The „BUT” Method: How 30 Minutes of Competitor Reviews Increased Conversion
I once sat in a meeting with a client who ran a SaaS company. On the board we had three main campaign messages written out: „Lowest price on the market,” „More features than competition,” „Highest quality.”
Sound familiar?
The client was convinced he knew what his potential customers wanted. After all, he’d been in this industry for 8 years. He knew it like the back of his hand.
We launched the campaign. Budget €8,750 monthly. Landing page focused on price and features. Ads screaming about the „best offer.”
Conversion rate after a month? 1.8%.
The client called, frustrated: „Tommy, something’s not working. Maybe we should change the colors on the landing page? Maybe the headline’s too long?”
No. The problem was fundamental. We built the entire campaign on guessing.
The Problem: Most Campaigns Are Built on Assumptions
I see this constantly. A marketing director sits down with the team, they brainstorm and figure out what their customers „definitely” want.
„They definitely want a lower price.” „They definitely care about more features.” „They probably need better quality.”
And based on this, all the marketing is created. Landing pages. Ads. Email sequences. Positioning. Everything based on assumptions.
The problem is, people are terrible at predicting what other people want. Even if you’ve been in the industry for a decade. Even if you talk to customers every day.
Because people don’t tell you the truth directly. Not because they lie. But because they themselves don’t fully know what they want. Or they can’t articulate it. Or they tell you what they think you want to hear.
And then you build a campaign on a foundation of sand. You can have the best design, the smartest copy, the biggest budget. But if you don’t know what your customers really want – you’re burning money.
The Solution: 30 Minutes That Changes Everything
Let’s go back to that client with the 1.8% conversion rate.
Instead of changing colors on the page, we did something simple. We opened G2 and Trustpilot, found competitor reviews and started reading.
But not 5-star reviews. Those are useless. Just superlatives: „Great product!”, „Recommend!”, „10/10!”.
We opened 3 and 4-star reviews.
And there we found gold.
Because these reviews almost always start the same way: „Good product, BUT…”
That word „BUT” is the key to understanding real customer needs.
The „BUT” Method: How to Extract Real Problems from Reviews
We spent 30 minutes reading reviews of our client’s three main competitors. And we wrote down every sentence that started with „BUT.”
Here’s what we found:
„I like this tool, BUT support hasn’t responded in 3 days.”
„Works OK, BUT documentation is so poor I had to spend a week on configuration.”
„Good product, BUT integration with my CRM is a nightmare.”
„Nice features, BUT when I have a problem nobody helps.”
„Recommend, BUT onboarding could be better – I had to figure everything out myself.”
See the pattern?
8 out of 10 reviews talked about technical support and onboarding. Almost nobody complained about price. Almost nobody mentioned missing features.
And we’d been screaming in ads about price and features for a month.
Our entire messaging was completely disconnected from what actually hurts customers in this product category.
Messaging Change: From Guessing to Knowledge
Based on those 30 minutes of research, we changed the entire approach.
Instead of: „More features at a lower price”
We wrote: „Support will respond in 2 hours – we guarantee it”
Instead of: „Best quality on the market”
We wrote: „Dedicated specialist will walk you through the entire configuration”
Instead of: „Save 30% compared to competition”
We wrote: „Step-by-step documentation – no guessing, no frustration”
We changed the landing page. We changed the ads. We changed the email sequence.
Results after 4 weeks?
Conversion rate increased from 1.8% to 3.2%.
78% increase. Same budget. Same product. Only different message.
Why 3-4 Star Reviews Are So Valuable
Think for a moment about who writes 5-star reviews.
These are either superfans who love the product unconditionally, or people who got some incentive to write a positive review. Their opinions are honest, but not useful. Because they don’t tell you what to improve. They don’t show market gaps.
And who writes 1-2 star reviews?
People who are furious. Often irrationally. They had one bad day, one problem, and they’re venting frustration. These reviews aren’t very useful either – too much emotion, too few specifics.
But 3-4 stars? That’s the sweet spot.
These are people who actually use the product. Who see its value. Who WANT to like it. But something bothers them. Something could be better. And they’re balanced enough emotionally to describe it specifically.
„Good product, BUT…”
This sentence is like an open window to real market needs.
Practical Framework: How to Conduct Review Research in 30 Minutes
Here’s the exact process you can apply today:
Step 1: Identify review platforms (5 minutes)
Depending on the industry, choose appropriate sources. For B2B SaaS it’s G2, Capterra, Trustpilot. For e-commerce Amazon. For local services Google Reviews, Facebook.
You don’t need to check all. Choose 2-3 platforms where your competitors have the most reviews.
Step 2: Choose 3 competitors (2 minutes)
Don’t analyze everyone. Choose three who are most similar to you in terms of: size, target, positioning.
If you’re a small company, don’t analyze reviews of enterprise giants. Their problems will be different from your potential customers’ problems.
Step 3: Filter 3-4 star reviews (1 minute)
Most platforms allow filtering by number of stars. Use it. Skip 5 stars. Skip 1-2 stars. Focus on the middle.
Step 4: Look for the word „BUT” and save quotes (15-20 minutes)
Read reviews one by one. When you see a sentence with „BUT,” „however,” „unfortunately,” „wish that” – copy the entire quote to a document.
Create a simple table:
| Quote | Problem Category | Times Appeared |
|---|---|---|
| „Support doesn’t respond for 3 days” | Support | 8 |
| „Documentation is poor” | Onboarding | 6 |
| „CRM integration doesn’t work” | Integrations | 4 |
Step 5: Find patterns (5 minutes)
After reading 20-30 reviews you’ll start seeing recurring themes. Count how many times each problem appeared. Those appearing most often are your gold.
But Reviews Aren’t Everything: Verification Through Conversation
Review research gives you a hypothesis. But a hypothesis needs verification.
Because maybe your customers are different from competitors’ customers. Maybe your market segment has different priorities. Maybe reviews are outdated and the market has changed.
That’s why the next step is conversation with real customers.
Call 5-10 recent customers. Don’t send a survey – surveys give shallow answers. Call. Or schedule a short Zoom.
And ask one specific question:
„What was most important to you when choosing our product?”
Listen carefully. Don’t interrupt. Don’t suggest answers.
Most people will initially give you a generic answer: „Well, it fit” or „Good price.”
Then ask further: „What specifically does 'fit’ mean? What would you have lost if you’d chosen competition?”
And then real answers start coming.
The „Laddering” Technique: How to Dig Down to Real Motivation
People often give superficial reasons for their decisions. Because they themselves don’t fully understand why they chose something.
The „laddering” technique involves asking „Why?” three times.
Example from a real conversation:
You: „What was most important to you when choosing?” Customer: „Fast support.”
You: „Why was fast support so important?” Customer: „Because with my previous provider when I had a problem I waited a week for a response.”
You: „Why was that so frustrating?” Customer: „Because my boss was asking about results, and I couldn’t do anything because the tool wasn’t working. I looked like an idiot.”
See what happened?
On the surface: „Fast support” Deep down: „I don’t want to look like an idiot in front of my boss”
These are completely different marketing messages.
„Fast support” is a feature. „You’ll never be left with a problem alone” is an emotion.
And emotions sell. Not features.
Jobs To Be Done: What the Customer Really „Hires”
There’s a concept in marketing called „Jobs To Be Done.” It’s about how people don’t buy products – they hire them to do a specific job.
Classic example: nobody buys a drill because they want to have a drill. They buy a drill because they want a hole in the wall. Actually they don’t want a hole in the wall – they want to hang a family photo. Actually they want their home to look cozy. Actually they want to feel good in their home.
See how far we can go?
When you talk to customers, look for two things:
Functional JTBD: What specifically do they want to achieve? What problem to solve?
Emotional JTBD: How do they want to feel? What do they want to avoid? How do they want to look in others’ eyes?
Going back to our support example:
Functional JTBD: „I want to quickly solve technical problems” Emotional JTBD: „I want to look competent in front of my boss and not stress that something doesn’t work”
Your marketing should address BOTH levels.
The Magic Question That Opens Doors to Truth
There’s one question that works phenomenally well in conversations with customers. Especially with busy B2B managers.
„What do you do now that you’d like to get off your plate?”
This question doesn’t ask about product. Doesn’t ask about features. Asks about their life.
And people start saying:
„Well… every Friday I spend 3 hours manually collecting data from three different systems. My boss wants a report Monday morning. Honestly? I hate Fridays.”
„Every month I end up chasing invoices. I should be doing strategy, but I’m sitting in Excel.”
„I constantly have to check if the team did what they were supposed to. I feel like a cop not a manager.”
These are real problems. Formulated in real customer language. Not in corporate speak invented by the marketing department.
Application Example: From 1.8% to 3.2% CR
Let’s go back to our case study and show exactly what we changed.
Old landing page:
Headline: „Best tool for [category] – more features, lower price”
Section 1: List of 12 features with icons Section 2: Price comparison with competition Section 3: Testimonials about product quality CTA: „Choose plan”
New landing page:
Headline: „Stop waiting 3 days for support response”
Section 1: „2-hour response guarantee” with explanation of how it works Section 2: „Dedicated specialist will walk you through configuration step by step” Section 3: Testimonials about support and onboarding (specifically selected) CTA: „Start with dedicated specialist”
Old ads:
„[Product] – more features, better price. Check offer!”
New ads:
„Your current support responds in 3 days? With us in 2 hours. Guaranteed.”
„Tired of documentation that explains nothing? We give you a dedicated specialist.”
This wasn’t a design revolution. This wasn’t a product change. This was a message change.
From: what WE have (features, price) To: what YOU need (support, help, peace of mind)
78% conversion increase. Same budget. 4 weeks.
Where to Look for Reviews in Different Industries
Here’s a list of review platforms for different categories:
B2B SaaS:
- G2 (best for software)
- Capterra
- Trustpilot
- Software Advice
- GetApp
E-commerce:
- Amazon (goldmine)
- Google Shopping
Local services:
- Google Reviews
- Yelp
- TripAdvisor (for HoReCa)
Mobile apps:
- App Store reviews
- Google Play reviews
B2B services:
- Clutch (for agencies)
- DesignRush
- GoodFirms
Pro tip: If your competition doesn’t have many reviews on standard platforms, search Reddit. Industry subreddits are phenomenal sources of honest opinions.
How Often to Repeat Research
Review research isn’t something you do once and forget.
The market changes. Competitors change. Customer needs evolve.
I recommend:
Quarterly: Review new competitor reviews. Check if new patterns have emerged.
Before every major campaign: 30 minutes of research before you write the first headline.
After every conversion drop: Maybe the market changed? Maybe a competitor improved something? Check reviews.
Constantly: Talk to customers. Not just during onboarding. Call people who bought 3 months ago. Ask how it’s going.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Reading only your own reviews
Your own reviews are valuable, but only tell you about your product. Competitor reviews show you gaps in the entire category.
Mistake 2: Focusing on individual reviews
One person complaining about price isn’t a trend. Look for patterns that repeat multiple times.
Mistake 3: Literally copying review language
Reviews give you insight about problems, but you can’t copy them word for word into ads. You need to process it into marketing message.
Mistake 4: Ignoring review context
A review from 2 years ago may be outdated. Check dates. Focus on newer ones.
Mistake 5: Not verifying with real customers
Reviews are a hypothesis. Conversations with customers are verification. You need both.
Action Plan: What to Do After Reading This Article
Here are concrete steps you can take in the next 48 hours:
Today (30 minutes):
- Choose 3 competitors
- Find platform with their reviews
- Filter 3-4 stars
- Read 20-30 reviews
- Save all quotes with „BUT”
Tomorrow (1 hour):
- Analyze collected quotes
- Identify 3-5 most common problems
- Compare with your current messaging
- Note differences
This week:
- Call 3 recent customers
- Ask the „magic question”
- Use laddering technique
- Verify if problems from reviews are confirmed
Next week:
- Rewrite main headline on landing page
- Change 2-3 ads for A/B test
- Monitor results for 2-4 weeks
Summary
Most marketing campaigns are built on guessing. „They definitely want a lower price.” „They probably need more features.”
And then marketing teams spend months optimizing button colors and testing 15 headline variants – instead of asking the fundamental question: are we even talking about what really matters to our customers?
30 minutes in competitor reviews can change everything.
Look for the word „BUT.” Save quotes. Find patterns. Then verify it in conversations with real customers.
This isn’t rocket science. This doesn’t require an expensive research agency. This requires 30 minutes of your time and openness to the possibility that maybe you don’t know everything about your customers.
The client I wrote about at the beginning? The one with 1.8% conversion rate?
Today he has 3.2% and growing. Not because we changed the product. Not because we increased the budget. But because we stopped guessing and started listening.
What Next?
You now have two options.
Option A: You implement this yourself. You have framework, you have method, you have examples. This is solid foundation that can already change your campaign results.
Option B: You want to go deeper.
Because what you read is basic version. Foundation. In practice research is much more – purchase path analysis, touchpoint mapping, Jobs To Be Done segmentation, deep competitor communication analysis, message-market fit testing.
Companies that do this more thoroughly get better results. Not 10-20% better. 100-200% better.
If you feel your campaigns could work better, but don’t know where the problem is – let’s talk.
15 minutes. Specifically about your situation. I’ll tell you honestly if I see potential and if audit even makes sense.
→ Choose time in calendar: labroi.co/rozmowa
No commitment. No sales. If after conversation you decide you can handle it yourself – great. At least you’ll know where to start.
Tom Piskorski Senior Marketing Campaign & Analytics Specialist 13+ years experience in Google Ads, Meta Ads and LinkedIn Ads campaigns for B2B companies across Europe. Managed budgets exceeding €500,000 monthly for over 100 clients.
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