Most businesses are in the business of ‘helping’–helping other businesses, helping people, helping society, helping the world, some kind of ‘helping’ is usually the result of what they do. Whether that’s helping with a product, system or service... it's usually there to ‘solve a problem’. Now there are some businesses that might not realise this... they might consider themselves to be in the luxury goods market, or in entertainment or experiences, but they are also ‘helping’–in this case, to create a life or lifestyle that people want.
So why is this important to understand? In Marketing terms, it’s important that you absolutely know and can demonstrate the ‘problem’ that you solve and how you ‘help’. Sometimes, how you help is an answer that people didn’t know existed, so you need to ‘educate’ them. Sometimes, how you help is not the reason people buy your product (all cars get people places they want to travel to, but if you’re Bentley or Rolls Royce you’re solving a whole other problem of ‘experience, luxury and lifestyle’ not transport).
If you’re super-clear on the ‘help’ you offer, then you know who to talk to and what about in your Marketing and sales conversations. All your Marketing messages will share the ‘help’ you give and the ‘problem you solve’.
Now, sometimes you’ll see businesses take this too far, ‘inventing’ problems that need solving. With some new product innovations (do we really need 5 blades on a razor?) there is definitely an element of ‘creating a new problem you didn’t know you had’ and then marketing to ‘help with that’. There comes a point where this is going to look a little desperate (also a limit on how practical it will be to have 43 blades on a razor!).
You must have a clear ‘help’ that you offer–and help that only you offer in the way you offer it–if you want your product to stand out and create that desired category of one in a market. The way you talk about the problem, perhaps even the ‘name’ you give the problem, can help you stand out. Or it might be that the ‘help’ you offer (in your product, system or service) is only available from you. My example of this is a Fame Name®–I’ve trademarked a process for working out a label for your Thing to use in your Marketing, creating the problem of ‘what’s my Fame Name’? and being the only person (legally) to provide the solution.
When you know your in the business of help–make sure you own the problem or own the solution and you’ll have some very valuable IP and make your Marketing really simple too.
Want to talk more about this?
Leave a Reply