5 added
8 removed
Original
2026-01-01
Modified
2026-03-10
1
<p>“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.”</p>
1
<p>“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.”</p>
2
<p>Actually, what they want is to hang a picture on the wall, but Harvard Business School marketing professor Theodore Levitt famously said this, and it’s a perfect encapsulation of Tony Ulwick’s groundbreaking<a>Jobs to be Done</a>(JTBD) theory.</p>
2
<p>Actually, what they want is to hang a picture on the wall, but Harvard Business School marketing professor Theodore Levitt famously said this, and it’s a perfect encapsulation of Tony Ulwick’s groundbreaking<a>Jobs to be Done</a>(JTBD) theory.</p>
3
<p>The<a>theory</a>stems from the idea that shoppers don’t focus on a product-they focus on<em>their</em>problem that needs to be solved. First published in 1990, it’s as relevant as ever today.</p>
3
<p>The<a>theory</a>stems from the idea that shoppers don’t focus on a product-they focus on<em>their</em>problem that needs to be solved. First published in 1990, it’s as relevant as ever today.</p>
4
-
<p>Think about yourself as a shopper: What’s the last product you bought? What’s the last task you took on-but couldn’t complete without the help of a tool?</p>
4
+
<p>Think about yourself as a shopper: What’s the last product you bought? What’s the last task you took on-but couldn’t complete without the help of a tool?These 2 questions may seem unrelated, but, to marketers in the know, they go hand in hand.</p>
5
-
<p>These 2 questions may seem unrelated, but, to marketers in the know, they go hand in hand.</p>
6
<p>According to JTBD, you may “hire” a skincare brand to help you complete the “task” of making sure your face is moisturized. But it’s rarely that simple-maybe you’ve been diagnosed with an allergy, so not just any skincare brand will do.</p>
5
<p>According to JTBD, you may “hire” a skincare brand to help you complete the “task” of making sure your face is moisturized. But it’s rarely that simple-maybe you’ve been diagnosed with an allergy, so not just any skincare brand will do.</p>
7
<p>Or maybe you’ve been researching and feel more adamant than ever that your skincare be non-toxic. Maybe it’s important that any brand you buy doesn’t test on animals. Maybe it’s all 3 of these things, and more.</p>
6
<p>Or maybe you’ve been researching and feel more adamant than ever that your skincare be non-toxic. Maybe it’s important that any brand you buy doesn’t test on animals. Maybe it’s all 3 of these things, and more.</p>
8
<p>These considerations are the “jobs” that you need to get done. And whichever skincare brand you choose to buy is the tool that helps you get those jobs done.</p>
7
<p>These considerations are the “jobs” that you need to get done. And whichever skincare brand you choose to buy is the tool that helps you get those jobs done.</p>
9
<p>At my agency,<a>Polaris Growth</a>, we use JTBD to guide the brands we work with to create incredibly<a>personalized</a>customer journeys.</p>
8
<p>At my agency,<a>Polaris Growth</a>, we use JTBD to guide the brands we work with to create incredibly<a>personalized</a>customer journeys.</p>
10
<p>In this blog, I walk you through exactly how we do it.</p>
9
<p>In this blog, I walk you through exactly how we do it.</p>
11
<h2>The key components of JTBD</h2>
10
<h2>The key components of JTBD</h2>
12
<p>The JTBD framework helps brands identify and prioritize customer needs so that they can design products and services that satisfy those needs better than their competitors. It can also help you understand why customers may switch to competing products.</p>
11
<p>The JTBD framework helps brands identify and prioritize customer needs so that they can design products and services that satisfy those needs better than their competitors. It can also help you understand why customers may switch to competing products.</p>
13
-
<h2>The concept of JTBD consists of 3 main components</h2>
12
+
<p>The concept of JTBD consists of 3 main components</p>
14
<p>Jobs</p>
13
<p>Jobs</p>
15
<p>The customer’s ultimate desired outcome. They want to achieve this through buying a product or service.</p>
14
<p>The customer’s ultimate desired outcome. They want to achieve this through buying a product or service.</p>
16
<p>Context</p>
15
<p>Context</p>
17
<p>The circumstances and environmental factors that influence the customer’s decision to “hire” a product or service to get the job done.</p>
16
<p>The circumstances and environmental factors that influence the customer’s decision to “hire” a product or service to get the job done.</p>
18
<p>Forces</p>
17
<p>Forces</p>
19
<p>The emotional, social, and functional factors that motivate the customer to hire a product or service to get the job done.</p>
18
<p>The emotional, social, and functional factors that motivate the customer to hire a product or service to get the job done.</p>
20
<p>With those components in mind, the basic premise behind JTBD involves understanding:</p>
19
<p>With those components in mind, the basic premise behind JTBD involves understanding:</p>
21
<h3>1. Your customers’ goals, struggles, and results</h3>
20
<h3>1. Your customers’ goals, struggles, and results</h3>
22
<p>Most shoppers’ motivations are either functional, social, or emotional.</p>
21
<p>Most shoppers’ motivations are either functional, social, or emotional.</p>
23
<ul><li>If their motivation is<em>functional</em>, they’re looking for practical or tangible benefits from a product to accomplish a specific job.</li>
22
<ul><li>If their motivation is<em>functional</em>, they’re looking for practical or tangible benefits from a product to accomplish a specific job.</li>
24
<li>If it’s<em>social</em>, the customer is expecting a product to fulfill their desired identity or status.</li>
23
<li>If it’s<em>social</em>, the customer is expecting a product to fulfill their desired identity or status.</li>
25
<li>If it’s<em>emotional</em>, the customer is expecting a product to fulfill their emotional or psychological needs.</li>
24
<li>If it’s<em>emotional</em>, the customer is expecting a product to fulfill their emotional or psychological needs.</li>
26
</ul><h3>2. Every step a customer took once their problem got bad enough that they began looking for a solution</h3>
25
</ul><h3>2. Every step a customer took once their problem got bad enough that they began looking for a solution</h3>
27
<p>You’ll want to find out:</p>
26
<p>You’ll want to find out:</p>
28
<ul><li>If they shopped in person or online, or both</li>
27
<ul><li>If they shopped in person or online, or both</li>
29
<li>What search terms they used</li>
28
<li>What search terms they used</li>
30
<li>What sites they searched on</li>
29
<li>What sites they searched on</li>
31
<li>Whether or not they crowdsourced brand recommendations on social media</li>
30
<li>Whether or not they crowdsourced brand recommendations on social media</li>
32
</ul><p>Once you have a detailed understanding of the steps they took, you can specify your<a>customer journey</a>to those different points.</p>
31
</ul><p>Once you have a detailed understanding of the steps they took, you can specify your<a>customer journey</a>to those different points.</p>
33
<h3>3. What made them ultimately decide to buy your product when they did</h3>
32
<h3>3. What made them ultimately decide to buy your product when they did</h3>
34
<p>A crucial part of using JTBD for more effective marketing is understanding<em>where</em>in the<a>customer journey</a>your audience is.</p>
33
<p>A crucial part of using JTBD for more effective marketing is understanding<em>where</em>in the<a>customer journey</a>your audience is.</p>
35
<ul><li>Are they<a>browsing</a>-passively or actively?</li>
34
<ul><li>Are they<a>browsing</a>-passively or actively?</li>
36
<li>Have they already<a>placed an order</a>?</li>
35
<li>Have they already<a>placed an order</a>?</li>
37
<li>Do they buy from you<a>several times a year</a>?</li>
36
<li>Do they buy from you<a>several times a year</a>?</li>
38
</ul><h3>4. Why they chose your brand over another solution</h3>
37
</ul><h3>4. Why they chose your brand over another solution</h3>
39
<p>Try to get answers to these 3 questions:</p>
38
<p>Try to get answers to these 3 questions:</p>
40
<ol><li>Why did they “hire” you and “fire” the other brand (solution, if it’s not a brand)?</li>
39
<ol><li>Why did they “hire” you and “fire” the other brand (solution, if it’s not a brand)?</li>
41
<li>Specifically, what made them stop shopping with the other brand/solution?</li>
40
<li>Specifically, what made them stop shopping with the other brand/solution?</li>
42
<li>What made them decide to seek a new solution?</li>
41
<li>What made them decide to seek a new solution?</li>
43
</ol><h2>How to put JTBD to use</h2>
42
</ol><h2>How to put JTBD to use</h2>
44
<p>Here’s how we use JTBD to shape customer journeys and create the most personalized experience possible.</p>
43
<p>Here’s how we use JTBD to shape customer journeys and create the most personalized experience possible.</p>
45
<h3>Step 1: Use RFM to segment customers</h3>
44
<h3>Step 1: Use RFM to segment customers</h3>
46
<p>Segment customers according to<a>recency, frequency, and monetary value</a>(RFM). RFM is the best way to segment people based on behavior, and starting with your very best customers is how you ensure you’ll get a lot of useful data out of your interview process.</p>
45
<p>Segment customers according to<a>recency, frequency, and monetary value</a>(RFM). RFM is the best way to segment people based on behavior, and starting with your very best customers is how you ensure you’ll get a lot of useful data out of your interview process.</p>
47
<p>Once you know what matters most to those customers, you can create personalized journeys to attract more of them.</p>
46
<p>Once you know what matters most to those customers, you can create personalized journeys to attract more of them.</p>
48
<p>Score each customer from 1-3 and create plenty of small<a>segments</a>. For instance, if someone has bought very<em>recently</em>, they’re an R3. If they buy very<em>frequently</em>, they’re an F3. Customers who have spent the<em>largest total amount of money</em>on purchases with you are an M3.</p>
47
<p>Score each customer from 1-3 and create plenty of small<a>segments</a>. For instance, if someone has bought very<em>recently</em>, they’re an R3. If they buy very<em>frequently</em>, they’re an F3. Customers who have spent the<em>largest total amount of money</em>on purchases with you are an M3.</p>
49
-
<p>Use this scoring system to understand who your most valuable customers are, and then interview them.</p>
48
+
<p>Use this scoring system to understand who your most valuable customers are, and then interview them.(Note that if you have a much larger audience, you may want to use a scoring system of 1-5 to create more specificity and nuance.)</p>
50
-
<p>(Note that if you have a much larger audience, you may want to use a scoring system of 1-5 to create more specificity and nuance.)</p>
51
<p><strong>RFM tip:</strong>If you use<a>Klaviyo CDP</a>, RFM analysis comes pre-built for you.</p>
49
<p><strong>RFM tip:</strong>If you use<a>Klaviyo CDP</a>, RFM analysis comes pre-built for you.</p>
52
<h3>Step 2: Interview your brands’ “soulmates”</h3>
50
<h3>Step 2: Interview your brands’ “soulmates”</h3>
53
<p>Interview your very best customers-those with the highest RFM scores-through the lens of JTBD.</p>
51
<p>Interview your very best customers-those with the highest RFM scores-through the lens of JTBD.</p>
54
<p>Start by explaining why you’re doing the research, and give an overview on how the interview works.</p>
52
<p>Start by explaining why you’re doing the research, and give an overview on how the interview works.</p>
55
<p>The goal of the interview will be to create a timeline from the moment the interviewee first thought about buying your products until the moment they finally bought it.</p>
53
<p>The goal of the interview will be to create a timeline from the moment the interviewee first thought about buying your products until the moment they finally bought it.</p>
56
<p>Try to build a timeline from their answers. That timeline might look like:</p>
54
<p>Try to build a timeline from their answers. That timeline might look like:</p>
57
<ul><li>First thought</li>
55
<ul><li>First thought</li>
58
<li>Passive looking</li>
56
<li>Passive looking</li>
59
<li>Active looking</li>
57
<li>Active looking</li>
60
<li>Buying</li>
58
<li>Buying</li>
61
<li>First use</li>
59
<li>First use</li>
62
<li>Ongoing use</li>
60
<li>Ongoing use</li>
63
</ul><h4><strong>Here are some example questions to get you started:</strong></h4>
61
</ul><h4><strong>Here are some example questions to get you started:</strong></h4>
64
<ol><li>Do you remember the first time when you heard about our brand? What was your first thought?</li>
62
<ol><li>Do you remember the first time when you heard about our brand? What was your first thought?</li>
65
<li>How did you first hear about us?</li>
63
<li>How did you first hear about us?</li>
66
<li>What was the problem you were trying to solve with your shopping? (This question should help you identify their struggle.)</li>
64
<li>What was the problem you were trying to solve with your shopping? (This question should help you identify their struggle.)</li>
67
<li>Were you actively looking for different options at that time to solve your problem or just looking passively?</li>
65
<li>Were you actively looking for different options at that time to solve your problem or just looking passively?</li>
68
<li>Tell us what happened next that led you to actively look for more options.</li>
66
<li>Tell us what happened next that led you to actively look for more options.</li>
69
<li>What other options did you take into consideration? What products from other brands did you take into consideration before buying from us?</li>
67
<li>What other options did you take into consideration? What products from other brands did you take into consideration before buying from us?</li>
70
<li>How did you first find our website? Do you only buy our products online or from other places as well?</li>
68
<li>How did you first find our website? Do you only buy our products online or from other places as well?</li>
71
<li>What were the questions you were asking that led you to our brand?</li>
69
<li>What were the questions you were asking that led you to our brand?</li>
72
<li>How long did it take you to decide? Did you make the decision by yourself or talk about it with somebody else as well? If yes, with whom?</li>
70
<li>How long did it take you to decide? Did you make the decision by yourself or talk about it with somebody else as well? If yes, with whom?</li>
73
<li>What made you decide to buy our products? What were you hoping would happen as a result of buying them?</li>
71
<li>What made you decide to buy our products? What were you hoping would happen as a result of buying them?</li>
74
<li>Was there anything that you had to give up but found it worth it for the benefits our brand offers? (This is to see what sacrifices they had to make: money, time, changing their mind, etc.)</li>
72
<li>Was there anything that you had to give up but found it worth it for the benefits our brand offers? (This is to see what sacrifices they had to make: money, time, changing their mind, etc.)</li>
75
<li>Was anything holding you back before placing the first order?</li>
73
<li>Was anything holding you back before placing the first order?</li>
76
<li>When trying to decide to buy from our brand or not, what was your biggest fear?</li>
74
<li>When trying to decide to buy from our brand or not, what was your biggest fear?</li>
77
<li>Tell us a bit about the experience when you received the product with your order. What were your expectations before receiving the order? Were your expectations met? How did you feel after using our products? What was your goal? Did you reach it?</li>
75
<li>Tell us a bit about the experience when you received the product with your order. What were your expectations before receiving the order? Were your expectations met? How did you feel after using our products? What was your goal? Did you reach it?</li>
78
<li>What made you buy the second time? What habit did buying our products change? Have you recommended our brand to others? Why? To whom?</li>
76
<li>What made you buy the second time? What habit did buying our products change? Have you recommended our brand to others? Why? To whom?</li>
79
</ol><p><strong>Interview tip:</strong>This process is both qualitative and quantitative. Ideally, it turns into a conversation. If a customer starts to tell an anecdote that seems unrelated to your products, don’t cut them off. They may end up delivering valuable information about the road that led them to buying your product.</p>
77
</ol><p><strong>Interview tip:</strong>This process is both qualitative and quantitative. Ideally, it turns into a conversation. If a customer starts to tell an anecdote that seems unrelated to your products, don’t cut them off. They may end up delivering valuable information about the road that led them to buying your product.</p>
80
<h3>Step 3: Survey less engaged customers</h3>
78
<h3>Step 3: Survey less engaged customers</h3>
81
<p>After you’ve interviewed your very best customers, you’ll hopefully get quite a bit of useful information. Next, survey your next round of customers-those who scored a bit lower on RFM than the “very best” customers. (Klaviyo CDP customers, these would be your “Loyal” customers).</p>
79
<p>After you’ve interviewed your very best customers, you’ll hopefully get quite a bit of useful information. Next, survey your next round of customers-those who scored a bit lower on RFM than the “very best” customers. (Klaviyo CDP customers, these would be your “Loyal” customers).</p>
82
<p>It’s crucial that you use the same questions for each segment so that you can properly compare the groups, though it’s okay to rephrase.</p>
80
<p>It’s crucial that you use the same questions for each segment so that you can properly compare the groups, though it’s okay to rephrase.</p>
83
<p>Finally, survey the not-so-engaged-those who bought once, exchange products frequently, return multiple times, raise support tickets a little too often, etc.</p>
81
<p>Finally, survey the not-so-engaged-those who bought once, exchange products frequently, return multiple times, raise support tickets a little too often, etc.</p>
84
<p>It’s especially important to gather information about these types of customers so you can see how the super-engaged differ from the non-so-engaged. Once you’ve got all your results in, you can begin to build customer journeys that meet people exactly where they are.</p>
82
<p>It’s especially important to gather information about these types of customers so you can see how the super-engaged differ from the non-so-engaged. Once you’ve got all your results in, you can begin to build customer journeys that meet people exactly where they are.</p>
85
<p><strong>Pro tip:</strong>Never incentivize the interview for customers. Your truly engaged customers love talking to your brand, and you’ll get truer results from intrinsically motivated people.</p>
83
<p><strong>Pro tip:</strong>Never incentivize the interview for customers. Your truly engaged customers love talking to your brand, and you’ll get truer results from intrinsically motivated people.</p>
86
<h2>JTBD + RFM = the key to revamping your customer journey</h2>
84
<h2>JTBD + RFM = the key to revamping your customer journey</h2>
87
<p>Every marketer needs to understand who their best customers are and what they need. JTBD is one of the most effective ways to reach that understanding, especially when paired with Klaviyo RFM segments. If you’re looking to maximize ROI for all your marketing efforts and maintain sustainable growth, JTBD is the approach to get you there.</p>
85
<p>Every marketer needs to understand who their best customers are and what they need. JTBD is one of the most effective ways to reach that understanding, especially when paired with Klaviyo RFM segments. If you’re looking to maximize ROI for all your marketing efforts and maintain sustainable growth, JTBD is the approach to get you there.</p>
88
-
<p>Not using Klaviyo CDP?<a>Request a demo</a>to try a 30-day free trial today-your RFM model will be live in less than a few hours.</p>
86
+
<p>Not using Klaviyo CDP?<a>Request a demo</a>to try a 30-day free trial today-your RFM model will be live in less than a few hours.Want to learn more about how to use JTBD? Schedule a call with<a>Polaris Growth</a>.</p>
89
-
<p>Want to learn more about how to use JTBD? Schedule a call with<a>Polaris Growth</a>.</p>
90
<h3>Related content</h3>
87
<h3>Related content</h3>
91
<ul><li><a>What is a customer data platform (CDP)?</a></li>
88
<ul><li><a>What is a customer data platform (CDP)?</a></li>
92
<li><a>8 smart ways to use your CDP for marketing</a></li>
89
<li><a>8 smart ways to use your CDP for marketing</a></li>
93
<li><a>15 ways to use Klaviyo CDP to drive more Black Friday revenue</a></li>
90
<li><a>15 ways to use Klaviyo CDP to drive more Black Friday revenue</a></li>
94
-
</ul><p>Power smarter digital relationships with Klaviyo</p>
91
+
</ul><p>Power smarter digital relationships with Klaviyo SMS.</p>
95
<p><a>Get started</a></p>
92
<p><a>Get started</a></p>
96
93