Growth Frameworks
Jobs To Be Done

How Jobs to Be Done Improves Marketing Messaging

Qualitative Exploration

How Jobs to Be Done Improves Marketing Messaging

Introduction

Creating marketing messaging that truly resonates with customers is a challenge for businesses across industries. You can have a great product or a compelling service, but if your message doesn’t land with the people you’re trying to reach, it won’t drive engagement, loyalty, or purchase. That’s where the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework comes in – a powerful tool that can help marketers align their messaging with real customer needs and motivations. The JTBD framework focuses not on demographics or superficial preferences, but on what customers are actually trying to accomplish in their lives. When businesses understand these motivations – the 'jobs' people are hiring products or services to do – they can craft far more meaningful and effective communications. Whether it’s improving brand messaging, refining customer communication, or developing smarter marketing strategies, JTBD offers a research-backed path to stronger results.
This post is designed for business leaders, marketing professionals, and strategy teams looking to improve how they connect with people. You don’t need to be a market research expert to benefit from understanding how Jobs to Be Done enhances message development – you just need to be curious about what makes your customers tick. If you’ve ever asked: - Why isn’t our messaging landing with our audience? - How can we communicate our value more clearly? - What do our customers really need from us? Then this article is for you. We’ll walk you through what JTBD means in a marketing context and how it differs from traditional customer data. You’ll learn why many messages fall flat without this layer of insight, and how using JTBD can help you connect with your audience on a deeper, more impactful level. Whether you're working on campaign development, improving product messaging, or shaping a brand voice, applying JTBD can provide the clarity needed to cut through the noise. At SIVO Insights, our mission is to help teams listen more effectively and reach their audiences through research that reveals what really matters to customers. Let’s explore how Jobs to Be Done can be the missing link in elevating your marketing communication strategy.
This post is designed for business leaders, marketing professionals, and strategy teams looking to improve how they connect with people. You don’t need to be a market research expert to benefit from understanding how Jobs to Be Done enhances message development – you just need to be curious about what makes your customers tick. If you’ve ever asked: - Why isn’t our messaging landing with our audience? - How can we communicate our value more clearly? - What do our customers really need from us? Then this article is for you. We’ll walk you through what JTBD means in a marketing context and how it differs from traditional customer data. You’ll learn why many messages fall flat without this layer of insight, and how using JTBD can help you connect with your audience on a deeper, more impactful level. Whether you're working on campaign development, improving product messaging, or shaping a brand voice, applying JTBD can provide the clarity needed to cut through the noise. At SIVO Insights, our mission is to help teams listen more effectively and reach their audiences through research that reveals what really matters to customers. Let’s explore how Jobs to Be Done can be the missing link in elevating your marketing communication strategy.

What Is the Jobs to Be Done Framework in Marketing?

The Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework is a way to understand customers based on what they are trying to achieve – not just who they are. Instead of relying solely on demographics or vague preferences, JTBD puts the spotlight on a user’s goals and the progress they’re seeking. When applied to marketing, this approach helps teams build messaging that connects directly with real, often unmet, customer needs.

Defining 'Jobs' in JTBD

A "job" in this context isn’t a task or profession. It’s the goal a person has in a specific situation, for which they seek a solution. For example, someone buying noise-canceling headphones may not just want “better sound” – they might be trying to create personal focus time in a noisy workspace. That goal is the job they’re trying to accomplish.

Marketing that speaks to this job – not just product specs – is more likely to resonate. For instance, messaging like “Block distractions for deeper focus at work” is far more powerful than “High-quality audio with Bluetooth 5.0.”

Why JTBD Changes the Way We Think About Customers

Traditional marketing often revolves around surface-level qualities. Age, gender, or location don’t necessarily explain why someone chooses one solution over another. But when you understand the job they’re trying to get done, you unlock deeper consumer insights that drive effective messaging strategy.

  • It identifies real needs: Uncovers what customers are trying to solve, enabling tailored solutions.
  • It improves relevance: Messaging rooted in JTBD speaks to everyday challenges and aspirations.
  • It guides innovation: Brands can build or position offerings that directly satisfy key jobs.

JTBD can be implemented through various types of market research – qualitative interviews, diary studies, ethnographic observation, or surveys – depending on what’s best suited for your audience and goals. At SIVO Insights, we often blend these tools to uncover not just what people say but what they do and feel, giving a fuller picture of their journey.

Using JTBD in Brand Messaging

Once you understand your customer’s job, you can develop marketing communication that reflects their intent more clearly. For example, a fictional wellness brand might learn that customers don’t just want organic supplements. They’re trying to build morning routines that energize their day. The message then shifts from “natural ingredients you can trust” to “feel more focused before 9 AM.”

In short, JTBD helps brands become problem-solvers and partners – not just sellers. It provides a more human-centered approach to message development, and when backed by strong research, it brings clarity and confidence to your marketing messaging.

Why Messaging Fails Without Understanding Customer Jobs

Many marketing campaigns underperform not because the product is flawed, but because the message misses the mark. Teams often invest heavily in creative assets and promotional strategies, only to hear: “It didn’t connect” or “Customers just didn’t get it.” The core issue? A lack of alignment with the actual jobs customers are trying to accomplish.

When Marketing Messaging Talks Past the Customer

Without insight into real user motivations, marketers tend to focus on features or brand attributes that feel important internally – but don’t reflect what customers care about. For instance, promoting a travel app by highlighting “advanced booking algorithms” may sound impressive, but customers might just be trying to simplify trip planning during a stressful week.

By skipping the JTBD perspective, messaging can start to sound generic, technical, or misaligned. Instead of solving a customer’s problem, it gets lost in the noise.

Common Mistakes in Message Development

  • Assuming demographics equal motivations: Just knowing someone is a 35-year-old parent doesn’t explain what job they’re trying to solve during a hectic morning.
  • Highlighting features over outcomes: Customers are far more interested in how a solution fits into their lives than technical specs.
  • Copying competitors: Messages that mimic market trends may ignore your unique audience’s deeper needs.

These missteps can lead to confusion, missed opportunities, and wasted budgets. But understanding customer jobs flips the equation. By discovering the 'why' behind behavior, marketers can speak directly to emotional and functional needs.

Customer Needs + JTBD = Messaging That Sticks

Consider a fictional example: A software company targeting small business owners wants to promote a new analytics feature. Instead of saying “Now with enhanced data visualization,” the team leans into JTBD research and learns that customers are trying to simplify reporting so their team can make faster decisions. The resulting message? “Make informed decisions in half the time – no spreadsheets, no headaches.”

This version clearly reflects the user’s goal, creating an aha moment: “This brand understands me.” That’s the power of using consumer insights to improve marketing messaging naturally and effectively.

Messaging as a Strategic Lever, Not Just Tactics

At SIVO Insights, we encourage businesses to treat messaging as a strategic output of foundational market research, not just a creative task. Knowing how to use Jobs to Be Done in marketing allows companies to tie user motivations directly to brand messaging and customer communication.

When your communication speaks the language of your audience’s goals, you connect faster, build trust sooner, and stand out in competitive spaces. JTBD doesn’t replace creativity – it provides it with direction and purpose. It becomes far easier to create messaging that resonates and supports both immediate conversions and long-term loyalty.

How JTBD Helps Craft Messaging That Resonates

Understanding Real Customer Intent

One of the most powerful ways the Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework improves marketing messaging is by helping brands connect directly with what customers are trying to achieve. Traditional messaging often talks about product features or surface-level benefits. JTBD digs deeper to uncover the true motivations behind customer behavior – offering a valuable roadmap for message development that feels less like marketing and more like a conversation.

For example, instead of simply promoting a noise-cancelling headphone's technical specifications, a messaging strategy informed by JTBD might center on the outcome: “Find focus and peace in a noisy world.” It’s not about the product; it’s about solving a real problem.

Why JTBD Makes Messaging More Relevant

Marketing communication becomes more relevant when it highlights the specific outcomes a customer wants. This alignment leads to messaging that feels personal, timely, and genuinely helpful. Customers are more likely to trust and engage with brands that show they truly understand their needs.

JTBD-inspired messaging enables marketers to:

  • Highlight the deeper reason someone seeks a product (e.g., convenience, confidence, peace of mind)
  • Avoid vague or generic brand statements that could apply to any competitor
  • Position the product or service as a partner in progress, not just a purchase

Tapping Into Emotional and Functional Drivers

Effective messaging using the JTBD framework connects both functional and emotional needs. While a product may help someone perform a task more quickly (functional), it might also help them feel more competent, less stressed, or more in control (emotional). Recognizing and incorporating both layers makes messaging more robust and human.

Ultimately, understanding the 'job' allows marketers to stop guessing what language will land. They can develop clear, focused messages tailored to user motivations – increasing clarity, cut-through, and customer resonance.

Applying JTBD to Your Marketing Communication Strategy

Starting with the Right Questions

Integrating the Jobs to Be Done framework into your broader marketing communication strategy doesn't require a complete overhaul – just a shift in perspective. Start by asking, “What is the job our customers are hiring our product or service to do?” This question unlocks insights that guide message tone, language, and channel strategy.

Successful implementation means going beyond demographics or product categories. It’s about identifying real-world use cases and unmet needs through strong consumer insights. This is where effective market research plays a vital role, uncovering not just who your audience is, but why they act.

Practical Ways to Use JTBD in Messaging Strategy

To apply JTBD within your messaging development process, consider the following steps:

  • Conduct qualitative research: Interview customers to understand what challenges they’re facing and what goals they’re trying to accomplish when using your product or service. Look for common patterns across answers.
  • Cluster customer jobs: Group similar jobs to identify core user motivations. These themes often form the foundation of your value propositions and brand messaging pillars.
  • Map jobs to customer journey stages: Align content and tone to specific phases, such as awareness, evaluation, and action – tailoring your messaging accordingly.
  • Test and refine narratives: Use message testing or A/B testing to experiment with how JTBD-driven messages perform. Consumer language should guide final copy decisions.

Whether you're refreshing your website copy, launching a campaign, or refining value propositions, JTBD insights fuel more strategic, targeted communication. The result? A messaging strategy that puts your customer at the center and speaks their language – literally and emotionally.

This customer-first approach not only boosts engagement, but also creates clarity and trust between a brand and its audience – both critical drivers of long-term loyalty.

Real-World Examples of Better Messaging with JTBD

From Product-Focused to Goal-Focused Messaging

To better understand how powerful Jobs to Be Done can be in shaping marketing messaging, let’s look at a few fictional examples inspired by typical real-world scenarios. These illustrate how brands are able to shift their communication strategies using this framework to highlight customer jobs rather than product specs.

Example 1: A Meal Kit Brand

Traditional Message: “Fresh ingredients delivered to your door.”
JTBD-Informed Message: “Take the stress out of weekday dinners – cook fresh, fast meals your family will love.”

By discovering that time-pressed parents aren't just looking for ingredients – they're trying to reclaim time and reduce weekday stress – the message becomes more emotionally resonant and purpose-driven.

Example 2: A Financial App

Traditional Message: “Track your spending and set budgets in one place.”
JTBD-Informed Message: “Feel in control of your money and confident about what comes next.”

Behind the scenes, market research may reveal that users want more than tracking features – they want to feel financially secure and less overwhelmed. The new brand messaging speaks directly to this underlying goal.

Example 3: Fitness Studio App

Traditional Message: “Access hundreds of online workouts anytime.”
JTBD-Informed Message: “Build a routine that fits your real life – start on your terms.”

Instead of promoting quantity or convenience alone, this message acknowledges the user’s job: building sustainable habits in a busy life.

What We Can Learn from These Shifts

These fictional examples demonstrate how understanding JTBD transforms marketing communication from transactional to aspirational. It reframes messaging from “what we offer” to “how we help.” This not only improves resonance, but also positions your brand as a true partner in the customer’s journey.

Better brand messaging through JTBD is not about clever taglines – it’s about anchoring communication in deep, research-informed empathy and positioning your value as an answer to real human needs.

Summary

Marketing messages fall flat when they don’t address what customers truly need. The Jobs to Be Done framework changes that by focusing on the outcomes people are trying to achieve. Starting with what is the jobs to be done theory in marketing, this blog has shown how understanding the jobs your customers are “hiring” you to fulfill unlocks powerful benefits – from improving relevance and emotional impact to developing messaging strategies that align with concrete user motivations. We explored how JTBD helps craft messaging that resonates, how to apply the framework practically, and reviewed fictional examples of better message development across different industries.

By combining consumer insights with strategic market research, brands can develop marketing messaging that is both effective and human. Whether you’re launching a new campaign or evolving your brand messaging over time, JTBD gives you the clarity to speak directly, confidently, and meaningfully to your audience’s true needs.

Summary

Marketing messages fall flat when they don’t address what customers truly need. The Jobs to Be Done framework changes that by focusing on the outcomes people are trying to achieve. Starting with what is the jobs to be done theory in marketing, this blog has shown how understanding the jobs your customers are “hiring” you to fulfill unlocks powerful benefits – from improving relevance and emotional impact to developing messaging strategies that align with concrete user motivations. We explored how JTBD helps craft messaging that resonates, how to apply the framework practically, and reviewed fictional examples of better message development across different industries.

By combining consumer insights with strategic market research, brands can develop marketing messaging that is both effective and human. Whether you’re launching a new campaign or evolving your brand messaging over time, JTBD gives you the clarity to speak directly, confidently, and meaningfully to your audience’s true needs.

In this article

What Is the Jobs to Be Done Framework in Marketing?
Why Messaging Fails Without Understanding Customer Jobs
How JTBD Helps Craft Messaging That Resonates
Applying JTBD to Your Marketing Communication Strategy
Real-World Examples of Better Messaging with JTBD

In this article

What Is the Jobs to Be Done Framework in Marketing?
Why Messaging Fails Without Understanding Customer Jobs
How JTBD Helps Craft Messaging That Resonates
Applying JTBD to Your Marketing Communication Strategy
Real-World Examples of Better Messaging with JTBD

Last updated: Jun 04, 2025

Curious how SIVO Insights can help you connect your messaging to what matters most to customers?

Curious how SIVO Insights can help you connect your messaging to what matters most to customers?

Curious how SIVO Insights can help you connect your messaging to what matters most to customers?

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