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Understand what your customer is really trying to achieve

Most customers don’t buy products or services — they buy outcomes, progress, confidence, and relief from frustration.

This module helps you understand what your customer truly wants and what’s preventing them from taking action.

It can be used on its own, or as part of the Growth Decisions Canvas — a system that helps growth companies make clearer, more profitable decisions.

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Example output

• Desired Outcomes
• Buying Friction

See a filled canvas example

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Step 1: Start With What You Know

Reconnect with the customer your company is intentionally building around.

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Who is our Perfect Customer?

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Instructions:

Review the customer profile from the Perfect Customer Finder before moving forward.

This module builds on that foundation and helps you understand what this customer is trying to achieve, what frustrates them, and what prevents them from taking action.

Step 2: Brainstorm desired outcomes

Brainstorm the outcomes your customer actually wants.

What outcomes are they really trying to achieve?

AI suggestions:

Instructions:

Think beyond the product or service itself and identify the outcomes your customer is really trying to achieve.

Customers usually want a transformation, feeling, result, or improvement — not just the thing being sold.

Don’t worry about wording yet. Just capture possible outcomes as they come to mind.

• Examples

Step 3: Refine the desired outcomes

Refine the outcomes that best describe what your customer wants.

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Most important outcomes Copy-paste the strongest desired outcomes from Step 2 below ↓

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Instructions:

Select the strongest desired outcomes from Step 2, refine the wording for each, and add a bit of context for each one.

Focus on outcomes that:

• repeatedly appear in conversations
• connect strongly to buying decisions
• align with the value your company creates

Keep the wording simple, practical, and emotionally clear.

• Examples

Step 4: Add your Desired Outcomes to the Canvas

Pick the final version you want to use as your answer on the Growth Decisions Canvas.

• AI Suggestions

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What outcomes are they trying to achieve?

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Instructions:

Your final outcomes should describe the deeper value your customer is really seeking.

• Examples

Keep them simple and easy to remember.

Step 5: Brainstorm buying friction

Brainstorm what’s creating hesitation, resistance, or delay.

What frustrations, objections, or fears are stopping them from buying?

External Friction (practical/logistical)

• AI suggestions:

Step 6: Refine the buying friction

Refine the friction points that most influence buying decisions.

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