“No one buys a product or engages your services except to solve a problem they have.”
~ Donald Miller
The year was 2018 and the location was Nashville, TN. It was the beginning of intensive training for marketing consultants known as, “Storybrand Guides.” When Donald Miller made the statement above, it led to a mental double-take. Really? Can that be true? The answer is, “Yes!”
Since 2018, I’ve followed through with three additional training approaches to business coaching and marketing. And here’s one thing I know about your marketing: If you don’t talk about your prospective client’s problems and pain points, you won’t capture their business.
When we listen to commercials on the radio, watch advertisements on TV, or look at pop-up ads online, it’s our desire to do away with any problem or pain that makes us investigate what a company or product is offering. We don’t like pain and we don’t like problems. If your product or service can eliminate those two in my life, you’ve made a strong case for me to do business with you.
However, there’s another level of pain many business owners don’t wait to draw attention to – the pain people feel from bad experiences with competing products or services. If you believe in what you do or what you sell, then you need to be willing to explain why choosing your company, product, or service is the best choice they can make. This means tapping into their pain from past experiences.
My first car lease, for example, was from a dealership promising that driving extra miles would not be a problem…provided you either bought or leased your next car from them. “Drive all you want. As long as you come back, the extra miles won’t even be an issue,” the salesman said. We bit on that promise and got bit when our lease was up.
After paying stiff penalties and still needing a car, one radio ad from a competitor caught my attention…it went something like this:
Tired of paying hundreds if not thousands of dollars for extra miles when your car lease was up? Having a hard time getting the payments you can afford? Come meet with our sales staff. You’ll get straight answers instead of broken promises. You’ll get financing that works for you instead of making more money for us. Our goal is to help you get into a car today, and…be your dealership for the rest of your life!
They tapped into my pain, problem, and frustration all at once. We immediately stopped by and found our next vehicle. Why? This ad separated the dealership from its competition by talking openly about a deceptive practice being used by surrounding dealerships. They engaged a local credit union to provide the best financing possible. All of their promises were pointed out and tagged in our documentation.
As you are developing your marketing plan, don’t avoid problems or pain. Problems and pain points are the reason people are looking for your products. Be courageous enough to point out the dangers of choosing a different solution and explain why you are different. And – don’t miss this – make sure you back it up by keeping your promises.
Chris Goldman serves as a Business Coach and Marketing Strategist for bizmktg.com. If you are interested in learning more about marketing strategies that work (and messaging that matters), email goldman@bizmktg.com to get started today.
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