Emotional Job

Emotional Job is a critical concept in the Jobs to be Done (JTBD) framework that describes how customers want to feel or avoid feeling when getting their functional job done. Understanding emotional jobs is essential for portfolio companies to develop complete product strategies that address not only the practical aspects of customer goals but also the psychological dimensions that influence purchasing decisions and product adoption.

Definition and Importance

An emotional job defines the feelings customers want to experience or avoid while executing their functional job. While functional jobs describe what customers are trying to accomplish practically, emotional jobs capture the desired psychological states that accompany successful job execution.

Emotional jobs typically fall into two categories:

1. Positive emotional states customers want to experience: Feeling confident, relaxed, accomplished, in control, respected, or competent
   
   
2. Negative emotional states customers want to avoid: Feeling anxious, frustrated, confused, embarrassed, overwhelmed, or incompetent
   
   

Understanding emotional jobs is crucial because:

1. They drive purchasing decisions alongside functional considerations, often tipping the balance between competing solutions
   
   
2. They influence product adoption and loyalty, with solutions that address emotional jobs creating stronger customer relationships
   
   
3. They provide differentiation opportunities in markets where functional needs are well-served by existing solutions
   
   
4. They guide user experience design, helping create products that not only work well but feel good to use
   
   
5. They inform messaging and positioning, enabling more resonant communication that connects with customers on both rational and emotional levels
   
   

Emotional Jobs vs. Emotional Benefits

It's important to distinguish emotional jobs from the more traditional concept of emotional benefits in marketing:

Traditional Emotional Benefits

• Typically derived from marketer intuition rather than customer research
• Often focus on aspirational feelings disconnected from functional job execution
• Usually highlight positive emotions without addressing negative emotional states
• Frequently emphasize brand identity over customer job execution

Emotional Jobs in JTBD

• Identified through systematic customer research
• Directly connected to the execution of functional jobs
• Address both positive emotions to be experienced and negative emotions to be avoided
• Focus on customer goals rather than brand attributes

This distinction helps portfolio companies develop more authentic and effective emotional value propositions that directly connect to customer needs rather than relying on superficial emotional appeals.

The Relationship Between Functional and Emotional Jobs

Emotional jobs are always connected to functional jobs—they represent how customers want to feel while getting their practical goals accomplished. This connection is critical for several reasons:

1. Contextual Relevance

The same emotion can have different implications in different functional contexts. For example:

• Feeling confident while "getting to a destination on time" means trusting you've chosen the optimal route
• Feeling confident while "making an investment decision" means trusting your financial analysis
• Feeling confident while "delivering a presentation" means trusting your communication skills

Understanding the specific functional context is essential for addressing emotional jobs effectively.

2. Priority Alignment

The importance of emotional jobs often correlates with the importance and difficulty of the functional job:

• High-stakes functional jobs (like "diagnose a health condition") typically have intense associated emotional jobs
• Complex functional jobs often generate stronger emotional needs for confidence and reduced anxiety
• Frequently performed functional jobs may have emotional jobs related to efficiency and satisfaction

This alignment helps companies prioritize which emotional jobs to address in their product strategies.

3. Solution Integration

The most effective products integrate functional and emotional job satisfaction:

• Features that improve functional job execution often simultaneously address emotional jobs
• User experience design connects functional capabilities with emotional reassurance
• Messaging ties functional benefits to emotional outcomes

This integration creates more compelling and complete value propositions.

Common Patterns in Emotional Jobs

While emotional jobs are specific to particular functional contexts, several common patterns emerge across different jobs and markets:

1. Confidence and Anxiety

Perhaps the most universal emotional job pattern involves wanting to feel confident rather than anxious about job execution. This manifests in desires to:

• Feel certain about making the right decisions
• Trust that the job will be completed successfully
• Avoid worry about potential failures or mistakes
• Have peace of mind throughout the job execution process

2. Competence and Inadequacy

Customers typically want to feel capable and skilled rather than incompetent when executing jobs:

• Feel in control of the process
• Demonstrate mastery of necessary skills
• Avoid appearing uninformed or unprepared
• Experience satisfaction in their own abilities

3. Efficiency and Frustration

Customers want to feel that they're making good use of their time and resources:

• Feel productive and efficient
• Avoid wasting time on unnecessary steps
• Experience a sense of momentum
• Avoid frustration with delays or complications

4. Connection and Isolation

For jobs that involve others, customers often want to feel connected rather than isolated:

• Feel understood by others involved in the job
• Experience a sense of community or shared purpose
• Avoid feeling alone with challenges
• Feel supported throughout the process

5. Accomplishment and Disappointment

Customers want to feel a sense of achievement rather than letdown when completing jobs:

• Feel satisfied with the outcome
• Experience pride in successful completion
• Avoid disappointment with results
• Feel that the effort was worthwhile

Understanding these patterns helps portfolio companies identify relevant emotional jobs across different markets and functional contexts.

Identifying Emotional Jobs

Uncovering emotional jobs requires specific research approaches that go beyond traditional market research. The thrv methodology includes several techniques for identifying emotional jobs:

1. Contextual Interviews

In-depth interviews with job beneficiaries explore:

• How customers feel during different stages of job execution
• What emotions they hope to experience or avoid
• How current solutions affect their emotional states
• What language they use to describe their feelings about the job

These interviews focus not just on what customers do but how they feel while doing it.

2. Observational Research

Observing customers as they execute jobs reveals emotional responses that customers might not articulate directly:

• Body language indicating stress or relief
• Expressions of frustration or satisfaction
• Moments of hesitation or confidence
• Emotional reactions to challenges or successes

These observations provide insights into emotional jobs that customers might not be consciously aware of.

3. Language Analysis

Analyzing how customers talk about their jobs reveals embedded emotional content:

• Emotional words and phrases used to describe the job
• Stories that highlight emotional aspects of job execution
• Metaphors that reveal underlying feelings
• Intensity of language around particular job steps

This linguistic analysis uncovers emotional jobs that might not be explicitly stated.

4. Switching Behavior Analysis

Examining why customers switch from one solution to another often reveals emotional jobs:

• Emotional factors that triggered the search for alternatives
• Feelings associated with abandoning previous solutions
• Emotional relief expected from new solutions
• Post-switch emotional assessments

These switching triggers frequently highlight unmet emotional jobs.

5. Contrast Questions

Specific questions that contrast emotional states help customers articulate emotional jobs:

• "How do you want to feel when doing this job?"
• "What feelings do you want to avoid during this process?"
• "How do current solutions make you feel?"
• "What would an ideal solution feel like to use?"

These questions directly address the emotional dimension of job execution.

Emotional Jobs and Product Design

Understanding emotional jobs transforms how portfolio companies approach product design:

1. Feature Selection and Prioritization

Features that address both functional and emotional jobs should receive priority. For example:

• Real-time progress indicators reduce anxiety about job completion
• One-click automation features increase feelings of efficiency
• Built-in validation tools enhance confidence in decisions
• Customization options create a sense of control

By evaluating features through both functional and emotional lenses, companies can develop more compelling products.

2. User Experience Design

The way features are implemented significantly affects emotional job satisfaction:

• Interface design that creates feelings of clarity and control
• Workflow sequences that build confidence through logical progression
• Error handling that minimizes embarrassment or frustration
• Feedback mechanisms that provide emotional reassurance

These design elements directly address how customers want to feel while using the product.

3. Information Architecture

How information is organized and presented impacts emotional job satisfaction:

• Progressive disclosure that prevents feeling overwhelmed
• Clear categorization that creates a sense of understanding
• Hierarchy that guides attention and reduces anxiety
• Contextual help that builds confidence in proper usage

These structural elements support positive emotional states during job execution.

4. Visual and Sensory Design

Aesthetic and sensory elements directly influence emotional responses:

• Color schemes that create appropriate emotional tones
• Typography that enhances readability and reduces frustration
• Animation that provides satisfying feedback
• Sound design that confirms actions without annoyance

These sensory aspects create an emotional environment that supports job execution.

5. Language and Terminology

The words used throughout a product affect emotional job satisfaction:

• Clear, jargon-free instructions that build confidence
• Encouraging messaging that reduces anxiety
• Personalized content that creates connection
• Appropriate tone that matches the emotional context of the job

This verbal dimension directly shapes the emotional experience of using the product.

Emotional Jobs in Marketing and Sales

Beyond product design, understanding emotional jobs transforms marketing and sales approaches:

1. Messaging Development

Marketing messages that address emotional jobs create stronger resonance:

• Headlines that promise emotional as well as functional benefits
• Copy that acknowledges emotional struggles with current solutions
• Imagery that conveys desired emotional states
• Testimonials that highlight emotional transformations

This emotionally-informed messaging connects more deeply with customer motivations.

2. Customer Targeting

Emotional jobs can help identify high-value customer segments:

• Customers with intense emotional needs often have higher willingness to pay
• Different segments may prioritize different emotional jobs
• Emotional job patterns can reveal unexpected segment similarities
• Targeting messages to specific emotional jobs increases relevance

This segmentation approach enhances marketing efficiency and effectiveness.

3. Sales Conversations

Understanding emotional jobs improves sales effectiveness:

• Discovery questions that uncover emotional as well as functional needs
• Demonstrations that showcase emotional job satisfaction
• Objection handling that addresses emotional concerns
• Closing approaches that confirm both functional and emotional value

This comprehensive approach typically leads to higher close rates and larger deals.

4. Customer Success

Focusing on emotional jobs enhances customer satisfaction and retention:

• Onboarding designed to build confidence quickly
• Support interactions that address emotional as well as technical needs
• Success metrics that include emotional job satisfaction
• Expansion conversations that build on emotional connections

This emphasis on emotional job satisfaction strengthens customer relationships.

Emotional Jobs in B2B vs. B2C Markets

While emotional jobs exist in both consumer and business contexts, they manifest differently:

B2C Emotional Jobs

In consumer markets, emotional jobs often:

• Include a wider range of emotional states, including pleasure and delight
• Connect more directly to personal identity and values
• Vary significantly across different customer segments
• Are more openly acknowledged and discussed

Consumer marketing has long recognized the importance of emotional factors, though often without the systematic framework that JTBD provides.

B2B Emotional Jobs

In business markets, emotional jobs typically:

• Focus more on confidence, risk reduction, and professional competence
• Connect to career success and organizational standing
• Include concerns about justifying decisions to others
• Are less explicitly acknowledged but equally influential

The B2B emphasis on "rational" decision-making often masks the significant role of emotional jobs in purchasing decisions. This creates particular opportunities for portfolio companies that effectively address these unacknowledged emotional needs.

Emotional Jobs in thrv's Methodology

In thrv's proprietary Jobs to be Done methodology, emotional jobs are systematically integrated into growth strategies for portfolio companies:

1. Emotional Job Mapping

The thrv platform includes tools for mapping emotional jobs alongside functional jobs, ensuring comprehensive job understanding.

2. Emotional Need Identification

The methodology helps identify specific emotional needs within each job step, creating a detailed map of emotional job requirements.

3. Emotional Opportunity Assessment

thrv helps portfolio companies identify areas where competitors fail to address important emotional jobs, revealing differentiation opportunities.

4. Integrated Value Proposition Development

The methodology ensures that product value propositions address both functional and emotional job dimensions in a coherent way.

5. Emotional Messaging Framework

thrv provides frameworks for developing marketing messages that effectively communicate how products address emotional as well as functional jobs.

This comprehensive approach ensures that portfolio companies develop strategies that address the complete set of customer needs—both practical and emotional.

The Strategic Value of Emotional Job Analysis

For portfolio companies, understanding emotional jobs delivers several strategic benefits:

1. Enhanced Differentiation

In markets where functional needs are well-served, emotional job satisfaction offers powerful differentiation opportunities that are harder for competitors to copy.

2. Higher Price Premiums

Products that address emotional jobs effectively typically command price premiums, as customers are willing to pay more for solutions that make them feel better.

3. Stronger Customer Loyalty

Emotional connections create deeper customer relationships, reducing churn and increasing lifetime value.

4. More Effective Marketing

Messages that address emotional jobs typically generate higher engagement and conversion rates than purely functional appeals.

5. More Innovative Product Development

Focusing on emotional jobs often reveals product opportunities that functional-only analysis would miss.

Conclusion

Emotional jobs represent a critical dimension of customer needs that complements and enhances functional job understanding. By identifying how customers want to feel while executing their functional jobs, portfolio companies can develop more complete and compelling solutions that create stronger market positions.

The thrv methodology provides portfolio companies with sophisticated tools for identifying and addressing emotional jobs in their markets. This integrated approach to functional and emotional job satisfaction leads to more differentiated products, more resonant marketing, more effective sales approaches, and ultimately accelerated growth and enhanced equity value.

By understanding not just what customers are trying to accomplish but how they want to feel while doing it, portfolio companies can create deeper connections with customers and more sustainable competitive advantages in their markets.