Prospects often describe wants (e.g., "a more efficient system"), which are not true problems. Asking about the motivation behind their desire forces them to articulate the underlying pain that actually drives a purchase decision.

To motivate a buyer, use targeted questions that help them build a gap in their own mind between their painful current situation and their desired future state. This gap, not your pitch, is what creates urgency and demonstrates the risk of inaction.

Buyers are motivated either by moving toward a desired outcome (possibility) or away from a problem (pain). Marketers often unconsciously favor one style based on their own personality. Crafting copy that addresses both motivations allows you to resonate with a broader, more diverse audience.

True product demand lies in the gap between what customers are currently doing (observable on their calendar) and their ultimate goals (their mental to-do list). A successful product closes this gap, better aligning a customer's actions with their underlying objectives. This mismatch is where "pull" is found.

Salespeople should shift their mindset from manufacturing urgency to discovering what is already urgent for the buyer. This involves understanding their top priorities and distinguishing between tasks that are merely important versus those that are truly time-sensitive for their business to succeed.

A "tollbooth" strategy is not theoretical; it's discovered by reverse-engineering your quickest sales. Interviewing customers who bought fast reveals common "demand triggers"—the external events forcing them to seek a solution. This repeatable trigger then becomes your company's strategic focus.

Motivation alone is insufficient for driving behavior. To increase conversions, marketers must provide a specific trigger—a time, place, or mood—for the action. This 'implementation intention' acts as a catalyst, converting desire into action, as demonstrated by campaigns like Snickers' 'You're not you when you're hungry.'

True urgency comes from implicating pain, not just identifying it. By asking the customer "who suffers and what suffers if you do nothing?", you tie the problem to their personal job measures and company revenue, giving you leverage to re-engage them.

The "Pull Framework" defines demand not by pain, but by observable action. It requires a customer to have an active, unavoidable project, to have already explored existing options, and to find those options insufficient. This is the signal for a product they will eagerly "pull" from your hands, even if it's imperfect.