How to Write a Clear Problem Statement (So Your Marketing Actually Works)
January 19
7-minute read
KEY INSIGHTS
A clear problem statement saves time, money, and energy.
We rush to solutions because it feels productive, not because it works.
Momentum comes from clarity, systems, and synchronized strategy.
Most of us are not stuck due to lack of effort. We are stuck because we are solving the wrong problem.
We are wired to skip the problem and jump to the fix
Work is basically one long series of problems. That is not a bad thing. Solving meaningful problems is how businesses grow.
But as humans, we are terrible at sitting with the problem.
There is a famous story about Albert Einstein being asked how he would spend an hour solving a problem. Supposedly, he said he would spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes finding the solution.
Whether that quote is perfectly accurate does not really matter. The point holds.
We love solutions. New tools. New tactics. New platforms. New cupcakes, metaphorically speaking.
But clarity does not come from doing more. It comes from understanding better.
What a Problem Statement Actually Is (and what it is not)
A problem statement is a short, clear explanation of the issue you are trying to solve. It describes what is happening, who it affects, and why it matters.
It does not include the solution.
That last part is important.
A good problem statement creates focus. It aligns teams. It stops us from building half-baked solutions to surface-level symptoms.
If we define the problem clearly, the solution usually becomes obvious.
That is why this step exists in the DIY Digital Marketing Guide. Not to slow you down, but to prevent wasted momentum.
Let’s use a cupcake business to make this real.
Imagine we run a cupcake bakery.
Sales are flat. Our instinct might be to say, “We need better marketing.”
That is not a problem statement. That is a guess.
A stronger problem statement might sound like this:
“Our cupcake bakery gets consistent foot traffic (the what) , but first-time customers (the who) rarely return, which limits repeat revenue( the why).”
Now we are getting somewhere.
Notice what we did not do. We did not jump to ads. We did not redesign the logo. We did not start posting more on Instagram.
We clarified the problem.
According to Harvard Business Review, teams that spend time clearly defining problems before ideating solutions outperform teams that rush to execution by up to 30 percent. Clarity is not a luxury. It is leverage.
When To Use Problem Statements in Business
We should use problem statements before we decide what to do next.
If we catch ourselves saying things like:
“We just need more awareness”
“We need to post more”
“We need a new funnel”
That is the moment to pause.
Problem statements are especially useful when:
We are planning a new campaign
We are refreshing a website
We are launching a new product
We are working cross-functionally
We tried something already and it did not work
This is how we move from reactive to intentional.
How To Identify The Real Problem (not the loud one)
Most problems are like icebergs. The visible issue is rarely the root cause.
To find the real problem, we do two things.
First, we look at data and patterns.
Website behavior. Sales conversations. Customer emails. Reviews. DMs. Support requests.
Second, we talk to people.
Customers. Team members. Partners.
People experience problems differently. That perspective is gold.
Back to our cupcake bakery.
Customers might tell us:
“I loved the cupcake but forgot about the bakery”
“I did not know you offered custom orders”
“I was not sure what made you different”
Now we are closer to the truth.
The Anatomy of A Strong Problem Statement
We do not need a novel. One sentence is often enough.
A good problem statement answers:
Who is affected?
What is happening?
Why it matters?
For example: “Our cupcake bakery attracts new customers through walk-ins and social media,
but lacks a clear follow-up system, resulting in low repeat purchases.”
Clear. Focused. Actionable.
Now every marketing decision gets easier.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
We see these all the time.
Being vague
Describing symptoms instead of causes
Assuming the solution
Using jargon
Trying to solve five problems at once
Remember our motto: Done is better than perfect.
One clear problem statement beats five fuzzy ones.
Why This Matters for Your Marketing Systems
Problem statements are not just for strategy decks. They are for execution.
When we define the problem clearly, we:
Build better funnels
Write clearer copy
Create more relevant content
Align teams faster
Waste less energy
This is how marketing becomes synchronized instead of scattered.
Momentum is clarity, systems, and synchronized strategy. This is the clarity part.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
We cannot solve what we have not defined.
Problem statements slow us down just enough to speed us up later.
One clear problem creates aligned action.
Marketing improves when clarity comes first.
Done is better than perfect.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
If today’s DIYDMG action item is to write a problem statement, use this post as your guide.
Write one sentence. That is it. Do not solve it yet.
Just define it.
If you want help connecting problem statements to real marketing systems, grab the DIY Digital Marketing Guide.
It walks you step by step from clarity to execution.
If you want to see how this plays out across social, email, website, and content, watch the YouTube workshop on building
omnichannel digital marketing infrastructure.
Clarity creates momentum. Momentum compounds when the strategy is synchronized.
