Why Solving Problems Beats Marketing

I am looking out the window of my office seeing buildings with many dark windows, behind those tinted panes of glass are people working and living and they all have problems and challenges…every one.

They don’t care about you or your company all they care about is finding a solution to their  daily life challenges and issues.

Problems come to people in many forms and it creates  nagging and ongoing pain and dissonance that they wake up with every day and it bounces around in their heads as they toss and turn at night.  The pain could be that they are overweight or they don’t have enough money, their business sales are slow or their relationship is so distracting that they can’t concentrate at work. People just want those problems to go away and find solutions to them so they can enjoy life.

Business is about solving problems for people not telling them that your product is the best widget ever invented because they won’t believe you..give them a hint or a tip for a solution to their pain and they will keep turning up to your website or blog to find out more.

So the main question to ask is… what answers and solutions can I provide today to prospective clients that will ease their pain?

Some of the specific questions that you should be asking yourself are

1. Who are you selling to?
2. What are their goals and aspirations?
3. What are their problems?
4. What media do they rely upon for answers to their problems?
5. How can we reach them?
6. What things are important to them?
7. What words and phrases do they use?
8. What are they really buying from you?
9. What images and multi-media appeal to each persona?

So stop marketing and start solving problems in words, images and videos that they understand, are easy to find in places they are, whether that be online or offline.

You might find that they will tell their friends about you on Facebook or in an email…now that is marketing.

Image by Martino!