The 3 types of problem every customer has (and how to spot them)
Hi Reader,
When Andy Sachs walked into Runway Magazine, she thought her problem was simple.
She needed a job.
Tick.
But if you’ve watched The Devil Wears Prada – you know the real story.
It wasn’t just about the job.
It was about feeling like an outsider.
Like she didn’t belong.
Like she wasn’t good enough.
And underneath it all –Andy’s real question was:
"Should I have to change who I am to succeed?"
Here’s what this has to do with your messaging.
If you’re only talking about the surface problem your customer has, you’re missing the emotional connection that truly moves people to act.
Smart messaging hits all three layers:
- External (tangible problem) – what your customer wants on the surface.
- Internal (emotional frustration) – how they feel about the struggle.
- Philosophical (injustice) – what they believe about how the world should work.
The main opportunities brands miss in communicating their customer's problem is this:
They stop at the surface level; they explain what they sell, not the customer transformation they enact.
Eg.
"We’ll build you a beautiful website."
"We’ll help you grow your business."
This focuses in, but it doesn’t build trust; your customer isn’t just buying features or a service. They’re ultimately buying a future version of themselves they believe in.
Real-world examples:
If you're a career coach, you clients might say something like this:
- External: "I want to get promoted this year."
- Internal: "I'm worried I’m invisible and my work isn’t being recognised."
- Philosophical: "People shouldn’t have to shout the loudest just to move forward in their career."
If you work with marketers:
- External: "I need more qualified leads coming through the door."
- Internal: "I'm frustrated because I know what we offer is valuable, but it’s not coming across."
- Philosophical: "Businesses that genuinely help people deserve messaging that does them justice."
If you sell software to construction companies:
- External: "We need to make decisions with clarity and confidence – without wasting days buried in back-and-forth spreadsheets."
- Internal Problem: "It’s frustrating to know we have the expertise, but feel like we’re flying blind without the right tools to move faster and smarter."
- Philosophical Problem: "The teams building our future shouldn’t be slowed down by outdated systems."
Why this matters for you
If your messaging only talks about the what, you’re making people think, but not feel. And if people don’t feel something, they don’t act.
When you speak to all three problem layers; external, internal, and philosophical, your message resonates.
It builds trust.
It moves people.
It makes the decision to work with you feel obvious and timely.
Bringing it back to The Devil Wears Prada, it’s when all three problems come into focus that Andy knows what she has to do - and finally claims her own "throw the pager in the fountain" moment.
That’s what great messaging does.
It doesn’t push your audience. It shows them who they could be – and invites them to step into it.
That’s why I created Bravebird Boost.
It’s strategic messaging and website copy designed to help solo founders and service-based businesses sharpen their positioning – so they can show up clearly, confidently, and move their right people to action. If your business has grown; but your message hasn’t caught up, you can get boosted here or book a meeting with me for a lovely cuppa ☕️
