Have a hard time explaining your SaaS product?

You’ve got the product. You’ve got some fans. Your LinkedIn community is very supportive. But when an actual lead lands on your site… they’re lost. They scroll. They squint. They bounce. Not because your product’s bad, but because your communication is. This is the silent killer in SaaS growth: people don’t buy what they don’t understand. And no, it’s not their fault. It’s yours.
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Whenever we pitch to SaaS brands, it’s mostly the same problems. Slightly different flavours, but the same recipe. Value prop isn’t clear. Messaging’s generic. Proof is missing. The product is great, but explained like a user manual. The tech team took part in the messaging and it shows. And the truth is, these things are easy to spot and easy to fix. But only from the outside. You need someone who doesn’t know the codebase. Doesn’t care about the features. Doesn’t idolise the UI. Someone who sees it like a customer would, and knows exactly how to translate the value into words that stick.
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Here are the four biggest reasons your SaaS brand isn’t landing and how to fix them before another warm lead slips through the cracks.

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1. What’s the value here?

Let’s call it what it is: a lot of SaaS value propositions are just bad. They either describe what the product is, or what the team wishes it could be, but they rarely capture why someone should care. You’ve got 3 seconds to make someone feel like they’re in the right place. If they don’t see the value fast, they won’t stick around to find it. But of course, there’s ‘frameworks’ isn’t there? Sort-of. Frameworks are designed to help you understand what a value proposition is. Copywriters and positioning experts help write that in a way that people will notice.

How to fix it:

• Don’t describe features. Describe the outcome.
• Use the “So what?” test. Every time you write a sentence, ask yourself…so what?
• Value = desirable outcome + credibility + specificity.

Example:
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“We integrate your tools.” → So what?
“We save 5 hours a week by auto-connecting your tools.” → Better.

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2. What do you even do?

Your homepage is supposed to be a hook, not a riddle. Because you’re not writing poetry or trying to fit in with your competitors. Their messaging sucks too, and you’re trying to make money. Yet for some reason, most SaaS homepages read like vague manifestos:
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“Empowering teams with scalable solutions.”
“One platform. Infinite possibilities.”

What the fuck does that actually mean? I couldn’t tell you. SaaS founders might try to explain, but likely have no idea either. And the worst part is that most times, these words have absolutely nothing to do with the actual product.

Fix it:

• Say what the product is. Platform? Tool? Plugin? Say it.
• Say who it’s for.
• Say why it matters in 10 words or less.

Then test it on someone who doesn’t work in SaaS. If they go, “Ohhh I get it” you’re done. That’s most of your homepage sorted. Now you can list your features.

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3. Buzzing to read your own website?

I didn't think so. “AI-powered growth engine” could mean anything. Or nothing. SaaS founders love sounding clever. Customers love feeling understood. The jargon isn’t helping. That’s just how it is. And don’t get me wrong, I understand why people use jargon. We all fall into the pit of thinking we have to sound a certain way or use certain words to be taken seriously. But the truth is, if you have a great product that’s genuinely helpful to someone in whatever capacity, you don’t have to over explain it.
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Fix it:

• Think about outcomes.
• Focus on verbs, not adjectives.
• Don’t be afraid of short/one-word sentences.
• Ask your nan if she understands.

Before & After Examples:

• “We leverage AI to optimise synergies across your tech stack.”
  → “Automatically find and fix the snags before your users notice.”
• “Unlock seamless collaboration at scale.”
  → “Share files, feedback, and approvals. All in one place.”
• “A next-gen data-driven engagement platform.”
  → “Send personalised messages that actually get replies.”
• “Empower teams with actionable insights.”
  → “Show sales reps which leads are most likely to convert.”

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4. Proof? Never heard of it.

Founders say, “Our product speaks for itself.” Cool. But no one’s listening or understanding. Buyers want to know: Does this work for someone like me? Does this fix my problems? It’s all about them, they’re the ones with the cash. Your job is to answer these questions before they have to ask.

Fix it:

• Drop 2–3 concrete, relatable examples.
• Doesn’t have to be flashy. Just true.
• Have a testimonial? Use it as a baseline for your proof points.

Example:

Testimonial: “This is a great product for my team’s productivity. XXX saved our team about 12 hours of work per week so we can focus on actually growing our brand.”

Messaging → “HR teams are saving 12 hours per week with XXX. That’s why they’re in the pub and you’re still in the office.”

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5. Great In Person, Useless Online

What’s interesting though, is that founders do a great job of explaining their product at a party. They dumb it down and casually integrate it into conversations with relatable metaphors all for the sake of talking about it. You know who you are, and yes, I’ve clocked you. I respect the hustle. But then I go on the website and think, what happened here? What’s all this B2B mush? I’m not reading this.

Fix it:

• Record yourself explaining it to a mate.
• Turn that into your copy.
• Add diagrams, product GIFs, or a 30-sec video. Don’t describe it, show it.

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These aren’t unicorn problems.

They’re common. But they kill growth all the same. The good news? You don’t need a rebrand. You just need to get sharper. Your product’s good. Your team’s great. But if your homepage reads like a haiku and your value prop makes your mum squint, maybe it’s time to check-in on your messaging. You know where to find me.