10 years ago, AWS didn’t exist.
It’s now the most successful cloud infrastructure company on the planet with a $10bn annual run rate.
How?
This posts explains…
If I could teach just one thing to my non-existent child about SaaS copywriting, it would be this:
People buy with emotion and rationalize with logic
- You don’t buy the $2,000 Berkin handbags for the high-quality stitching, you buy it because the ad shows you the woman you want to be
- You don’t buy a Patek Philippe watch because it’s going to last for 100 years, you buy because of the ad hints that it will improve your relationships with your son
- You don’t get a WeWork membership for the Prosecco on tap, you join because you’re a “Creator”
You don’t buy AWS for the price…
You buy AWS because you’re a “Builder”.
What’s going on here?
1. AWS allows their ideal customer to self identify with their aspirational identity
I’m not sure if you’ve ever worked with a developer… but if there is one thing they like more than coffee, it’s banging’ out some sweet code.
My developer friends tell me that there is nothing better than committing a large chunk on GitHub, watching it load and then getting great feedback from users.
Typically introverted, the developer prefers to do the work, then talk about the work.
And AWS encapsulate this in their ad copy: “builders build”.
This allows each developer that consumes the ad to self-select with this aspirational identity… to feel like they belong.
And when the deciding vote on which infrastructure provider to use comes around they may justify their vote for AWS with price, but it’s that feeling of belonging that raises their hand.
(Remember when SaaS copywriting: people buy with emotion and rationalize with logic)
2. AWS calls out a common enemy
As if that wasn’t powerful enough…
AWS increase the potency of this copy by evoking the power of the “common enemy”.
Countries do this best.
Who are the common enemies of the US?
- China?
- Terrorists?
- Immigrants?
- Drug Dealers?
The list goes on…
The simple rule is… a community (or country) can only be strong if there are people that are “not us” if everyone was “us” the community (or country) wouldn’t exist.
Every developer has sat in a meeting where either the CEO, non-technical product person or the head of sales rants about what they need to build.
In their head they’re saying:
“Ok sure, you keep talking, but it doesn’t really make a difference as I’m the Builder that’s going to make this”
After AWS has allowed its target audience to self-select with their aspirational identity (the Builder), it brings them closer to each other (and AWS) by calling out their common enemy (the Talkers).
What did we learn?
What is the aspirational identity of your perfect customer and who is your common enemy?