Not All Pain Points Are Created Equal (Here’s How to Test the Right One)
A few weeks ago, my toilet tank started leaking.
Not a flood. Not urgent. Just a slow drip.
I noticed it, rolled my eyes, and decided I could live with it.
But then my family came to visit. More people. More flushes. Suddenly that “background annoyance” turned into a daily headache. That’s when I finally put in a service request.
The leak was always there. But it only mattered when the pressure stacked high enough that I couldn’t ignore it.
And that’s exactly how your audience’s pain points work.
Why Not All Pain Points Are Equal
When you’re writing sales copy, it’s tempting to list out every single problem your audience might have. But here’s the truth:
Liveable pains → The slow drip. Noticeable, but tolerable.
Breaking-point pains → The ones that finally tip into urgency when the pressure builds.
Deal-breaker pains → The problems that instantly push people to act.
The difference matters. Highlight a “liveable” pain point, and your audience nods along but does nothing. Highlight a breaking-point pain, and suddenly they’re ready to move.
How to Find the Right Pain Point
Here’s where behavioral science comes in.
As Kristen Berman says:
“Surveys don’t predict behavior. Behavior predicts behavior.”
So instead of asking your audience what bothers them most, test it. Watch what they actually respond to.
Here’s a quick 4-step method you can try right now:
Choose two pain points you think might drive your audience.
(Ex: “I don’t have time” vs. “I don’t know what to say.”)Write two versions of a message, each spotlighting one pain.
(Ex: Two subject lines, two ads, or two social posts.)Measure behavior.
Which version gets more clicks, replies, or sign-ups?Repeat 2–3 times.
If the same pain point wins across different contexts, you’ve validated it’s the one that actually tips people into action.
The winner isn’t just the louder complaint.
It’s the pain your audience can no longer live with.
Prompts to Create Your Own Tests
Instead of guessing what to write, use these prompts to generate your own A/B pairs:
Prompt 1: Subject Lines
Version A: “What if [pain point #1] never changes?”
Version B: “Here’s why [pain point #2] is costing you more than you think.”
Prompt 2: Social Media Hook
Version A: “Ever feel like [pain point #1]?”
Version B: “You’re not alone if [pain point #2] has been draining you.”
Prompt 3: Email Opener
Version A: “You’ve probably tried [pain point #1 workaround]…”
Version B: “But what happens when [pain point #2] shows up again?”
Just swap in your own audience’s top pain points and see which one sparks more action.The Bottom Line
Not all pain points are created equal. Some are drips your audience will live with for months. Others are the ones that finally break through the noise and drive action.
Your job isn’t to guess which is which.
Your job is to test, watch behavior, and lean into the pain point your audience can’t ignore anymore.
The Bottom Line
Not all pain points are created equal. Some are drips your audience will live with for months. Others are the ones that finally break through the noise and drive action.
Your job isn’t to guess which is which.
Your job is to test, watch behavior, and lean into the pain point your audience can’t ignore anymore.
And if you’re not sure how to spin those pain points into testable messages? That’s where Thinky, one of the Buy-Obots inside Buy-ology, comes in.
Meet Thinky
Thinky takes your pain points and whips up A/B test ideas you can drop into subject lines, posts, or emails—so you’re never stuck staring at a blank page.
Or, if you’ve already got one strong message and just want to remix it into new angles, IdeaRx is your go-to bot.
Inside Buy-ology, you’ll meet both of them (plus their lab partners) and get the system that makes testing simple—and actually fun. Learn more about Buy-ology here
