Most marketers know that brand positioning is crucial to standing out in the crowded and noisy world of modern marketing. The job-to-be-done (JTBD) approach can help you get there faster by focusing your marketing efforts on a group of customers who have a common need or problem that your brand could solve. When you combine JTBD with brand positioning, it provides a solid foundation for allocating resources efficiently and creating differentiated positioning statements based on customer needs. Here’s how jobs-to-be-done helps, along with 3 key tips to understand this complex concept.

What is the job-to-be-done concept?

It is a customer-focused approach to marketing that helps a company understand what drives customers to purchase their product or service and how to improve their marketing efforts. The job-to-be-done concept was conceptualized and developed as a theory by Harvard Business School professor Theodore Levitt. He coined it as a “sales job-to-be-done”. The basic idea is that people don’t buy products; they buy solutions to their problems. Marketers often distinguish between the “jobs-to-be-done” and “requirements” approach. The difference is that the “requirements” approach is more of a product/service-centric view. It focuses on the functionality of the product or service. The jobs to be done approach, on the other hand, looks at what problems customers are trying to solve and how the product/service can help with that.

Why Jobs-to-be-done is important in brand positioning

Brand positioning is a critical part of marketing strategy and especially important in a crowded marketplace. Unfortunately, too many marketers start with their product’s features and benefits. This can result in a bland and uninspiring positioning statement. However, if you start with the customers’ needs and the problems they want solved, you can create a differentiated and compelling positioning statement – one that will help your customers understand why they should buy from you. Such a positioning statement is more likely to resonate with customers and make it easy for them to choose your brand.

3 Tips to understand Job-to-be-done

Marketers often struggle to apply the jobs-to-be-done concept to their marketing strategy. Here, we’ll look at some tips to help you make the most of this powerful approach:

• Identify the problem your customers want solved

• Get to the root cause of customer needs

• Use the customer journey to help you see the problem from your customers’ perspective

• Focus on the job your product or service solves for your customers

• Use the JTBD framework to create better marketing

Let’s explore these tips in more detail.

Identify the problem your customers want solved

The first step in the jobs-to-be-done approach is to identify the problem your customers want solved. This is not the same as the features and benefits of your product and service. You can start this process by using the S-Curve model and brainstorming all the possible customer problems. As you think through this list, you should get to the root cause of the problems. Unfortunately, many marketers will stop here and miss out on the full power of the jobs-to-be-done approach. If you only focus on the problems, you will end up creating a bland and uninspiring positioning statement.

Get to the root cause of customer needs

It’s important to dig deeper and understand the root cause of the customer problems. If you don’t go deep enough, you may end up solving the wrong problem. And that’s a big mistake. It can be easy to get caught up in daily marketing activities and not spend enough time on this critical thinking. However, if you go too deep, you may spend too much time thinking about the problem and never get to the part where you’re actually solving it. It’s a bit like Goldilocks – you want to get it just right. You want to spend enough time on the root cause of the customer problems so that you can understand them, but not so much time that you never get to the solution.

Use the customer journey to help you see the problem from your customers’ perspective

Another great way to understand customer problems is to examine your customer journey and identify the problems at each stage. For example, the customer journey for buying a set of golf clubs might start with visiting a golf website or golf show. The customer will probably have a few questions in their mind like, “Which golf club should I buy?” or “What are the different types of golf clubs?” The customer journey doesn’t stop with the golf website. It continues with visiting a retail store, trying out the different types of golf clubs, and then making their final purchasing decision. This is a great way to understand the problems your customers are trying to solve at each stage of the customer journey.

Focus on the job your product or service solves for your customers

You’ve identified the problems your customers are trying to solve and gone to the root cause of those problems. But not all of those problems are equal or make sense for your brand to solve. For example, let’s say that you own a chain of golf stores. You’ve gone through the first 2 steps and identified the following problems your customers have: • Golfers don’t know which golf club to buy. • Golfers don’t know how to use the golf clubs they have. These are valid problems that your brand could solve with the right marketing efforts. The next step is to figure out which one to solve.

Use the JTBD framework to create better marketing

Once you’ve identified the problems your customers are trying to solve and the job your product or service solves, the next step is to translate this information into a marketing message. The best way to do this is to use the JTBD framework. The JTBD framework helps you translate the job your product or service solves into a marketing message. 

JTBD as a force of change for businesses

In a rapidly changing world, businesses need to be constantly innovating to stay ahead of the competition. And one of the best ways to do this is by understanding the Jobs-To-Be-Done (JTBD) framework. JTBD is a powerful tool that can help businesses to identify new opportunities for growth and change. It's based on the simple idea that people hire products and services to do a job. By understanding the jobs that people need to get done, businesses can innovate and create new products and services that better meet those needs. The JTBD framework has already helped to create some of the most successful businesses in the world, and it can do the same for your business. So if you're looking for a way to drive change and growth in your business, don't underestimate the power of Jobs-To-Be-Done.

JTBD for forward-looking businesses

forward-looking businesses are always looking for new ways to improve their products and services. And one of the best ways to do this is by understanding the "jobs-to-be-done" of their customers. Jobs-to-be-done is a concept that was first introduced by Clayton Christensen in his book "The Innovator's Dilemma." It basically states that customers don't just buy products or services, they hire them to do a specific job. And it's the job that the customer is trying to get done, not the product or service itself, that's the key to understanding their needs.

So how can you use jobs-to-be-done to improve your business? First, you need to identify the specific jobs that your customers are trying to get done. This can be done through customer surveys, interviews, and focus groups. Once you've identified the jobs, you need to figure out how your products or services can help them do those jobs better. This may require some innovation on your part. But if you can figure out how to help your customers do their jobs better, you'll be well on your way to success.

If you're a business looking for a force of change, look no further than jobs-to-be-done. This approach to business focuses on the customer and their needs, rather than the product or service you're offering. By understanding the customer's "job" — that is, the problem they're trying to solve — you can create a product or service that perfectly meets their needs. This approach can be used in any industry, from technology to food service. And it's not just businesses that can benefit from jobs-to-be-done. This approach can also be used by individuals to understand their own needs and find solutions that perfectly meet them. So if you're looking for a way to change your business or your life, consider jobs-to-be-done. It just might be the perfect solution for you.

Bottom line

Marketers often struggle to apply the jobs-to-be-done concept to their marketing strategy. The good news is that once you understand the basics, it’s easy to apply the concept to your marketing and help you create a powerful and differentiated brand positioning. The key is to focus your marketing efforts on a group of customers who have a common need or problem that your brand could solve. When you do this, you will have a better chance of creating a meaningful brand and standing out in the crowded marketplace.