Four Forces Diagnostic

Every purchase decision is shaped by 4 forces. Two push toward buying, two pull away. Find out which forces are working for you — and which are working against you.

Before someone buys, four forces are fighting inside their head. Two forces push them toward your product. Two forces pull them back to doing nothing. If the driving forces win, they buy. If the resisting forces win, they bounce. Score each force below to see where your marketing should focus.

Based on the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework by Bob Moesta & Clayton Christensen.

1

Push of the Situation

Drives purchase

How painful is the customer's current situation?

Push Score0 / 25
2

Pull of the New Solution

Drives purchase

How attractive is your product?

Pull Score0 / 25
3

Anxiety of the New

Blocks purchase

What fears stop them from buying?

Anxiety Score0 / 25
4

Habit of the Present

Blocks purchase

What keeps them in their current behavior?

Habit Score0 / 25

Score all 20 questions to see your results

0 / 20 answered

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Four Forces model?

It comes from the Jobs-to-Be-Done framework developed by Bob Moesta and Clayton Christensen. Every purchase decision involves four competing forces: the push of the current situation (pain), the pull of the new solution (attraction), the anxiety of the new (fear), and the habit of the present (inertia). When driving forces outweigh resisting forces, the customer buys.

How should I use the scores?

Focus on the force with the biggest impact on your net score. If blocking forces are high, reducing anxiety or breaking habits will move the needle faster than making your product more attractive. If driving forces are low, you need to agitate the problem more or strengthen your offer before spending more on ads.

Should I score from my perspective or the customer's?

Always score from the customer's perspective. What matters is their perception — not what you know to be true. If you are unsure, look at your reviews, support tickets, and sales call recordings for real language your customers use.

How often should I re-run this diagnostic?

Re-run it after any major change — new positioning, new offer structure, new landing page, or a shift in your competitive landscape. The forces are not static. A competitor launching a better product increases the habit force. A price drop reduces anxiety. Check quarterly at minimum.

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