Sell the problem you solve, not the product – motivate your clients to solve their need

Marketing involves way more than simply promoting a product. To engage and persuade potential customers, businesses should focus on addressing a particular problem that they face and promoting the solutions that their respective products or services can provide. In essence, sales are the byproduct of problem-solving. By positioning your product as the solution to your customer’s particular pain points, you can achieve optimal conversion rates even in the most competitive of markets.

The problem-first approach is highly effective at building brand authority, driving demand, and creating a sustainable revenue stream. In this article, we’ll dive deep into what it means to sell a problem that you solve instead of the product, and why it’s so critical to adopt this approach while pursuing the success of your business.

Understanding the Problem-First Approach

When it comes to marketing, the traditional strategy is to construct an argument that positions your product or service as a must-have. For example, say you run an interior design company that offers renovation and remodeling services. A traditional marketing campaign would discuss how your company’s expertise and the quality of work make it the premier choice in the market.

While this may be an effective approach, it fails to capitalize on the reason why your services are in demand. For instance, people seek out interior designers because they lack the experience or time to transform their spaces themselves. Rather than pushing your services, it would be more effective if you highlighted that the problem your business solves is maximizing the functionality and aesthetics of spaces, irrespective of your client’s skill level.

Here’s another example of how the problem-first approach can help businesses position themselves in a way that immediately resonates with their target audience:

One of the most well-known examples of a problem-first approach is Salesforce’s “No Software” campaign. Instead of flaunting their software’s extensive features, Salesforce highlighted what their solution solved – having to do without an automated system. Through their marketing efforts, the company positioned itself as the answer to problems inherent in manual sales workforce management.

This approach made it possible for the business to communicate a message that stood with not just salespeople but also the decision-makers. The result was a significant increase in demand and the ultimate success of the company.

While the idea of selling the problem you solve may come across as common sense, many businesses miss the mark. They spend too much time talking about their products instead of what those products do for the customers, leading to disinterested prospects and unimpressive conversion rates.

Why the Problem-Solution Approach Works

To truly succeed in modern marketing, you need to use marketing psychology to create a connection with your target audience. People don’t buy products just because they want them; they buy them because they solve an immediate problem. The problem-solution formula works for a few reasons.

First, when you lead with a problem, you confirm that you understand what your target audience is struggling with. When you present yourself as a solution, they’re more likely to listen to what you’re saying. Essentially, you’re cementing the claim that you have the expertise and resources to assist them in overcoming the issue in question.

Second, by positioning your business as a problem solver, you differentiate yourself from all the other companies in your industry. It’s interesting to note that 85% of the public agrees that supporting an important cause makes them more likely to recommend a brand. This is because people want to align themselves with companies that have a positive impact. And when you’re the company that helps people solve their issues, you become more than just another product on the market, you become a solution provider that is recognized for your expertise.

Finally, when you focus on the problem, you take the emphasis off your product’s price point. If your marketing message is all about your product’s unique features, then you’re essentially positioning yourself as a commodity. On the other hand, when you lead with the problem your customer is experiencing, you make it about them, not you. They don’t care about your product; they care about how your product can help them. This kind of focus goes a long way in removing the price barrier and converting interested leads into paying customers who recognize the value you deliver.

Best Practices for Selling the Problem You Solve

1. Develop A Customer Persona

One of the key strategies for marketing in the modern age is understanding your audience. Creating an ideal customer persona involves researching, identifying, and documenting a typical customer that aligns with your business and the problem you solve. This helps to inform your marketing, content, and social media efforts.

Start by identifying your demographics. This can include age, gender, income, location, interests, and any other factors that may influence how they perceive your solution to their problem.

Next, try to identify their challenges, aspirations, and goals. This will inform your approach to selling the problem you solve. For instance, if you run a business that sells personal finance software, you could create a customer persona of a middle-aged couple looking to save for retirement, rather than simply presenting your software as the best in the market. By doing this, you personalise your message, making it more effective in grabbing the attention of potential clients.

2. Identify The Problem You Solve

As a business owner, if you’re unsure what problem your products solve, then your customers will be just as confused. Interestingly, while the fundamental principle may be straightforward, it can be challenging for businesses to identify and articulate the problems they solve in a way that resonates with their audience.

Begin by looking at the features of your products, but focus more on the benefits. For instance, if your business sells SEO software, the feature may be the software’s capacity for keyword analysis. However, the underlying benefit, and what you should be selling, is its ability to boost businesses’ websites’ organic traffic, resulting in higher search engine ranking.

By selling the benefit instead of the feature, you’re solving the problem that your potential customer has – in this case, driving more traffic to their site. This is one of the most important aspects of the problem-solution approach because it is the foundation of how to attract and convince potential customers.

3. Use Compelling Language

Once you have identified the problem you solve, the next step is to use compelling language that taps into your potential customer’s pain points. Remember, people don’t buy products because they want them; they buy products because they have a problem that needs a solution. To get them to buy, you have to speak their language and connect with them emotionally.

Use words that speak to the urgency of the problem and the impact that it’s having. This will grab your audience’s attention, and they will begin to associate your brand with solutions in the space that your business operates.

Take Slack, for example, and their messaging that highlights the communication problems that companies face every day. The problem, in this case, is missed messages and the delay that this can cause to projects. However, Slack doesn’t just talk about the problem; they talk about the cost of these challenges in lost productivity and revenue. By doing so, they add a sense of urgency to the problem, and therefore to their solution.

4. Use Social Proof

One of the most effective ways to position your company as a solution provider is by using social proof. Social proof is the concept that people are more likely to adopt a behaviour when they see people similar to themselves doing it. By utilizing this psychology, companies can show that their products satisfy the social norms of people in their audience demographics and that people like them are happy with the product.

For example, businesses can use customer reviews on their website, social media accounts, and other marketing materials to show that they have been effective in solving problems for others in the past.

Organisations can also gain social proof by tracking statistics for solved problems, customer satisfaction, and retention rates. These can be used as evidence of the company’s problem-solving capabilities.

5. Use Thought Leadership Marketing

Modern businesses should strive to be more than just problem solvers; they should aim to be thought leaders in their respective areas of operation. By positioning yourself as a thought leader, you can create a sense of trust and authority with your potential customer base. Through thought leadership marketing, businesses can differentiate themselves from the competition, increasing credibility and thereby boosting conversions.

One of the most popular ways to establish thought leadership is through content marketing, including blog posts, webinars, podcasts, and videos. By sharing tips, insights and up-to-date information, businesses can create a community of followers that look to them as authorities in their area of operation.

For example, a company like Moz could write a series of content pieces explaining complex SEO concepts in everyday language that appeal to non-experts in the field. By doing so, they’re positioning themselves as thought leaders in their industry, in addition to serving as problem solvers.

Conclusion

To achieve long-term growth and sustainable success, businesses must move beyond promoting their product and focus instead on the problem they solve. This approach creates a sense of connection between potential customers and the solutions on offer, and it goes a long way in establishing authority, revenue, and brand loyalty.

By following best practices such as customer personas,