Find the most disenfranchised user in your space - they have the most acute pain and loyalty
Look for users getting the short end of the stick economically or professionally. They have intense pain, strong motivation to try new solutions, and become loyal advocates when you solve their problem.
When to use
When identifying your initial target user within a broader market where multiple personas exist
Don't do this
Targeting the most powerful or well-resourced user who has many options and less motivation to switch
5 Founders Who Did This
Identified freelance web designers who had to split 50% of their earnings with developers to get designs coded up
Identified consultants as early target because they face acute time pressure balancing workload while needing polished client deliverables
Targeted adults wanting to self-restrict internet use — the most disenfranchised users in the content filtering space. Parental controls served parents monitoring children, but nobody served adults monitoring themselves.
Students and researchers were underserved by existing AI writing tools that targeted marketers and content agencies. These users needed citation support, academic tone, and plagiarism checking - features no tool provided.
Targeted the most disenfranchised users of Product Hunt - small indie makers without audiences who felt invisible on the platform