Copywriters obsess over words. Alex James? He obsesses over belief shifts—and that’s why his clients win.
In this episode I sat down with Alex James, a messaging strategist who helps B2B service companies stand out in crowded, look-alike markets.
In this episode I sat down with Alex James, a messaging strategist who helps B2B service companies stand out in crowded, look-alike markets.
His moto is "Your perspective is your product”
🧠 What you’ll learn in this episode
0:00 – Why most agencies and service firms all sound the same
02:11 – How competition creates the need for sharper positioning
03:57 – Why inspirational agency slogans fail (and what to say instead)
06:42 – Alex’s definition of taste and why it’s a strategic advantage
11:20 – How Alex developed his signature visual style (and why it works)
15:35 – How environment shapes your creative taste
18:43 – The competitive advantage of beauty in design & words
21:44 – Your perspective is your product (explained with real SaaS examples)
26:14 – How HubSpot used a perspective to win a market
29:27 – How to find your own perspective without sounding like a sales pitch
32:02 – The 3 types of perspective: mindset, method, tactic
36:45 – When to use each perspective depending on audience warmth
47:54 – Why selling services is harder than selling SaaS
55:33 – How to make believable promises without over-promising
59:26 – Why writing visually is so hard (and how to fix it)
1:02:15 – How Alex actually works with clients (and why his process changed)
1:14:24 – Why great collaborations need “escalating commitments”
💡 Steal these quick wins
- Swap “what we do” for “what you’ll be able to do because of us.”
Most service pages talk about deliverables.
Clients buy outcomes.
This shift makes your message instantly more compelling and easier to visualize.
Why it works: It reframes your value around client impact — not your internal process.
1. Use metaphors to make abstract ideas visual.
1. Use metaphors to make abstract ideas visual.
If they can picture it, they’ll understand it.
If they can’t picture it, they’ll scroll.
Why it works: Metaphors turn invisible ideas (like “strategy” or “messaging”) into images the brain can actually hold onto.
2. Anchor your promise to something you can control.
2. Anchor your promise to something you can control.
“10x revenue” is not in your control.
“Make your SaaS more attractive and easier to understand” is.
Why it works: Believable promises build trust. Unbelievable ones trigger doubt — even if your work is great.
3. Identify your acquisition differentiator (not your retention differentiator).
3. Identify your acquisition differentiator (not your retention differentiator).
Clients say they love you because you’re reliable.
But they chose you for a different reason. That’s your message.
Why it works: Retention features keep clients. Attraction features win them.
4. Document your perspective pyramid (mindset → method → tactic).
4. Document your perspective pyramid (mindset → method → tactic).
Mindset = great for content.
Method = great for your homepage.
Tactic = great for cold audiences.
Why it works: You’ll stop guessing what to say. Every channel gets the perspective it can actually convert with.