Clarify Decision-Maker Focus in B2B Briefs using Get Who To By
Most B2B briefs are just a collection of buzzwords and wishful thinking masquerading as a plan. You’re trying to target 'The Enterprise' as if a building has a credit card and a soul. It doesn't. The Get Who To By framework is the slap in the face your strategy needs. It forces you to stop hiding behind corporate jargon and actually pick a human being who can sign a check, figure out why they’re ignoring you, and give them a reason to stop.
The TL;DR
Stop wasting budget on 'brand awareness' for people who can't buy. Use Get Who To By to identify the actual decision-maker (GET), find the specific anxiety or habit blocking them (WHO), deliver a message that doesn't sound like a robot wrote it (TO), and use a mechanism that forces a choice (BY).
Why This Framework Stops Your B2B Brief From Being a Paperweight
B2B marketing is usually where creativity goes to die in a committee meeting. This framework is your survival kit.
The Four Steps
GET
Who is the one person who can actually say 'Yes'?
Forget the 'buying committee' for a second. Who is the person whose neck is on the line? Define them by their specific role and their specific burden, not just a job title you found on LinkedIn.
WHO
What is the specific hang-up stopping them from buying?
They aren't sitting around waiting for your email. They are busy, stressed, and probably cynical. What is the habit, fear, or frustration that keeps them stuck in the status quo?
TO
What is the one thing they need to hear to change their mind?
This isn't your mission statement. It’s the punchy, undeniable truth that makes your solution the obvious choice. If it takes more than one sentence, it’s too long.
BY
How are you going to physically make them move?
What’s the actual vehicle? A demo that doesn't suck? A calculator that proves they're losing money? Define the mechanism that turns an 'oh, cool' into a 'send me the contract'.
How to Trash Your B2B Strategy
(Try to avoid these, unless you like failing)
- ×Targeting 'The C-Suite' (they don't all care about the same things)
- ×Writing a 'WHO' that is just a demographic profile
- ×Using the word 'synergy' or 'robust' in your message
- ×Confusing a 'feature' with a 'message'
- ×Assuming they trust you just because you have a nice logo
- ×Creating a 'BY' that requires 14 clicks to complete
- ×Forgetting that B2B buyers are still humans with emotions (usually)
- ×Trying to solve five problems at once instead of the biggest one
If your brief feels like a generic template, it's because it is. Fix it before the client sees it.
Real Examples
SaaS Procurement
Selling expensive spend-management software to overworked CFOs.
GET
CFOs at mid-market tech firms who are tired of 'surprise' subscription spikes.
WHO
They know they're overpaying for SaaS but dread the nightmare of a 6-month implementation process.
TO
Stop the bleeding in 48 hours without annoying your engineering team.
BY
A 'SaaS Audit' tool that shows exactly where they are wasting money before they even talk to sales.
Cybersecurity
Marketing a new threat-detection layer to cynical CISOs.
GET
CISOs who just inherited a messy, legacy security stack.
WHO
They are terrified of a breach they didn't see coming, but they're allergic to 'all-in-one' platforms that promise the moon.
TO
The one blind spot your current stack is missing (and how to plug it).
BY
A technical whitepaper that actually contains data instead of marketing fluff, delivered via a targeted LinkedIn lead gen form.
HR Tech
Getting Head of People to switch to a new recruitment platform.
GET
Heads of People at high-growth startups.
WHO
They’re drowning in bad resumes and feel like their current ATS is a glorified filing cabinet.
TO
Stop 'hiring' and start 'selecting' - get your Sundays back.
BY
A 15-minute 'Speed Demo' that focuses only on the AI filtering, not the 50 other features they don't care about.
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 save time by making a mess.
What if my 'WHO' insight feels too simple?
Simple is good. 'They are afraid of looking stupid in front of the CEO' is a better insight than three pages of market research.
Does the 'TO' have to be the actual headline?
It should be the soul of the headline. If the 'TO' is clear, the copywriter won't have to guess what you're trying to say.
Why is the 'BY' so important in B2B?
Because B2B buyers have high inertia. If you don't give them a specific, easy way to act, they'll just go back to their spreadsheets.
How do I know if my framework is actually good?
Read it out loud. If you sound like a LinkedIn bot, start over. If you sound like a person solving a problem, you're getting there.
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