Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) is a framework that focuses on the reason behind a customer’s decision to buy or use a product. Rather than looking at just who the customer is, JTBD asks: What job are they hiring this product to do? Especially in B2C marketing, it helps uncover the deeper motivations behind everyday choices – emotional needs, functional goals, and context-driven desires that shape behavior.

Consider this: A parent doesn’t just buy a stroller. They’re hiring that stroller to keep their child safe while providing convenience, ease of transport, and maybe even peace of mind during busy days. That emotional dimension – paired with practical needs – makes “the job” far more specific than it first appears.

Jobs Go Beyond Products – They Focus on Progress

In a B2C world, people don't just shop for things. They seek progress in their lives – no matter how small. They may want to feel confident in their new outfit, make dinner prep faster, or create a cozy space that feels like home. JTBD captures these aspirations, which often get lost if you’re only looking at age groups or purchase histories.

At its core, JTBD is rooted in the idea that products and services are tools people use to get jobs done. These jobs are not necessarily product-specific – they represent goals or outcomes the customer is trying to achieve. And importantly, the same product might be hired for very different reasons by different people.

Key Features of JTBD in B2C Strategy:

• Focus on goals, not personas: JTBD looks at the outcome a person is trying to achieve, not just who they are demographically.
• Highlights competitive alternatives: Customers might “hire” a YouTube video instead of an exercise class. JTBD reveals these alternatives more clearly.
• Reveals emotional context: Jobs often carry emotional weight – from feeling in control to gaining social approval. These insights guide both product design and messaging.

Why It Works for B2C Companies

Where traditional market research might ask consumers about their preferences, JTBD digs deeper to discover the decision-making context. It uncovers the underlying situations prompting customers to take action – and that’s where real opportunity lies. Whether your company is in retail, personal care, tech, or food & beverage, JTBD allows your team to think in terms of solutions and value created, not just product features.

When applied effectively, B2C Jobs To Be Done research leads to insights that inform everything from customer journey mapping and new product development to brand positioning and messaging. It helps ensure you're designing around the entire human experience – not just purchase data.

In today's crowded markets, simply knowing who your customer is isn’t enough. To compete and grow, B2C companies need to understand why customers buy – what drives their behaviors, what problems they’re solving, and what outcomes they’re looking to achieve. This is exactly why more businesses are turning to the Jobs To Be Done framework as a cornerstone of their product strategy and market research efforts.

JTBD Drives Meaningful Product Innovation

One of the biggest reasons for adopting JTBD in B2C is to build products that truly fit customer needs – not just what companies assume they want. Instead of innovating around technologies or features alone, JTBD asks: "What job does the customer need done, and how can we solve it better than anyone else?"

For example, a fictional home cleaning brand may discover through JTBD research that customers aren't just looking for sparkling floors – they're actually seeking a sense of control and routine during their chaotic mornings. This insight could lead to faster-drying solutions or automated scheduling features. Small shifts in understanding can unlock big opportunities.

More Targeted and Effective B2C Marketing

Using JTBD for customer insights isn't just about product development. It has a major impact on how brands communicate. When marketing speaks directly to the real job the consumer is trying to perform, it resonates more deeply than traditional value propositions focused solely on specs or price.

For instance, rather than saying “Our protein bar has 20g of protein,” a message shaped by a JTBD insight might say, “Fuel your afternoon energy slump – no fridge required.” This speaks directly to the job of staying energized between meetings or school pickups, connecting emotionally and functionally.

Growth Through Better Customer Alignment

Jobs To Be Done helps align the entire organization around what matters most: the customer’s goals. Product teams, marketers, and even executives can rally around a clearer, more actionable understanding of consumer behavior.

JTBD insights can be used to:

• Design offerings that fit seamlessly into consumers’ routines
• Uncover unmet needs in crowded categories
• Differentiate offerings not just on features, but on outcomes
• Find whitespace opportunities for entirely new markets

This alignment leads to more purposeful innovation and makes it easier to prioritize initiatives that will actually move the needle for customers – and for growth.

From Data to Action

For B2C companies using custom consumer insights and market research, JTBD adds an important dimension. It brings clarity to ambiguous behavior patterns and uncovers the emotional "why" behind the numbers. Combined with qualitative interviews or robust surveys, it can help teams translate data into strategy, and action into impact.

At SIVO, we believe that understanding people is the key to unlocking brand potential. Jobs To Be Done gives teams a clear and relatable lens to uncover what customers truly want – so you can deliver it in a meaningful way.

Jobs To Be Done (JTBD) can feel like a theoretical concept, but it becomes much clearer – and more powerful – when brought to life with everyday examples. In B2C marketing, JTBD reveals why consumers make certain choices and what outcomes they hope to achieve. Let’s look at a few fictional cases across different industries to illustrate this research framework in action.

Example 1: Ready-to-Eat Meals

A food brand wanted to launch a new line of ready-to-eat meals. Traditional market research looked at demographics and dietary trends. But a JTBD approach uncovered something different: busy parents were hiring these meals not just to feed their families, but to feel like they were still offering a home-cooked, quality dinner – even on chaotic days.

This insight led to messaging that emphasized emotional reassurance (“made for your busiest nights”) and packaging that looked homemade. Product innovation focused on comfort foods, not just convenience foods – a shift that drove strong engagement at launch.

Example 2: Skincare Products

A skincare company was puzzled why one mid-range moisturizer was outperforming premium options. JTBD interviews revealed that customers weren’t just buying hydration – they were buying visible improvement before big events (e.g., weddings, interviews). The real “job” was to feel photogenic and confident on a deadline.

This unlocked an opportunity to reposition the product as “visible results in 72 hours,” incorporate fast-acting ingredients, and launch campaign stories around transformation. Again, the emotional outcome guided strategy more deeply than category norms alone.

Example 3: Fitness Apps

A fitness app aimed at Gen Z thought it was competing on tracking features and interface design. But a JTBD scan revealed that many users were using the app to regulate anxiety, sleep better, or replace therapy. Their job wasn’t just “stay in shape” – it was “feel emotionally in control.”

That insight expanded the offering to include mindfulness support, flexible goals, and new marketing narratives focused on emotional wellness. As a result, usage rates increased – particularly among users experiencing burnout and stress.

As these (fictional) examples show, using JTBD for B2C market research allows brands to uncover why buyers choose – not just what they choose. It unlocks rich consumer insights that can inform brand strategy, product development, and marketing alike. The better you understand customer needs, the better you can serve them, often in unexpected ways.

Applying the JTBD framework in your B2C strategy doesn’t have to be complex. In fact, it starts with a mindset shift – from asking “What do people buy?” to “What are people trying to accomplish in their lives?” With that foundation, you can map JTBD to your business in a structured way to support product innovation, marketing, and customer experience initiatives.

Step 1: Identify Target Customers

Start by defining the consumers you want to understand more deeply. It’s often helpful to focus on a specific behavior (e.g., switching brands, choosing a competitor, abandoning the product altogether) rather than an entire segment. JTBD is most powerful when focused on moments of decision or change.

Step 2: Conduct JTBD Interviews

Use in-depth interviews to explore context-rich stories around customer behavior. Ask about timelines, emotional triggers, and what alternatives they considered – not just satisfaction with features. The goal is to uncover what they were really trying to achieve. These insights form the basis of your job statements.

Step 3: Map Core Jobs

Translate interview findings into clear job statements. Each should include:

• The situation: When/where the customer is
• The motivation: What they are trying to improve/change
• The desired outcome: What success looks like to them

Example: “When I get home late from work, I want to eat something warm and healthy without cooking, so I can relax and recharge for tomorrow.”

Step 4: Align Strategies with Jobs

Once you’ve identified the key jobs your customers are hiring your product to do, evaluate how well your current offerings deliver. This can inspire:

• New product development rooted in real needs
• Marketing messages that tap into emotional drivers
• Customer experiences that reduce friction in key moments

Whether you're in food, tech, beauty, or retail, JTBD helps tie everything back to what matters most: the outcome your customers care about achieving.

Step 5: Iterate and Validate

JTBD insights aren’t static. As customers evolve, their jobs may shift. Build JTBD into your ongoing market research to learn continuously and adjust your strategy accordingly. Pair qualitative learning with quantitative validation when needed – and revisit assumptions often.

At its best, JTBD becomes more than a framework – it becomes a blueprint for empathy-driven, customer-first brand strategy.

Whether you’re launching a new product or repositioning an existing one, Jobs To Be Done provides a powerful layer of understanding. But like any framework, getting the most out of JTBD requires thoughtful preparation and execution. Here are some best practices B2C businesses can follow to start strong:

Start with Real Behaviors, Not Hypotheticals

JTBD research works best when it focuses on specific episodes from a customer’s life – not general preferences. Ask participants to recall a recent situation where they made a decision, felt stuck, or changed a habit. These stories reveal emotional and practical dynamics that surveys often miss.

Go Beyond Demographics

Someone’s age, income, or location doesn’t always predict what job they’re hiring your brand to do. Look for patterns based on context and intent – two people in different age groups might hire the same product for the same job during a common moment (like moving into a new home).

Use Cross-Functional Teams

Involve team members from marketing, product development, insights, and CX early in the process. JTBD is about alignment – across the entire customer journey. When everyone understands the key jobs, it becomes easier to make unified decisions that drive growth.

Pair Qualitative with Quantitative

Start with a small set of qualitative interviews to uncover job themes. Then, use surveys or usage data to size the opportunity and check how common certain jobs are within your consumer base. This combination balances depth and scale – a hallmark of well-rounded consumer insights.

Be Open to Surprise

The biggest value of JTBD is discovering the hidden drivers behind customer behavior. Don’t rush to confirm a hypothesis – instead, let patterns emerge organically. You may find that the job your product is really doing is different from what you assumed.

Document and Share Jobs Internally

Once you’ve uncovered compelling jobs, create clear documentation or customer “job profiles” that can be referenced by teams across the organization. Making these insights accessible – not siloed – keeps them alive and actionable.

Done right, B2C Jobs To Be Done research becomes a foundation for long-term product strategy, targeted marketing, and sharper brand positioning. By investing time upfront to understand true customer needs, you unlock smarter decisions everywhere downstream.