JTBD Positioning

What is JTBD Positioning?

In marketing and product development, the Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) framework focuses on understanding the underlying motivations and outcomes customers seek when making a purchase or using a product. Instead of focusing on product features or customer demographics, JTBD posits that consumers ‘hire’ products or services to accomplish specific ‘jobs’ in their lives.

This perspective shifts the emphasis from what a product is to why a customer ‘buys’ it. By deeply understanding the functional, emotional, and social dimensions of a customer’s job, businesses can better position their offerings to meet those needs. This approach is particularly powerful for identifying unmet needs and opportunities for innovation.

JTBD positioning, therefore, involves crafting marketing messages and product strategies that directly address the customer’s ‘job.’ It’s about articulating how a product or service uniquely enables the customer to achieve their desired outcome more effectively, efficiently, or affordably than alternatives. This method helps businesses move beyond feature-led marketing to a more customer-centric and outcome-driven strategy.

Key Takeaways

• Focuses on customer motivations and desired outcomes, not just product features.
• Helps identify unmet needs and drive innovation by understanding customer struggles.
• Positions products as solutions to specific customer ‘jobs.’
• Emphasizes the ‘why’ behind a purchase decision.
• Facilitates more effective marketing messages and product development.

Understanding JTBD Positioning

The core principle of JTBD positioning is to view products and services through the lens of the customer’s life and objectives. When a customer ‘hires’ a product, they are looking for a specific outcome or progress. For example, a customer might ‘hire’ a milkshake not just because it’s a drink, but to alleviate boredom during a long commute, provide a treat, or fulfill a desire for a specific taste and texture.

By identifying these underlying jobs, companies can then position their products by highlighting how they best fulfill that specific job. This requires extensive customer research, observing how people use products in real-world contexts, and understanding their struggles and aspirations. Positioning based on JTBD moves beyond listing specifications and instead tells a story about how the product facilitates a customer’s desired progress.

Formula (If Applicable)

While JTBD positioning doesn’t have a strict mathematical formula, it can be conceptualized through a framework that links a Job, a Struggle, and a Solution. A common way to articulate this is:

Job To Be Done (What progress is the customer trying to make?)

Struggle (What obstacles or frustrations does the customer face in making that progress?)

Solution/Product (How does our product help the customer overcome the struggle and make progress?)

Positioning messages often elaborate on how the product is the best solution to a specific struggle related to a particular job.

Real-World Example

Consider the coffee shop industry. Traditional positioning might focus on the quality of beans or the speed of service. However, a JTBD approach reveals different ‘jobs.’ For a commuter, the ‘job’ might be to get a quick, energizing caffeine boost to start the day.

For this job, a coffee shop can position itself by emphasizing its convenient drive-thru, quick order system, and consistent, reliable coffee that provides the necessary energy. The messaging would focus on saving time and delivering the required boost. In contrast, for someone seeking a quiet place to work or meet a friend, the ‘job’ is different, and the positioning would highlight comfortable seating, Wi-Fi availability, and a welcoming atmosphere.

Importance in Business or Economics

JTBD positioning is crucial for businesses aiming for sustainable growth and competitive advantage. It allows companies to identify true market needs that may be overlooked by feature-centric competitors. By understanding the fundamental reasons why customers choose certain products, businesses can develop more relevant and resonant offerings.

This approach fosters customer loyalty because products are perceived as integral to achieving desired life outcomes. It also guides effective innovation by focusing R&D efforts on solving real customer problems. In a crowded marketplace, JTBD positioning helps a brand stand out by speaking directly to the customer’s core motivations.

Types or Variations

While the core JTBD framework is consistent, its application in positioning can vary:

• Functional Job Positioning: Focuses on the tangible task the customer needs to accomplish.
• Emotional Job Positioning: Highlights how the product makes the customer feel (e.g., secure, happy, accomplished).
• Social Job Positioning: Emphasizes how the product impacts the customer’s social standing or relationships.
• Contextual Job Positioning: Tailors the message to specific situations or environments where the job needs to be done.

Related Terms

• Customer Segmentation
• Value Proposition
• Market Research
• Product-Market Fit
• Customer Needs Analysis

Sources and Further Reading

• Clayton Christensen Institute – Jobs To Be Done: https://www.christenseninstitute.org/jobs-to-be-done/
• Intercom – The Jobs To Be Done Framework: https://www.intercom.com/blog/jobs-to-be-done-framework/
• Harvard Business Review – Know Your Customers, Not Just Their Needs: https://hbr.org/2016/11/know-your-customers-not-just-their-needs

Quick Reference

Core Idea: Customers ‘hire’ products to do specific ‘jobs’ or achieve desired outcomes.

Focus: Understanding customer motivations and progress.

Strategy: Position products based on how they solve customer struggles related to their jobs.

Benefit: Drives innovation, customer loyalty, and effective marketing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)