thorough and explanatory.
• Provides enough details.
• It leads to the right conclusions.
• It requires no extra effort to understand it.

As a result, your SaaS leads and users may:

• Perceive your brand positively.
• Engage with your SaaS.
• Take desired action, such as getting a free trial, signing up, paying from your platform.
• Staying with your SaaS.

How to make your SaaS messaging explicit

Here’s a list of actions you can take today to move from implicit to explicit messaging:

• Avoid vague statements. Be ultra-specific.
• Convey the exact meaning of what you want to say.
• Use simple words and phrases.
• Avoid figurative language and metaphors. Stick to the literal meaning of words.
• Reduce the use of unnecessary words.
• Be transparent about your product.
• Don’t assume people have prior knowledge of your product.
• Define industry terms or jargon you can’t avoid using. Use these terms consistently throughout your messaging.
• Provide context. Whenever you introduce a new feature or idea, provide the background info people need to make sense of it.
• Use specific examples to illustrate your point. Create hypothetical examples to clarify things for your leads and users.
• Show it off when possible. Instead of just describing how something works, create a video or animation to show people a specific feature.

Questions to consider:

• How do people respond to your messaging? Are there any signs of confusion or misinterpretation?
• Can you assess whether your SaaS messaging is implicit or not?
• If yes, what exactly makes your SaaS messaging implicit and how can you change that?
• What are the main areas you should improve? Is it the website copy? The sales decks? User onboarding materials?
• How can you encourage your public-facing teams to use explicit language when communicating with leads and users?
• What tools or resources can you provide to your teams to help them create explicit SaaS messaging?