In our recent powerup, we explored using the jobs-to-be-done (desired progress) framework to unlock the real reasons why someone would hire your product.

This week, we’re taking it a step further, introducing the ‘four forces framework’, a powerful tool that gets you further inside the mind of your target audience.

💭 So, what is the four forces framework?

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If the job-to-be-done your product addresses is important enough, your target audience will know of a few different ways (alternatives) they can use to make progress on it.

To gain traction for a new product, you must be able to capture your audience’s attention, get them to leave their current methods behind and embrace something new.

Remember, your product doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it’s competing with every other product/service for space in the mind of your customer.

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Enter the four forces framework. It helps us understand the decision-making process between alternatives, and learn how to influence it to get people to switch to using your solution.

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The four forces framework explains that whenever someone considers finding a solution to their job-to-be-done, there are four forces at play in their mind.

Two forces move someone toward making progress:

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1️⃣ PUSH of what’s happening now: What is happening in your target audience’s lives to make them more aware of the need to make progress? What challenges, problems or shortcomings are they facing in their current way?

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2️⃣ PULL of a new solution: What features of your solution do your audience find particularly appealing? What do they find most useful to help them make their desired progress?

Two forces prevent someone from making progress

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3️⃣ ANXIETY of what might happen: What anxieties, concerns, doubts or uncertainties arise when they consider a new way of doing things?

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4️⃣ ATTACHMENT/INERTIA to the current way: What habits or familiar beliefs do they have about the way they currently approach their job-to-be-done that give them comfort and could prevent them from switching to a new way?

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✅ How to implement it

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Talk to your audience!

At every opportunity, engage with your audience. Ask questions that shed light on the four forces at play when they consider whether solutions like yours can help them.

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👉 Capture the PUSH:

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• Use questions like: What are the shortcomings of the way you currently approach [job-to-be-done]?
• Listen for quotes describing how their current situation just isn’t working
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👉 Identify the PULL:

• Use questions like: What captures your attention and makes you think [your product] could be great for me?
• Identify the light bulb moment when they realised your solution is a new way to achieve what they need

👉 Uncover ANXIETY:

• Use questions like: Do you have any hesitations or concerns about trying this?
• Listen for the “yeah, but”s that come up when you talk to your target audience about your solution

👉ATTACHMENT to/habit of the current solution:

• Use questions like: What do you like about your current approach? What makes it challenging to change?
• Identify the habits that they are more comfortable maintaining than switching away from

You can also gather insights from other sources like forums, social media posts, customer and competitor reviews. Anywhere your audience hangs out, and talks about the problem (job) you are solving is a great place to build up a picture of the four forces (once you know what you’re looking for!).

💡 TOP TIP

Collect the language your audience uses to describe these four forces and create a database to build a comprehensive understanding.

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✏️ How to apply the four forces

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To effectively communicate the value of choosing your solution, your messaging needs to cover all four of these forces.

By collecting insights from your audience around the four forces at play when they consider solutions like yours, you’ll know exactly what’s going on in their mind. Capturing their own words that they use to describe these forces means you’re able to craft messaging that makes switching to your solution make complete sense.

Logging the language your audience uses to describe these four forces at play in their minds, gives you the basic ingredients for messages that pull the right mental levers and make switching to your product an absolute no-brainer.

To draft messaging, use the audience’s own words to create messages for each of the four forces using these messaging strategies:

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1️⃣ PUSH of what’s happening now

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Messaging strategy: Emphasise struggles/shortcomings of what they currently use/demonstrate why it does not satisfy their JTBD sufficiently.

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2️⃣ PULL of a new solution

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Messaging strategy: Highlight the key benefits/outcomes of using your solution.

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3️⃣ ANXIETY of what might happen/the new solution

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Messaging strategy: Emphasise how your solution addresses and covers their anxieties.

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4️⃣ ATTACHMENT to/habit of the present solution

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Messaging strategy: Highlight a specific way your solution improves on a core attribute of their current solution.

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🙌🏼 Conclusion

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By understanding and effectively using the four forces framework, you’ll bring clarity to your audience’s decision-making process. Every interaction with your solution will resonate with them, making the switch to your product an obvious choice.

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Key takeaways:

👉 Understanding and applying the four forces framework means that whenever you talk about your product, your audience will be like  “Wow, this all really makes complete sense.”

👉 You’ll soon have messaging that drastically changes:

• How clear you can make it that you solve your audience’s problem
• How excited you can get potential customers
• How quickly you can get customers to the AHA moment

If you want to learn more about audience research, have a look at our recent blog piece on the jobs-to-be-done framework and come back next week for all the details on conducting a value curve 👀