Jobs to be done (JTBD)
In short
Jobs to be done (JTBD) is a framework that views a purchase as hiring a product to do a job. The job is the progress a customer wants to make in a specific situation, such as "cut the time it takes to close the books each month."
It shifts attention from who the buyer is to what they are trying to achieve and why now. Two companies with very different profiles may hire your product for the same job, and that shared job is a stronger basis for messaging than demographics.
Parts of a job
- Situation: The trigger or context that makes the job urgent, such as a new reporting requirement.
- Motivation: The outcome wanted, stated in the buyer's words.
- Barriers: What stops progress: cost, risk, effort, or habit.
- Alternatives: What they use today, including spreadsheets or doing nothing.
How to use JTBD in GTM
1. Interview recent buyers
Ask them to walk through the decision from the first thought of change to purchase. Focus on what happened, not opinions about features.
2. Write job statements
A common format is "When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [outcome]." Keep each one specific.
3. Group by job
Cluster buyers by the job they hired you for. This often reveals segments that firmographics miss.
4. Shape messaging and targeting
Lead with the job and the trigger. Use the trigger as a signal for timing, for example a new compliance rule or a team reorganization.
Example
Say a project tool finds that some buyers hire it to replace email threads, while others hire it to give executives a status view without meetings. Both groups are marketing agencies of similar size, so an ICP based on size alone would blur them. Separate landing pages and outreach for each job speak to the real reason people buy.
JTBD vs. buyer persona
A buyer persona describes a type of person. JTBD describes the progress that person wants. They work together: personas say who to talk to, and jobs say what to say.
Common mistakes
- Vague jobs: "Be more productive" is not specific enough to act on.
- Asking about features: Interviews should explore the decision story.
- Stopping at insight: Turn jobs into messaging, targeting, and product priorities.
Jobs to be done FAQs
What is jobs to be done (JTBD)?
Jobs to be done is a framework that explains purchases as customers hiring a product to make progress in a specific situation. It focuses on the outcome and context behind a buying decision instead of demographics or product features.
How do you use jobs to be done in B2B marketing?
Interview recent buyers about what triggered the purchase, write specific job statements, group customers by shared job, and build messaging and targeting around those jobs and their triggers.
What is a job statement?
A job statement is a short sentence describing what a customer wants to achieve in a given situation, often phrased as: when this happens, I want to do this, so I can reach this outcome. It keeps the focus on progress, not features.
What is the difference between JTBD and buyer personas?
Buyer personas describe who the buyer is, such as role and responsibilities. JTBD describes what progress they want in a given situation. Personas guide who to contact, while jobs guide what message and offer to use.
