JTBD & Psychographic Research Frameworks

Quick reference for Jobs-to-be-Done and psychographic frameworks that inform brand strategy. This skill auto-activates during brand work to ensure audience insights inform every phase.

"95% of purchasing decisions are made in the subconscious mind." — Gerald Zaltman, Harvard

The Three Job Types

Every "job" customers hire a product for has three dimensions:

Dimension Question Example

Functional What task are they accomplishing? "Watch content without ads"

Emotional How do they want to FEEL? "Feel relaxed, avoid boredom"

Social How do they want to be SEEN? "Recommend shows, feel in-the-know"

Job Statement Format: "When [situation], I want to [motivation], so I can [outcome]."

The Four Forces of Progress (Bob Moesta)

Why customers switch (or don't):

    PROMOTING FORCES

┌────────────────────────────┐ │ PUSH PULL │ │ (Struggles) (Attraction)│ ├────────────────────────────┤ │ HABIT ANXIETY │ │ (Comfort) (Fear) │ └────────────────────────────┘ BLOCKING FORCES

The Formula: If Push + Pull > Anxiety + Habit , they switch.

Force Key Question

PUSH "What frustrates you about your current solution?"

PULL "What excites you about this alternative?"

ANXIETY "What worries you about switching?"

HABIT "What would you miss about your current approach?"

Limbic Types (Hans-Georg Hausel)

Three emotional systems drive behavior:

System Driven By Brand Response

Stimulance Novelty, fun, exploration Scarcity, newness

Dominance Status, control, power Exclusivity, prestige

Balance Security, stability Social proof, familiarity

Seven Types: Traditionalist, Harmonizer, Open Connoisseur, Hedonist, Adventurer, Performer, Disciplined

VALS Segments

Segments by motivation + resources:

Motivation High Resources Low Resources

Ideals (knowledge) Thinkers Believers

Achievement (success) Achievers Strivers

Self-Expression (variety) Experiencers Makers

Plus: Innovators (any motivation, high resources) and Survivors (security-focused, low resources)

HBR Emotional Motivators

Key drivers of customer value:

• "Helps me be creative"

• "Feel revived and refreshed"

• "Sense of belonging"

• "Stand out from the crowd"

• "Feel secure"

• "Succeed in life"

• "Be the person I want to be"

Key Finding: Emotionally connected customers have 306% higher lifetime value.

Research-to-Strategy Bridge

How audience insights inform brand decisions:

Research Finding Informs

Primary JTBD Brand Promise

Push Forces Problem Messaging

Pull Forces Benefit Messaging

Anxiety Forces Trust Signals

Emotional Jobs Emotional Territory

Social Jobs Brand Personality

Core Values Brand Values

Limbic Type Visual & Tonal Direction

When to Apply These Frameworks

During Positioning

• Use Four Forces to identify switching dynamics

• Map emotional territory based on Jobs

During Voice Development

• Match tone to Limbic profile

• Reflect audience's actual language

During Messaging

• Address Push forces in problem messaging

• Highlight Pull forces in benefits

• Counter Anxiety forces with proof

During Visual Direction

• Align aesthetic with Limbic type

• Reflect social jobs in imagery

Templates

See reference/templates.md for:

• Forces of Progress Canvas

• Job Story Template

• Psychographic Profile Summary

• Research-to-Strategy Bridge

Deep Methodology

For comprehensive JTBD interview techniques, detailed framework application, and full output structure, the brand-audience-researcher agent contains 500+ lines of expert methodology.

Key Principles

• Emotional > Functional: Emotional jobs often drive decisions more than functional ones

• All Three Dimensions: Never skip emotional and social jobs

• Capture the Forces: Understanding push/pull/anxiety/habit is essential for positioning

• Use Their Language: Capture actual words people use — gold for brand voice

• Be the Only: "Be THE ONLY, not the best." — Marty Neumeier