There are 2 types of B2B SaaS that impact messaging.

One: When the buyer IS the user. Think CRMs for solo-preneurs. Accounting software for freelancers. Website analytics for indie hackers.

Two: When the buyer is NOT the user.

Think HR & employee management software. The buyer could be anyone from the CEO and Director of Procurement to the Head of People Ops or the HR Manager. Meanwhile, the users might include recruiters, HR specialists, payroll admins, team leads …

Or, a manufacturing ERP system. The buyer or the final decision-maker can be the CFO, the Head of Operations, or the IT Director. Meanwhile, the users might include supply chain managers, finance staff, shop floor workers ...

I said 2 types, but they’re more like 2 ends of a spectrum.

Many B2B SaaS companies fall somewhere in between. For example, a CEO uses the software alongside their team for the same tasks. Or a manager who made the purchase decision, is using the software for oversight, with access to reporting and tracking. But we’ll ignore those nuances for the purpose of this note.

So, these 2 ends of the spectrum involve different levels of messaging complexity.

It’s one thing to communicate the product to the person who both decides to purchase the subscription and will be using the software themselves.

But it’s something completely different when you’re communicating the product to someone who buys it for their benefit while other team members will be the ones using it.

And no, this distinction isn’t about enterprise vs non-enterprise B2B SaaS. It’s about whether the person making the purchase decision is the same as the one using the product. That distinction can exist at any company size or product tier.

What matters is who you’re speaking to and whether you need to bridge the gap between buyer logic and user logic.

Buyer = user allows for simpler messaging. There’s little to no complexity in the buying journey. You speak directly to the end user. You can include simple value props and show what your platform does.

There are no internal politics to mitigate or different (sometimes conflicting) agendas (buyer vs. user) to navigate.

Buyer ≠ user creates messaging complexity. You must speak to both the person who decided to purchase (the “economic buyer”) and the people who will use the software. I said “both,” but depending on your software and the workflows you cover, users may have different profiles and include multiple teams or job titles.

Often, these people might have different goals, pains, and mental models you must mitigate. And let’s not forget the internal politics and corporate frictions. In this case, “just say what you do” messaging won’t work.

When the buyer isn’t the user, it’s less about “communicating” the software, and more about navigating organizational dynamics. And that’s when messaging must navigate complexity to build consensus and trust.