Step 09: Check whether it connects with something real

Okay, you know what your idea does and who it's for. The next question is whether those two things connect with something your audience already recognises, wants, or needs. An idea can matter deeply to you and still fail if the people you're building for can't see themselves in it.

This isn't about manipulating anyone or "creating" a need – it's about checking whether there's already a real reason for them to care. If what you're building solves a problem they already feel, meets a need they've already acknowledged, or creates an outcome they already want, you have a real connection to build on.

Psychologists call this the "aha moment" of recognition – when someone hears their problem described so accurately that they feel understood. That feeling of being seen is what creates trust and connection before you've even made a sale.

The job here: relevance. Writing a plain-English proposition that joins up:
  • Who it's for
  • The problem or tension they have now
  • The result you help them get
  • The method you use

What To Do

Write a working statement you can test and refine. If you can't picture a real person using this, it's not ready. And if your description sounds like it's aimed at "everyone", it will land with no one. Keep it straight. Keep it real. You're not trying to impress anyone – just to be accurate and specific.

What's next

Right. Working proposition in hand. Now pressure-test this against reality – see how it stacks up against what already exists and find your personal angle on the problem.

Most failed startups don't die because the idea was weak – they die because nobody actually wanted what was on offer. This step isn't about crafting perfect marketing copy. It's about checking for a genuine connection with your chosen audience, using plain-English tests rather than assumptions.

If you're offering something people don't already want, need, or recognise, you'll struggle to get traction – no matter how passionate you are. Don't trick yourself into "creating a need". Uncover a problem or desire your audience can already name, even if clumsily. That's the signal there's real relevance to build on.

So what? If you can't picture a real person nodding at your proposition, it needs work. The world doesn't reward hope – it rewards relevance.

The psychological principle behind effective propositions is called "problem recognition" – studied by researchers like Daniel Kahneman in the context of decision-making. When you articulate someone's problem more clearly than they can themselves, you trigger what's known as an "aha moment" of recognition. This moment creates immediate trust: if you understand their problem this well, they assume you can solve it.

This is why great marketing doesn't feel like marketing – it feels like someone finally getting it. The customer doesn't think "this company is clever." They think "this company understands me."

Example: When Slack launched, they didn't say "team communication software." They said: "Be less busy." That's problem recognition – naming the exhaustion of constant email ping-pong more clearly than users could. People felt seen, and that feeling created trust before they'd even tried the product.
Practical takeaway: Test your proposition by asking: "Would my audience say 'Yes, exactly!' when they read this?" If not, you're describing features, not recognising their reality. Get closer to their actual language, frustration, and tension.

Plain English: When you name someone's problem better than they can, you've already won half the battle. The trust that comes from being understood is more powerful than any clever pitch.

"If you're trying to please everyone, you've already failed." – Seth Godin

Core idea: When you try to design for everyone, you end up blending into the noise. The people worth building for are the ones who feel like you made this just for them. That sense of being seen is what makes them trust you – and it comes from emotional relevance, not from ticking demographic boxes.

Plain English unpack: If you can describe your audience's tension or frustration better than they can, they'll trust you to fix it.

Watch: Seth Godin – The Tribes We Lead (TED Talk, 17 mins)

Reality-Check Prompts: Use these questions to test if your idea connects with something real:

  • "Here are the traits I've listed for my audience. Do they sound like real people, or am I describing a stereotype?"
  • "I know who I want to help, but I'm not sure how to describe them in a way that isn't just a generic label. Can you help me find more specific language?"
  • "I've described my idea and who it's for, but I'm not confident people would actually want this. Can you help me reality-check whether this connects with something people are already struggling with?"
  • "Help me brainstorm different emotional angles for my offer and which one might be most powerful for my audience."
  • "Suggest examples of brands that use a similar emotional hook effectively – and explain why it works."
  • "Help me rephrase my emotional hook so it's clear, authentic, and not overly 'salesy'."
Tip: Use these prompts to reality-check and refine your proposition before moving on. The more specific your language, the more powerful your idea.

Core idea: Specificity beats theory every time. If you can't picture a real person using this, it's not ready. Don't describe your customer in marketing-speak. Describe what they're avoiding, what they're searching for, and how they want to feel.

Key reflection: What's one tension your audience is stuck in right now that your idea genuinely resolves – and can you say it more clearly than they can?

Misfit founder truth: You'll know you've nailed it when your audience says, "That's exactly how I feel."