Build a Brief That Drives Action, Not Discussion using Get Who To By
Look, we’ve all been there: a 40-page strategy deck that says absolutely nothing, resulting in a campaign everyone 'likes' but no one remembers. It’s a waste of my time and your budget. The Get Who To By framework is the antidote for people who are tired of talking and actually want to see something move. It’s four steps, it’s brutal, and it works because it doesn't leave any room for your delusions of grandeur or corporate fluff.
The TL;DR
Quit the yapping and use Get Who To By to pin down exactly who you’re targeting (GET), why they’re currently ignoring you (WHO), the blunt message that makes them stop (TO), and the literal lever you’re going to pull to make them act (BY). It’s strategy for people who actually have a job to do.
Why Get Who To By is Your Brief's Only Hope
Most briefs are just a collection of wishes. This framework is a set of marching orders. Here is why it stops the bleeding.
The Four Steps
GET
Who exactly are you trying to reach?
Not 'everyone with a credit card.' That’s lazy. Define the smallest, most winnable group of people who actually have the problem you solve. If your target audience is too broad, your impact is zero.
WHO
What is the critical behavior insight?
What are they doing right now instead of buying from you? What’s the specific frustration or habit that keeps them stuck? If you don't understand their current reality, you can't change it.
TO
What’s the message that makes action obvious?
This isn't the time for poetry. It's the time for clarity. What is the one thing they need to hear to realize they need you? If it takes more than three seconds to get it, bin it.
BY
How are you going to make them actually do it?
The 'how.' What is the mechanism? Is it a trial? A provocative piece of content? A limited-time bribe? Define the friction-remover that turns a thought into a click.
How to Mess This Up
(Please don't, I'm tired)
- ×Defining the GET as 'anyone who wants to save money'
- ×Writing a WHO that is just a demographic, not a behavior
- ×Making the TO a three-paragraph manifesto
- ×Forgetting the BY and assuming people will just 'find' you
- ×Confusing an insight with a data point
- ×Being too 'clever' with the messaging
- ×Ignoring the actual friction in the buyer's journey
- ×Trying to solve five problems with one brief
Avoiding these won't make you a genius, but it will make you better than 90% of the people currently wasting money on LinkedIn ads.
Real Examples
B2B SaaS
Getting cynical IT managers to switch to a new security platform.
GET
Overworked IT managers at mid-sized firms.
WHO
They’re currently using three different legacy tools and are terrified that a single update will break their entire stack.
TO
One dashboard that won't crash your weekend plans.
BY
A 10-minute 'stress test' tool that identifies their biggest vulnerability for free.
DTC E-commerce
Launching a premium coffee subscription for remote workers.
GET
Burnt-out remote professionals working from home.
WHO
They’re drinking mediocre grocery store coffee because they’re too busy to go to a cafe, but they miss the 'ritual' of a good cup.
TO
The only part of your 9-to-5 that doesn't feel like a chore.
BY
A 'First Week on Us' trial that fits through a standard mailbox.
Professional Services
Selling high-end tax consulting to freelancers.
GET
Freelancers earning over $150k who do their own taxes.
WHO
They spend every April in a state of panic, convinced they're overpaying but too scared of an audit to optimize.
TO
Stop donating your hard-earned profit to the government.
BY
A 15-minute 'Tax Leak' audit that shows exactly how much they’re overpaying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two 'GETs' in one brief?
No. Pick one. If you have two targets, you have two briefs. Stop trying to multitask your strategy; it doesn't work.
What if my 'WHO' insight is just that they want a good price?
Then you don't have an insight, you have a commodity. Dig deeper. Why do they want that price? What are they sacrificing to get it?
Does the 'TO' have to be the actual headline?
It doesn't have to be, but if it's clear enough to be the headline, you're winning. It should be the 'soul' of the copy.
What's the difference between 'BY' and a Call to Action?
The 'BY' is the strategy behind the CTA. The CTA is 'Click Here.' The 'BY' is 'Offering a free audit to prove our value.'
Is this framework too simple for a complex product?
Complexity is usually just a mask for not knowing what you're doing. If you can't fit your multi-million dollar strategy into this, you don't have a strategy.
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