Loved

Chapter 22How to Listen and Connect: Expensify and Concur

In my product marketing workshops, I have an exercise where I ask the group to choose from a list of messaging examples and select the one that best connects with them as well as the one which makes them curious to learn more.

For over a decade, the overwhelming winner on both dimensions was this one from the early days of Expensify:

Expense reports that don't suck! Hassle-free expense reporting built for employees and loved by admins.

We always discuss what people love about it. It's some mix of:

• It feels emotional and true. Expense reports do suck! When they read that this product is about making them not suck, it feels believable because they were willing to say how we feel, not just talk about what the product does.
• It efficiently communicates benefits in simple and compelling ways. “Hassle-free” doesn't specifically reference automation or improved efficiency, but it immediately conveys ease for the people that do—and dread—expense reports.
• It covers multiple interested audiences. It conveys a sophisticated understanding of expense reports—that they are also a lot of work for admins—financial and administrative—not just the people wanting reimbursement for themselves. Their product works well for all interested parties, and they manage to convey this in just four words “and loved by admins.”

Every word in their messaging means something concrete and packs a thoughtful and emotional punch. It was so successful ...