Aug 8, 2025
Your product is brilliant. Your communication? Not so much.
At Crux Comms, we see it constantly: B2B tech companies with innovative and unique solutions but still sounding like everyone else. They mostly talk about features, bury the value, and wonder why prospects don’t understand the benefits or feel compelled.
The villain of the story? The feature-first trap.
Why smart companies sound boring
It's natural. You have spent months (or years) building something incredible. You are proud of the technology – so you start with that.
"Our AI-driven platform uses advanced machine learning algorithms to optimize workflow efficiency through automated decision trees..."
Your prospects hear: "Bla bla tech stuff. Next."
And here's the problem: Features don’t sell results. Results sell features and benefits.
Say hello to the VBF framework
The VBF flips the script for tech communication:
V = Value – What value do you enable?
B = Benefit – What measurable improvement does it deliver?
F = Feature – What technical features or capabilities make it possible?
The magic happens when you lead with V, not F. Here’s how a fintech company transformed its pitch:
Before (feature-first):
"Our platform enables real-time reconciliation with ISO 20022 compatibility."
After (VBF):
"CFOs speed up their month-end closing by 40%. They save hours on reconciliation thanks to our built-in ISO 20022 functionality."
Same product. Totally different drive. The first version makes your audience work to understand the value. The second version starts with what they actually care about: saving time and streamlining compliance with ISO 20022 requirements.
VBF for different types of content
VBF is not just for elevator pitches. Here’s how the framework can be used for different types of content:
Content Type | Value Hook | Benefit | Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
Press Release | "Manufacturers reduce downtime by 50%" | "Prevents $20 million in lost production annually" | "with AI-driven predictive maintenance" |
Sales Presentation | "Finance teams close their books up to 40% faster" | "Saves 20+ hours per month-end" | "with automated reconciliation technology" |
Website | "Scale customer support without scaling headcount" | "Handles 10x more cases with the same team" | "driven by intelligent routing algorithms" |
Social Media Post | "DevOps teams deploy with zero downtime" | "Eliminates 95% of deployment errors" | "through automated rollback technology" |
IR Pitch | "E-commerce brands increase conversion by 25%" | "Adds $5 million ARR per client" | "via personalized recommendation engine" |
When VBF works (and when it doesn’t)
VBF is best when:
Your audience cares about results more than technical specifications
You are selling to decision-makers, not just users
The value is quantifiable and proven
You are competing in a crowded market where differentiation matters
You are writing for media, investors, or leadership
Skip VBF when:
Your audience consists of a technical-driven crowd that needs function details first
You are writing internal documentation or technical specifications
The technology itself IS uniquely innovative (think quantum computing research)
You’re addressing an audience that already understands and values your technical approach
The product is at such an early stage that proven business results do not yet exist
In other words: Match your starting point to your audience's priorities. CTOs evaluating security tools may want technical details first. CFOs evaluating the same tools may want ROI data first.
Test it yourself.
Want to see if your communication passes the test? Try this:
Find your current product description
Cover everything except the first sentence
Ask: "Would a busy prospect immediately understand the business value?"
If not, you are in the Feature first trap :-)
Ready to flip your communication? We help B2B companies avoid the Feature first trap and find their own story. Contact us, and let’s see what VBF can do for your communication.