Align Supply and Demand Objectives in Marketplace Briefs using Get Who To By
Marketplaces are a special kind of hell where you're constantly chasing two different groups who barely like each other. Most briefs try to 'align supply and demand' by using buzzwords that mean absolutely nothing to the people actually using the platform. If your brief looks like a wish list written by someone who's never seen a transaction, this is for you. The Get Who To By framework forces you to stop being vague and start being useful to one side of the equation at a time.
The TL;DR
Stop trying to boil the ocean. Use Get Who To By to pick the specific side of your marketplace that's lagging (GET), figure out why they’re sitting on their hands (WHO), tell them exactly what to do (TO), and give them a reason to actually do it (BY). It turns a messy marketplace brief into a surgical strike.
Why This Saves Your Marketplace Brief From the Trash Can
Marketplace strategy usually dies because it tries to solve the 'chicken and egg' problem with a single, lukewarm message. This framework kills that noise.
The Four Steps
GET
Which side of the marketplace are we actually talking to?
Pick a side: Supply or Demand. Then go deeper. Are they the power users who are bored, or the newbies who are terrified? If you say 'both,' go back to the start and try again.
WHO
What's the specific hang-up stopping them from transacting?
Sellers aren't just 'unmotivated'; they're afraid of being scammed. Buyers aren't 'browsing'; they're overwhelmed by choice. Find the actual human friction.
TO
What is the one brain-dead simple thing they need to do?
List your first item. Complete one purchase. Verify your ID. If it takes more than five words to describe the action, it's too complicated.
BY
What's the 'bribe' that makes them move today?
This is your mechanism. Is it a 0% fee for 30 days? A 'Verified' badge? A guaranteed 24-hour payout? Give them a reason to stop lurking.
Marketplace Brief Disasters
(Try Not to Do These)
- ×Targeting 'The Marketplace' as a single entity
- ×Ignoring the side that's actually causing the bottleneck
- ×Using 'synergy' as a strategy
- ×Assuming sellers will work for 'exposure'
- ×Creating a CTA that requires 15 clicks to complete
- ×Focusing on sign-ups when the problem is retention
- ×Ignoring the trust gap between strangers
- ×Giving the same incentive to a power user and a ghost
If your brief feels like a generic corporate hug, it's going to fail. Be specific or be ignored.
Real Examples
Supply-Side Activation
Getting dormant high-end furniture sellers to list their inventory.
GET
Lapsed professional vintage sellers.
WHO
They have the inventory but think the listing process is a time-sucking black hole with no guaranteed return.
TO
List your first five items in under ten minutes.
BY
Using an AI-powered 'Auto-List' tool that drafts descriptions from photos and offers a 'First Sale' protection guarantee.
Demand-Side Trust
Getting first-time buyers to book a high-ticket service.
GET
Anxious homeowners looking for specialized contractors.
WHO
They’ve been burned by 'cowboy' builders before and find the choice on the platform paralyzing.
TO
Book a vetted pro for a 30-minute consultation.
BY
Offering a 'Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee' and highlighting only the top 3 pros based on their specific zip code.
Gig Economy Retention
Keeping delivery drivers active during off-peak hours.
GET
Part-time delivery drivers who only work Friday nights.
WHO
They think mid-week shifts are a waste of gas and don't believe there's enough demand to justify the drive.
TO
Accept one delivery between 2 PM and 5 PM on a Tuesday.
BY
Implementing a 'Peak-Hour Multiplier' that applies to their next Friday night shift if they hit a Tuesday goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use one GWTB for both supply and demand?
No. That's how you end up with a brief that says nothing to everyone. Write two separate ones if you have to, but keep them distinct.
What if my 'WHO' insight is just that they want more money?
That's lazy. Everyone wants more money. Is it that they want *faster* money? *Safer* money? *Easier* money? Dig deeper or stay mediocre.
How specific should the 'GET' be?
Specific enough that you can imagine exactly what their browser tabs look like. 'Millennials' is a demographic; 'Sellers who haven't logged in since their last bad review' is a target.
Is the 'BY' always a discount?
God, I hope not. Sometimes it's a new feature, a badge, better visibility, or just removing a piece of friction that's been annoying them for months.
Why does this framework skip the 'Strategy' box?
Because in a marketplace, your strategy is either 'get more stuff' or 'get more people to buy the stuff.' We don't need a box to tell us that; we need a plan to do it.
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