Step 1. Deliver what matters. What do your problem-havers actually want?

Use the jobs-to-be-done framework to find the desire behind the problem you're going to solve

First, some theory:

The basis of a jobs-to-be-done framework (JTBD for short) is that people don't have a need for a product (in this case, your service). They have problems, or jobs, and these have various dimensions you need to solve for

“I just recently switched all of my cleaning products to be vegan. And this was a huge pain to do…And if you ask me why I decided to do this, I would tell you: I want to contribute to helping the environment. While that’s true, it’s a surface-level answer.

If you dig deeper, you’d realize I deeply care about animals. And my decision-making process actually took place over several years.

I’d realized I not only wanted to be more environmentally and animal-friendly, but I also wanted to be seen as more conscious and aware of my impact on the world.

I was embarrassed at how much of a conflict I had between loving animals and using or eating animal-based products. And I was finally pushed to the decision because I was sick of my cognitive dissonance.” – Nikki Anderson,​The Jobs-to-be-done Interviewing Style

Resolving this sort of cognitive dissonance is why people need you. They have things they want to accomplish that aren’t getting done. Your offer must get them there.

A more concrete example might be a car.

Literally, a means of transportation. But it also:

• sends a message to neighbors and co-workers

• tugs on sentimental heartstrings

• offers a cocoon of luxury or exhilarating feeling of freedom

Customers “hire” a vehicle to help them accomplish something. Reliably getting to work, showing off a promotion, the freedom and joy of travel, a gift to remind dad of his youth. The job that needs to be done.

Let’s peek in on Dylan the Soccer Dad. He’s got kids to shuttle about, not chicks to impress. Telling him about the number of cylinders or what manner of 8-speed transmission the car has is a motivational mismatch if ever there was one.

Conversely, Dion, newly-promoted exec, couldn't care less about miles per gallon and cargo space. He wants to be a bit braggodocious and flashy and you might lose him altogether to an entirely different luxury product like an Omega watch.

So in that most literal sense: what will people hire you to do?

Then: what will people hire you to accomplish?

You know what you can offer in a functional sense. But what can you do about their underlying desire?

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Figure out where you fit in the market. Do more than make improvements; make people care

“With few exceptions, every job people need or want to do has a social, a functional, and an emotional dimension.” — What Customers Want from Your Products, Clayton Christensen, Scott Cook & Taddy Hall (From 3 Parables for Product Management, Fullstory)

In the tech world, the element that makes a product unique from its competitors is known as its USP: unique selling proposition. Sure, there’s the laundry-list-of-neato-features-and-options USP, but it’s difficult to compete just based on whats.

You’ll be much better off if you build your USP to address underlying desires. Focus on people’s why and your how.

• People’s why — the set of customer desires you'll tap into

1. Your how — the approach to doing business and building business relationships. Don't forget now that you're part of the product. People get deliverables in the end but work with you during the process.

​That’s a more specific goal we’ll call differentiation.

Take, for example, a healthier grocery experience

It’s hard to make yourself irresistible with just “features”. This is, after all, still a grocery store:

• Gourmet food options

• Friendly ambiance

• Creative aisle layout, making abundant use of endcaps

• Off-the-beaten path location

No one’s driving the extra 10 miles for a “creative store layout”. But, if you consider the combination of these features and their underlying motivations, you get:

“Shopping for groceries isn’t just another chore—it’s an opportunity to discover a new way to nourish your body with recommendations from people just like you.”

As the experts at IESE Business School put it, “When price and features of rival products are similar, differentiation is largely due to the emotional factor.” And everyone knows we'll even pay more just to chase a good feeling (see: our friend the vegan up there).

“The most valuable lesson I’ve learned is that marketing is far more effective when we learn what people actually want rather than trying to convince them they want what we have to offer.” - Amy Vernon (via Food for Growth)