Stop Building the Wrong Product: 5 Steps to Problem-Solution Fit

Sorry to tell you……..Finding the right solution is a journey that takes trial and error. If you came here looking for a quick fix, you will be disappointed. It requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to adapt based on real feedback.

But here is a 5-step process to get you started and help you understand what your target audience really needs help with. This framework will guide you through the essential stages of validating your problem-solution fit, ensuring that you're building something people actually want—not just what you think they need

Step 1: Identify the Dream Outcome

What do your potential customers really want? You need to dive deeply into their desires, uncovering aspirations they might not even recognize in themselves.

Go beyond the basics...understand why they do what they are doing, how they are thinking, and what they really want—not what they say they want.

This deep understanding comes from meaningful conversations, careful observation. Reddit is an amazing place to start: Reddit search tool

Step 2: List All the Obstacles

Identify all the obstacles that stop your users from reaching their dream outcome. Put yourself in the shoes of your users and think about why they can't get what they want. There is always a constraint, and your job is to identify it and try to eliminate it.

These obstacles might be financial limitations, lack of technical knowledge, time constraints, or even psychological barriers like fear of failure. Your potential customers may be aware of some of these obstacles, but others might be invisible to them. By mapping out the complete set of barriers, you gain clarity on exactly what your solution needs to address.

Step 3: For Each Obstacle, Find a Solution

For each obstacle you've identified, develop a specific solution. This is where your product or service begins to take shape with purpose and direction.

Begin by addressing the most critical obstacles first—those that create the biggest barriers between your users and their desired outcomes. For each obstacle, brainstorm multiple potential solutions before settling on the most effective approach.

Your solutions should be:

• Practical and implementable
• Directly related to the specific obstacle
• Measurable in their effectiveness
• Valuable enough that users would pay for them

Don't fall into the trap of creating a one-size-fits-all solution

Step 4: Trim and Stack

Only keep the high-value solutions and keep expenses in mind—factors like cost of solving the problem, development costs, and time requirements.

This is where you need to be ruthlessly practical. Not every solution you've identified will be worth implementing, at least not initially. Evaluate each potential solution through multiple lenses

Ranks solutions based on their impact versus implementation difficulty. Focus first on high-impact, lower-effort solutions—these are your "quick wins" that can validate your approach while providing immediate value.

Step 5: Name and Pitch

Make your pitch to the target audience.

Now that you've identified the core problems and your focused solutions, it's time to package everything into a compelling pitch. Your name and messaging should directly connect to the dream outcome you identified in step one while acknowledging the obstacles you're removing.

Avoid industry jargon unless you're certain your audience uses those terms. Instead, mirror the language your potential customers use when describing their problems and desired outcomes. This creates immediate recognition and connection.

Nothing here is confirmed—the market decides. Make sure you put yourself out there as soon as possible and let feedback guide your decisions. It's easy to make assumptions and build something no one wants or needs.

Be prepared to pivot based on actual usage data and customer feedback. Your initial idea might transform significantly as you learn more about how users interact with your product in real-world conditions.

This flexibility isn't a sign of failure but rather a natural part of the product development process.

Ready to get started? Generate your first offer in just 5 seconds with Offer Generator — a free tool to quickly test your value proposition with real customers.