Information doesn't convince people. Recognition does.
Last week, I was sitting across from a founder who had put months of work into a website.
Great design. Clear copy. Strong product.
I asked him, "If someone reads this, how will they feel?"
He paused for a moment.
"Informed, I guess."
He had just identified his own problem, and it’s the most common problem I encounter in brand stories.
Being informed is definitely not a feeling.
That feeling sucks
I’m currently working on a project for a telecommunications company. My assignment: to rewrite their website for the Belgian market. But not just translate it—I need to bring it to life for a Flemish audience.
The product is good. It has features that really make a difference for freelancers and small businesses, but the descriptions feel like a user manual. Dry. Functional. Correct.
Nobody buys an instruction manual.
So I started writing based on real-life situations.
Not:
Our waiting room feature lets callers know that their turn is coming up soon.
but:
You're in the middle of a call. Your cell phone rings. Damn. You don't answer. Five minutes later, you call back and hear a potential customer who has already called someone else in the meantime.
You know that feeling. It's the worst.
And suddenly, a feature isn't just another item on a list. It's the solution to something that's happened to you before.
The information didn't change. The context did. You first connected with the person behind the potential customer.
Make your reader feel seen
People don't read websites. They scan for one thing: "Is this for me?"
If they don't get that feeling fast enough, they'll be gone. Not because your product isn't good. Not because your copy is poorly written, but because there was nothing to connect with on an emotional level.
Information demands attention. Recognition attracts attention.
The difference between the two isn’t in how much you say, but in the order. A good story first draws someone into a relatable situation, makes them nod in agreement, and makes them think, “That’s me.” You create an open mindset, so that the reader can truly absorb the information. Not the other way around.
A website that leads with what you do is asking someone to understand you.
A website that starts with how someone feels makes them feel understood first.
That’s a completely different conversation.
Where founders go wrong
You're too close to your own product. You know too much. You know exactly how it works, why it's better, and what problem it solves. And so you explain it. In full. Clearly. Well-structured.
And the reader feels nothing.
Not because the information is wrong, but because you started from what you want them to understand, rather than their frustration. You don’t build rapport by explaining something to someone. You build it by putting into words something they already feel—even if they don’t realize it themselves yet.
At that moment, the distance disappears. The doubt. The urge to compare.
At that moment, someone thinks, “This person gets me.”
How about you?
Take a look at your own website. Not to check if it's accurate. Ask yourself: does this feel human?
Ask yourself: does someone reading this feel understood?
If the answer is unclear, you don’t need better copy. You need a better story—one that touches the reader first, so that they’re then open to everything you have to say.
Bram Vuylsteker is a brand storytelling consultant at Vedetski. He helps founders and scale-ups uncover the story that’s already embedded in their business and ensure it’s consistently reflected in everything they say.
