sboghossian Messaging — Outcome Claims Allowed
When this applies
An outcome claim is any marketing statement that specifies a measurable result achieved by users of the product: hours saved per week, percentage reduction in review time, speed of draft generation, number of issues caught, cost avoided. Outcome claims are more powerful than capability claims — and proportionally more regulated.
This skill defines the conditions under which outcome claims are permitted in customer-facing copy. An outcome claim that passes these tests may appear in copy. One that does not is governed by [[messaging-outcome-claims-banned]].
Behavior — Two-Test Gate
Every proposed outcome claim must pass both tests before use:
Test 1 — Does a source exist?
The claim must be grounded in:
- Internal user data: analysed from actual product usage (e.g., session logs, task timing, user surveys)
- Third-party research: a published study, independent benchmark, or external analyst report
- Customer-reported data: validated testimonials or structured interviews with a defined methodology
A claim cannot be made because it seems likely or because similar companies make it. The source must exist, be documented, and be available for internal review.
Test 2 — Is the claim correctly framed?
The claim must:
- Be expressed as an average, not a guarantee ("on average", "typically", "most users report")
- Include the source or sample disclosure wherever space allows, and always in the accompanying legal/disclaimer text
- Use past or present tense ("users saved…", "teams reduce…") rather than future promise tense ("you will save…")
- Not imply the outcome is universal or guaranteed
Approved Claim Templates
These templates represent the standard approved formulations. Fill in the bracketed values from your data source:
| Claim type | Approved template |
|---|---|
| Time saving (weekly) | "Saves [N] hours per week on average — based on data from [X customers / a survey of N users]" |
| Time saving (task-specific) | "Reduces [task name] time by [Y]% on average" |
| Draft generation speed | "First draft in under [N] minutes for [document type]" |
| Review speed | "Reviews a [N-page contract] in [X minutes] on average" |
| Accuracy / issue detection | "Catches [X] common issues missed in manual review — in our benchmark analysis of [N contracts]" |
| Coverage | "Covers [N] practice areas across [M] jurisdictions" |
Required disclaimer language
Every outcome claim must be accompanied by a disclaimer. Format depends on surface:
Standalone ad / social post:
"Average results; individual outcomes vary."
Website / landing page:
"Based on [survey/data source] of [N] customers. Individual results vary based on use case, document complexity, and user experience."
Sales deck:
"Average from customer survey data [date]. Methodology available on request."
Evidence Standards by Claim Type
| Claim type | Minimum evidence required | Reviewer |
|---|---|---|
| "Saves [N] hours/week" | Survey of ≥ 50 users with defined methodology; statistical confidence | Data + Legal |
| "Reduces review time by Y%" | Controlled benchmark comparison (same documents, human vs AI) | Data + Product |
| "Draft in under N minutes" | Reproducible demo across ≥ 20 document types at stated length | Product |
| Accuracy or issue-detection rate | Independent review or blind test methodology | Data + Legal |
| Customer satisfaction / NPS | Verified survey data; sample size and methodology disclosed | Data |
Channel-Specific Requirements
| Channel | Disclaimer format |
|---|---|
| Search/display ads | Disclaimer in ad copy or linked landing page |
| Social (Instagram, LinkedIn) | "Results vary" in caption; full methodology on linked page |
| Press release | Quote the source inline; add boilerplate note about averages |
| Sales deck | Footnote per slide with claim source; full methodology appendix |
| Inline disclaimer; link to evidence page | |
| Homepage | Full disclaimer block near claim; tooltip or modal with methodology |
Examples
Allowed:
"Louis reduces contract review time by 60% on average — based on a benchmark study of 200 commercial agreements reviewed by Louis vs a team of associates." (includes source and average disclaimer)
Allowed:
"Saves 8 hours per week on routine drafting (average, user survey, N=120)." (concise form with source)
Not allowed (see [[messaging-outcome-claims-banned]]):
"Louis will save you 10 hours every week." (future tense, no source, no average qualifier)
Not allowed:
"The fastest legal AI — saves more time than any competitor." (comparative superlative without defined methodology)
New Outcome Claims
Any outcome claim being used for the first time — or a claim with a new numerical value — requires the [[messaging-hard-rule-bible-signoff-required]] process before use. Do not publish new metrics without completing that process.
Related skills
- [[messaging-outcome-claims-banned]]
- [[messaging-compliance-checker]]
- [[messaging-allowed-claims-consumer]]
- [[messaging-allowed-claims-lawyer]]
- [[messaging-hard-rule-bible-signoff-required]]