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30 October 2026 · 2 min read · Silvia Volpe

Pain points: what they are and why every brand message should start from one

If you read my proposals or my notes on brand projects, you will notice that I always start from the customer’s pain points, tailored to each brand. Here is what they are, why they matter and what changes when a brand writes from them.

What a pain point is

A pain point is a specific, recurring frustration that stands between a person and what they want. It is not “they want a skincare product”. It is “I am tired of buying creams that do not suit my skin”. It is not a demographic, and it is not a product feature: it is a moment of friction, ideally in the person’s own words.

Most pain points fall into four families:

• Money: it costs too much, or I cannot tell if it is worth it.
• Time: it takes too long or too much effort.
• Risk: I am afraid of choosing wrong.
• Experience: I feel ignored, confused or badly treated.

Why I start from them

Brands like to talk about themselves, while people scan for themselves. A message that names a real problem gets recognised in a second: “that is me”. A message that lists features has to be translated by the reader first.

There is a second benefit. A pain point is a thread that keeps everything coherent. The same frustration can become an ad hook, an email subject line, a page headline, an article idea and a search keyword, so every channel says the same thing in a different format.

What it looks like in different sectors

These are illustrative examples, not data:

• Luxury: “Is it really worth it, and will it still feel special?” A question of value and trust.
• Beauty: “Will it work on me?” A question of risk and too much choice.
• B2B rental or logistics: “Will it arrive on time, with no surprises?” A question of time and risk.
• Hospitality: “Will the stay match the photos?” A question of risk and experience.

Where they come from

You do not need to invent them, because they are already out there: in customer questions, reviews, sales and support conversations and in what people type into a search box. The work is listening carefully and choosing the few that matter most for the brand and its audience.

What changes when you write from one

Compare two ways of saying the same thing:

• Feature-led: “Premium haircare with natural ingredients.”
• Pain-led: “Soft hair that stays soft, without the build-up.”

Two habits make the difference. Pick one pain point per message instead of listing them all, and show the relief right after naming the problem. The goal is not to scare anyone, it is to show that you understood.

The takeaway

A pain point is not a marketing trick. It is a form of respect: you listened before you spoke. That is why I always write mine tailored to the brand and its audience, and why I start every project from one.