Let’s be real: nobody’s choosing your product because of flashy features or because of your “AI-powered, all-in-one platform.”

If that worked, you wouldn’t still be losing deals to competitors—or worse, watching prospects sit through your demos only to decide to do nothing.

You’ve poured hours into crafting messaging.

Pain points, feature lists, ICP rewrites—it’s all there.

Yet leads aren’t converting, and your sales team is stuck hustling twice as hard to close deals.

Frustrating? Absolutely.

Here’s the problem: most marketers are stuck in a loop.

Pain points. Features. Case studies. Repeat.

But buyers don’t care about any of that. They’re not shopping for products—they’re looking to make progress in their job.

That’s where Jobs to Be Done flips the script.

It’s a cheat code--A way to get inside your customer’s head, uncover what really drives their decisions, and make them say, “Finally—this is it.”

Sound like something you’ve been missing?

Let’s dive in.

Why Pain Points Alone Don’t Drive Change

In the committee-based sale, if everyone doesn’t agree that this is a problem worth solving, no sale.

Sure, they may recognize there’s an issue, but unless they see it as critical, they’re unlikely to act.

And that’s why the identification of pain points is not enough when it comes to buyer personas and messaging.

“It’s not just the pain of the situation,” said Bob Moesta in a recent interview on the SaaS Backwards Podcast. “It’s also the context and outcomes that drive change.”

Without alignment on the problem, the buying process stalls—or worse, ends in no decision at all.

Moesta points to the importance of first getting everyone to agree on the existence of a problem before introducing a solution.

“The first thing you have to do is get the committee to agree the problem exists,” he says. “If you can’t get people to agree on the problem, then the reality is you’re dead in the water.”

This is where many marketers and sales teams go wrong—they jump to pitching solutions without building consensus on the problem worth solving.

For example, a company might continue using a clunky CRM for years—until a new manager arrives.

This manager sees inefficiencies not just as a problem, but also as an opportunity to prove their value by implementing something better.

It’s not the CRM’s flaws alone driving the decision; it’s the manager’s context and desired outcomes.

Another challenge is the assumption of a linear buyer journey. But, buying decisions are rarely tidy that involves more than just alleviating pain.

Understanding this complexity means marketers need to go beyond surface-level insights.

They must uncover not only the pain but also the context, the desired outcomes, and the forces—both positive and negative—that influence change.

Only then can they help prospects align around a problem worth solving and move forward with confidence.

The Hidden Drivers Behind Every Buying Decision

Customers don’t buy products; they “hire” them to make progress in their lives.

This simple yet powerful idea underpins the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework. It’s not about what your product does—it’s about what your customer is trying to accomplish.

JTBD shifts the focus from features and functions to outcomes and progress.

The framework begins by identifying the “struggling moments”—those tipping points where the status quo becomes unacceptable.

As Bob Moesta puts it, “Without a struggling moment, there’s no energy for change.”

These moments are often subtle, but they’re the seeds of action.

Next, JTBD emphasizes causation over correlation. It’s not enough to know that customers are switching; you need to understand why they decided today was the day to act.

For example, is it because they’re frustrated with inefficiency, or because a new decision-maker joined their team with fresh priorities?

Understanding outcomes is another critical step. Customers are not just seeking functional improvements; they have emotional and social goals as well.

Moesta explains, “Sometimes it’s not about doing things faster. It’s about enabling them to do more.”

This shift in perspective can uncover entirely new ways to meet customer needs.

Finally, JTBD maps the forces of progress: the pushes, pulls, anxieties, and habits that influence decision-making.

For instance, the push of inefficiency in an old tool may meet the pull of a sleek, new interface—but it can be held back by anxieties about data migration and the comfort of familiar workflows.

Mapping these forces helps you address friction and amplify motivation.

The beauty of JTBD lies in its practicality.

It eliminates guesswork, giving teams a shared understanding of customer motivations.

Instead of chasing assumptions, you’re aligning your marketing, sales, and product efforts around what truly drives decisions.

Why Ten Interviews Can Transform Your Business

Some dismiss Jobs to Be Done as just another take on customer needs. But it’s far more than that.

Traditional needs analysis stops at what customers ask for, while JTBD digs deeper, uncovering the real motivations driving their decisions.

For example, a customer might request a feature, but JTBD helps reveal the actual problem they’re trying to solve and why it matters now.

What about the criticism that JTBD is too complicated or time-consuming?

As Bob Moesta explains, “Ten interviews can reveal actionable patterns for marketing, sales, product, and customer success teams.”

Instead of relying on endless brainstorming or guesswork, JTBD delivers clear, precise insights that guide strategy and eliminate wasted effort.

Enterprise sales bring their own challenges, particularly with buying committees that stall decisions. JTBD tackles this by fostering alignment.

“You’ve got to get everyone to agree the problem exists before you can even introduce a solution,” Moesta explains.

By identifying the forces driving and resisting change, JTBD helps reduce friction and address anxieties that might derail a sale.

It’s about managing not just the “pull” of your solution but the “push” of their current struggles and fears, creating a clear path toward resolution.

JTBD in action

One SaaS company faced a common challenge: buyer anxieties surrounding data migration.

Instead of downplaying these fears, they built targeted messaging that directly addressed these concerns.

By showcasing a seamless migration process and providing social proof from similar customers, they transformed anxiety into trust.

Additionally, they revamped their demo strategy.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, they tailored demos to meet buyers at different stages of their journey.

Early-stage buyers explored possibilities, mid-stage buyers focused on specific use cases, and late-stage buyers drilled into technical implementation.

This approach halved the sales cycle and doubled close rates, proving the power of meeting buyers where they are.

How to Speak the Language of Progress

Ready to apply JTBD?

Start by talking to your recent buyers.

Step one is conducting interviews to uncover their motivations.

Ask questions like, “What problem were you hoping to solve?” or “What changed in your world that made you start looking for a new solution?”

These kinds of questions help uncover the underlying struggles and triggers that led to action.

This helps you pinpoint the struggling moments and triggers behind their decision to act.

Next, analyze the patterns in their responses.

Look for common pathways, recurring problems, and shared goals.

This is where the magic happens—these patterns will inform how you craft your messaging, prioritize product features, and align your sales strategy.

Finally, put these insights into action.

Use the exact language your customers use to describe their struggles and goals.

Infuse this language into your website, ads, and sales pitches.

When your messaging mirrors their internal dialogue, it builds trust and resonance, positioning you as the clear solution to their problem.

Struggling to Stand Out? Get a Free Expert Review

If you’re struggling to stand out in a crowded market, feeling like your messaging isn’t resonating, or wondering why your leads aren’t converting into customers, it’s time to get a fresh perspective.

Our free Marketing and Messaging Review is designed to uncover the gaps and missed opportunities in your strategy, giving you actionable insights to elevate your marketing.

Don’t settle for guesswork—let us help you refine your approach and start connecting with your audience in a way that drives results.

It’s free, it’s tailored to you, and it’s the boost your business deserves.

Take us up on this offer today!