Define Clear Behavioral Goals for Utility Campaigns using Get Who To By
Look, most utility campaigns are just expensive ways to tell people your product exists without giving them a single reason to actually use it. You’re probably staring at a brief that says 'increase engagement' - which is marketing-speak for 'we have no idea what we're doing.' The Get Who To By framework is your escape hatch from the land of vague goals. It forces you to stop dreaming and start defining exactly who needs to do what, and how you're going to bribe, nudge, or shove them into doing it.
The TL;DR
Stop wasting budget on 'awareness.' Use Get Who To By to pin down a specific human (GET), exploit their annoying habits or frustrations (WHO), tell them exactly what to do in plain English (TO), and give them the actual mechanism to do it (BY). It turns a corporate wishlist into an actual plan.
Why Get Who To By is Your Campaign's Only Hope
Because most strategies are just a collection of buzzwords held together by hope - this framework actually makes you commit to a direction.
The Four Steps
GET
Who is the specific victim of this problem?
Identify the smallest, most frustrated group of people who actually need this utility. If you say 'the general public,' I'm leaving. Be specific enough that you could find them in a crowded bar.
WHO
What is the specific behavior or habit holding them back?
What are they doing right now instead of using your tool? Are they using a messy spreadsheet? Are they ignoring the problem? This is the insight that proves you actually know their life sucks.
TO
What is the one stupidly obvious thing they need to do?
This is your message. Not a manifesto, not a brand story. A command. Tell them exactly what the shift in behavior looks like. If it takes more than five words, try again.
BY
What is the actual mechanism that makes it happen?
How do they get from 'A' to 'B'? Is it a link? A calculator? A free trial? This is the 'how' - the actual utility or offer that facilitates the action.
Ways You'll Probably Screw This Up
(Try to avoid these, for everyone's sake)
- ×Targeting 'everyone' because you're afraid of missing out
- ×Writing a 'WHO' that is just a demographic, not a behavior
- ×Making the 'TO' a vague brand promise instead of an action
- ×Forgetting the 'BY' and assuming people will just 'find' the solution
- ×Using jargon like 'leverage' or 'synergy' in the message
- ×Trying to fix five behaviors in one campaign
- ×Confusing an insight with a data point
- ×Setting a goal that requires a personality transplant for the user
If your 'TO' and 'BY' don't connect like a plug and a socket, your campaign is just a very expensive art project.
Real Examples
SaaS Utility
A campaign for a project management tool's new automated reporting feature.
GET
Overworked mid-level managers in creative agencies.
WHO
Spend every Friday afternoon manually copying data into PowerPoint decks while crying inside.
TO
Reclaim your Friday afternoons for literally anything else.
BY
A one-click 'Export to Presentation' button that syncs your live project data.
FinTech Utility
Promoting an automated 'round-up' savings feature for a banking app.
GET
Impulsive Gen Z spenders who think they 'can't afford' to save.
WHO
They check their balance, feel guilty, but keep buying $7 lattes because they lack a system.
TO
Start a savings account without actually noticing the money is gone.
BY
An auto-enroll toggle that rounds every purchase to the nearest dollar and hides it in a 'Vault.'
E-commerce Utility
Launching a virtual 'Fit Finder' tool for an online denim brand.
GET
Online shoppers who have 'return-trauma' from bad sizing.
WHO
They have five different pairs of jeans in their cart but won't click 'buy' because they hate the post office return line.
TO
Order the right size the first time, guaranteed.
BY
A 30-second AI body-scan tool that maps their dimensions to our specific cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have two 'TO's if I have two goals?
No. Pick one. If you try to make them do two things, they'll do zero things. That's just science.
What if my 'WHO' insight feels too small?
Small is good. Small is winnable. You can't boil the ocean with a utility campaign; you're just trying to fix one leaky pipe.
Does the 'BY' have to be a digital tool?
Not necessarily, but it has to be the mechanism. It could be a physical coupon, a hotline, or a QR code. It's the 'how' of the action.
How do I know if my 'TO' is clear enough?
Read it to someone who doesn't work in marketing. If they ask 'What does that mean?', delete it and start over.
Is this framework only for digital ads?
Hard no. You can use this for emails, billboards, or even a conversation with your boss about why your current strategy is failing.
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