Why I Lead with the Problem on B2B Landing Pages (Yes, Even Above the Fold)

When one of my clients reviewed a landing page I wrote, they asked:

“Why would you give this much room to the problems?”

Because I always do.

On almost every B2B landing page I create:

• There’s a problem section
  
• It’s high up on the page
  
• And it’s very intentional
  
  

This isn’t about agitating pain points or pulling emotional levers for the sake of conversions.
This is about making the buyer feel seen, understood, and in the right place.

Here’s why I lead with the problem — even when everyone tells you not to.

1. Empathy Beats Optimization

This isn’t “pain = CTA click.”

This is real empathy.

Your buyer is arriving mid-problem:

• A process that’s broken
  
• A team that’s overworked
  
• A goal that keeps slipping
  
• A tool that’s not cutting it
  
  

Leading with the problem is saying, “I see you.”

It’s not about exaggerating the issue.
It’s about recognizing it — and letting the buyer exhale because someone finally gets it.

And no, that’s not the same thing as agitating.
(Agitation is a whole other problem. More on that another time.)

2. It Helps Them Self-Qualify

Good landing pages are efficient.
Not because they convert fast, but because they help the right people stay and the wrong people bounce.

“If this isn’t your problem, you don’t need us.”

That’s it.

Buyers don’t want to waste time with solutions that don’t apply.
Leading with the problem gives them a litmus test — fast.

3. It Makes the Page Buyer-Centric

Most landing pages talk about the company.
The product.
The roadmap.
The AI.

But the buyer? They’re just trying to do their job better.

Leading with the problem reframes the page around them.

Because let’s be honest: nobody wants to be around the friend who only talks about:

• Their problems
  
• Their achievements
  
• Their life
  ...and never once asks about yours.
  
  

Your page shouldn’t be that friend.

What B2C Gets Right (That B2B Doesn’t)

B2C marketers do this all the time:

• “Experiencing hair loss?”
  
  
• “Can’t ever find pants that fit?”
  
  
• “Tired of chalky protein powder?”
  
  

They open with the problem. Because it’s human. It’s relatable. And it works.

But in B2B?

“It’s too negative.”
“Let’s lead with the benefits.”
“This hurts CRO.”

I’d like to respectfully say:
F*ck CRO.

Because when you lead with you, you're making it about you.
When you lead with them?
You’re making it about them.

And that’s what earns the scroll, the trust, and eventually… the conversion.

Shoutout to the Shift

Special thanks to the Fletch bros — Anthony Pierri 🎸 and Robert Kaminski 🎯 — for helping me reframe my approach over the last year.

The Data Forge and Vero examples from their work have been foundational in showing how powerful a problem-first strategy can be.

Final Thought

Don’t be afraid to start your landing page with the thing that’s making your buyer’s life hard.

When you name the problem first:

• You build empathy
  
• You give clarity
  
• You set the tone
  
• You earn trust
  

Then — and only then — do you introduce the solution.

It’s not negative.
It’s honest.
And it’s what real buyers want to see.

Need help building a problem-led landing page that actually speaks to your ICP? I’ve helped B2B teams structure pages that support the buyer and drive conversions — not at odds, but at the same time. Let’s talk.