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Pain is Pull
Why the clearest path to traction starts with naming what hurts
Before users care about your product, they need to feel seen.
Not in the abstract. In the gut.
The fastest way to gain traction isn’t by pitching your solution—it’s by articulating the problem so clearly that the right people stop and say:
“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m dealing with.”
This is the difference between push and pull.
Push is when you chase users.
Pull is when the pain does the work for you.
Pain Creates Demand
Pain has gravity. When you describe it honestly, in your users' own words, it draws in attention, trust, and conversation. That’s distribution.
But here’s the catch: most builders gloss over it. They fall in love with their product, not the problem.
They lead with features. They hedge the pain.
They’re afraid to sound negative—or worse, unpolished.
That’s a mistake.
What Pull Looks Like
Pull happens when you talk about what’s broken, clearly and consistently.
When you share a real problem your ICP wakes up with.
When you quote a user describing their frustration in plain language.
When your marketing reads more like a mirror than a pitch deck.
Be obsessed with the pain.
Talk about it often.
Don’t ever stop doing that. Ever.
Especially in the early days, your audience isn’t looking for polish.
They’re looking for someone who gets it.
That’s why pain is pull.
Make the Pain Loud
If you’re not sure what to say in your next post, landing page, or user interview—start here:
Name the pain.
What’s the real problem your product solves?
Quote the user.
What exact words have they used?
Say it again.
And again. Until the right people nod along.
You don’t need scale yet.
You need signal.
You need pull.
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