Part 2-What to do when your customer isn’t ready for what you’ve built
Reframing, retargeting, and reconnecting with urgency
Maslowe´s hierarchy of needs
You’ve built something good. Maybe even beautiful.
But traction is slow, engagement is minimal, and feedback feels… polite.
Something’s not landing.
In Part 1, I introduced a tool I often use with early-stage teams: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs—reframed for startup customers. It helps us understand where a product actually sits in a customer’s current priorities.
And sometimes, that mapping reveals a hard truth:
You're solving a high-level need—but your customer is stuck in the lower half of the pyramid.
They’re worried about cash flow, not company culture. About delivery deadlines, not long-term sustainability.
This isn’t uncommon. I’ve been there myself.
It’s also not fatal—but it is a signal. You can’t force relevance. And you can’t fix this by adding more features.
So what do you do?
Here are the approaches I’ve seen work—across startups I’ve advised and things I wish I had done earlier in my own journey.
1. Reframe your value to match where they are now
Often, the product itself doesn’t need to change. But how you talk about it does.
Let’s say you’ve built a team collaboration tool, and you’re pitching “psychological safety,” “belonging,” and “purpose.” But your ideal customer is a founder losing sleep over churn and sales.
You’re not wrong. You’re just too early.
Now imagine reframing:
From: “Build a stronger, more connected culture.”
To: “Keep your team aligned and motivated so you don’t lose speed—or people.”
It’s not spin. It’s connecting your value to what already feels urgent for the customer. That’s when they start listening.
2. Shift your segment—not just your story
Not every customer is at the same level of need.
If your current audience is stuck in survival mode, consider looking for the segment where your product already feels essential.
A few quick examples:
That sustainability dashboard?
→ Focus on companies preparing for ESG reporting or under investor pressure.That leadership development platform?
→ Start with teams going through rapid growth, not early-stage chaos.That wellness tool?
→ Target HR teams in high-burnout sectors, not general consumers.
You’re not abandoning your vision. You’re finding the part of the market that’s already feeling the heat.
3. Build a bridge feature
Sometimes the best way in is sideways.
At Tørn, we saw this firsthand. We wanted to change the way building materials were valued and sold—a big, important problem. But that wasn’t what moved the needle for retailers. What they cared about was stock turnover and quick profit recovery. So that’s what we led with.
Only once we had trust and traction could we pull them toward the bigger story.
You might not need to rebuild your product. But you may need to add something that meets customers where they are right now. A clearer ROI. A visible win. A hook they can say yes to.
4. Respect timing
Sometimes, your idea is simply ahead of the market.
That doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. It just means the world isn’t ready yet.
If you still believe in the value and you have the resources, don’t rush. Lower your burn. Stay close to early adopters. Keep learning. Keep testing relevance, not just usability.
I’ve seen teams give up on the right idea too soon.
And I’ve seen others burn out trying to force adoption that just wasn’t coming.
The trick is knowing which of those you are—and acting accordingly.
Closing thoughts
Just because your product sits higher on the pyramid doesn’t mean it’s misplaced.
But it does mean you have work to do: reframing, repackaging, or re-timing.
You don’t need to rebuild everything.
You just need to reconnect with what your customer actually cares about—today.
Because urgency isn’t something you can manufacture.
But you can find it. You can speak to it.
And when you do, everything starts to shift.
If your customer is cold, shouting louder won’t help.
Warm the room.