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Liz Gabel | Expert Copywriting & Content Strategy 

Stop Selling Solutions. Start Selling Safety.

  • Writer: Elizabeth Gabel
    Elizabeth Gabel
  • Apr 3
  • 5 min read

Updated: May 3

Why Pain Points Are Outdated and What to Offer Instead

The concept of the "pain point" has long served as marketing’s north star. Born out of an era focused on persuasion and urgency, we've been taught to find discomfort, amplify it, and then present our offer as the salve. The term began gaining traction in the 1980s and became cemented in mainstream marketing culture during the 2000s with the rise of customer-centric and solution-selling approaches.


And sure, it works. But what if there’s a deeper, more powerful framework? One that doesn’t just fix problems but builds trust and resilience in the process?


Let’s talk about fear points instead—because in today’s emotionally saturated environment, it’s not just unmet needs that shape decisions, but underlying fears. Empathetic marketing can evolve to meet those deeper emotions by offering safety, not just solutions.


Empathetic Marketing in the Age of Maxed-Out Customers

We’re not selling into a neutral world anymore. We’re selling into an audience already carrying a full emotional backpack: burnout, overwhelm, decision fatigue, economic pressure, social noise, algorithmic distraction, and an ever-growing list of tabs open in their brains.


When your customers are already operating at capacity, the traditional pain-point model doesn’t always meet them where they are. Instead of creating motivation, it can trigger resistance. Instead of inspiring action, it can reinforce paralysis.


People in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn don’t remember product features or benefits. They remember how something made them feel—and what helped them breathe easier.


Enter Safety-Centered Messaging

Empathetic marketing understands this nervous system dynamic. It doesn’t just shout about value props. It whispers, "You're safe here."

When we reposition our brand message to offer safety, we’re saying:


  • You’re not failing, you’re human.

  • This isn’t pressure, it’s permission.

  • You don’t need to know everything, we’ve got you.


This subtle but powerful shift reframes marketing as care, not just conversion.


Fear Points vs. Safety Signals: 7 Real-Life Examples

Let’s take a few everyday products and reimagine their messaging through the lens of safety:


1. Car Wax

  • Fear Point: "If my car looks bad, people will judge me, or worse, I won’t be seen as competent or reliable."

  • Safety Signal: "Protect the car you rely on. We’ll help you preserve the investment that gets you where you need to go safely and confidently."


2. Work Shoes

  • Fear Point: "If my feet hurt, I can’t do my job well. If I can’t work, I can’t support my family."

  • Safety Signal: "Shoes that support you so you can support others. Designed for comfort, built for dependability."


3. Meal Delivery Services

  • Fear Point: "I don’t have time to cook, and I feel like I’m failing at feeding my family right."

  • Safety Signal: "You’re doing your bes and we’re here to help. Meals that meet your standards without the stress."


4. Tax Prep Software

  • Fear Point: "I’m afraid I’ll make a mistake that costs me money or gets me in trouble."

  • Safety Signal: "Navigate tax season with confidence. Smart, simple guidance you can trust because peace of mind is part of the return."


5. Skincare Products

  • Fear Point: "I’m aging. I’m losing control over how the world sees me and how I see myself."

  • Safety Signal: "Rituals that restore more than your skin. This is self-trust, bottled."


6. Password Managers

  • Fear Point: "I feel vulnerable. One wrong click and everything could fall apart."

  • Safety Signal: "Digital peace of mind. Security that remembers so you don’t have to."


7. Online Master’s Degrees

  • Fear Point: "I need more credentials to stay competitive in what feels like an increasingly unsafe world filled to the brim with rising inflation, global turmoil, and nonstop divisive messaging."

  • Safety Signal: "This degree is more than a credential. It’s a stabilizing force offering confidence, credibility, and a sense of direction in uncertain times."


Moving from Conversion to Care

When we begin to see our customers not just as consumers but as whole people, we naturally shift our messaging to meet their core emotional needs. We stop trying to impress them and start trying to protect them. That’s when real trust begins.


This doesn’t mean abandoning data, strategy, or business goals. In fact, safety-centered messaging performs better because it builds long-term emotional resonance, not just short-term urgency. It moves us out of the fear cycle and into a more stable, sustainable relationship with our audience.


Recent research backs this up:


  • A Qualtrics study found that nearly 25% of U.S. consumers stopped buying from companies whose safety protocols didn’t meet their expectations during the pandemic, showing just how central a sense of safety has become in brand trust.

  • Research from WordWrite Agency highlights that while fear-based advertising may initially capture attention, positive, trust-building messaging is far more effective in driving sustained consumer behavior.

  • Public health studies have shown that fear appeals are limited in effectiveness unless paired with clear, solution-oriented guidance, reinforcing the importance of offering not just urgency—but safety and direction.


These insights underscore a simple truth: when people feel threatened, they don’t want a pitch, they want a plan. When they feel unsafe, they don’t need hype, they need a haven. 


As marketers, it’s not enough to name the problem. We need to offer the emotional and psychological equivalent of shelter in the storm of life.


Final Thought: Start Your Next Campaign With Safety

If your product offers relief, ease, clarity, or confidence, you’re already in the business of safety. The question is, are you framing it that way?


Empathetic marketing isn’t soft. It’s strategic. Because in a world where everyone’s tired, the brands that calm the storm, not add to it, will be the ones we remember.

Before your next campaign, brief, or creative concept session, consider these five questions:


  1. What fear or emotional overload is my audience bringing to the table?

  2. How can we reframe our message to show our product/brand offering comfort, clarity, or a sense of control?

  3. Are we adding to the noise or helping people breathe easier?

  4. What would this look like if it prioritized nervous system safety over urgency?

  5. Does this campaign leave people feeling more secure, more seen, or more supported?


Marketing plans built from this mindset don’t just drive results. They build relationships. And in this climate, relationships are everything.


Current Situation: Marketers Should Take Note

Chronic illness and autoimmune condition are, alarmingly, on the rise.


Per the stats:

"Chronic health conditions are widespread in the United States, affecting a substantial portion of the adult population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2018, approximately 51.8% of U.S. adults had been diagnosed with at least one of ten selected chronic conditions, including arthritis, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes. Furthermore, 27.2% had multiple chronic conditions."


That’s why I believe in safety-first messaging.


Because the world doesn’t need more noise, fear, and stress but it does need forward-facing marketers who know how to listen, soothe, and support.



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