3 Questions Every Prospect is Asking

When someone lands on your website, they’re asking themselves the following questions:

1. Does this company understand my problem?
2. Can this company solve my problem?
3. Has this company solved this problem for others?

You want to ensure that your site answers these questions. There are several ways to accomplish this.

Let’s look at a few of them.

Address The Real Problem Your Client Wants to be Solved

Oftentimes, your client isn’t entirely aware of the problem they have.

They may be unaware of what the real problem is, or they might have difficulty identifying what it is that truly ails them.

For example, let’s say you own a remodeling firm. Your ideal client might say that their problem is that they have an old, ugly, outdated kitchen. But in reality, their problem is that they don’t have a functional family gathering space.

They’re defining their problem in purely practical terms, but it’s really bigger than that.

What you bring to the table with your remodeling services is the opportunity for a better life, by creating a kitchen where a family can relax, spend time together, and create memories.

When thinking about the problem you need to address in your marketing, it’s important to look beyond that surface-level pain point.

Very frequently, what really plagues your client at their core is something emotional, not practical.

Make Your Customer’s Problem Your Marketing Message

The key to good marketing is in the planning.

If planned well, it’s a pain-free experience and — if you have a good solution or service — you’ll quickly see not only the positive results but why it’s an integral part of the business itself.

The most important starting point is working out your value proposition, or prime marketing message.

Put simply, this is the thing that differentiates you from your competitors.

The reason why your customers choose you above the others, distilled into a sound-bite.

Let’s say you own a home services business. Your potential customers will automatically operate under the assumption that you know how to remove trees, repair their HVAC system, unclog the toilet, mow their lawn, install new doors, etc.

But from my marketing experience that doesn’t really address what potential customers care about.

For most homeowners, their biggest problem associated with a home service provider is about something beyond the basic service the business provides.

Homeowners hate long service window times, or not getting phone calls returned. When they hire someone to handle their home needs, the tech leaves behind a mess, surprises them with unexplained fees or it’s difficult to get payment to them because they only accept checks. These are the real problems your clients have.

So your value proposition or prime marketing message is not, “We know how to mow your lawn, remove trees, unclog your toilet, repair the HVAC system ” — of course you do!

Instead, it’s “We explain all fees and show up on time.” Or “We return all calls and leave your home better than when we arrived.”

Stop Marketing What You Provide and Start Marketing What You Solve

Hard Truth! It’s lazy to assume that your customer wants the core service you provide whether that is accounting, consulting, landscaping, plumbing, coaching, training, etc.

Instead, speak with them to learn what they believe they will get, achieve, dodge, or acquire based on buying what you sell.

This will uncover the real reason they do business with you and the problem you really solve for them.

For example, we were working with a tree service that attracted a specific type of homeowner. After interviewing their customers we spotted the following in several summaries — “They never damage my yard and always clean up when they’re done.”

Turns out that their ideal customer had beautiful front and back yards and didn’t want any damage done to the monthly landscaping work they pay for.

While most of their competitor’s messaging focused on how they were award-winning, voted best, and having 60yrs experience at removing trees our client began to focus on — “We never damage your yard and always clean up when we’re done.” — getting prospective homeowners to pay a premium to solve that problem.

Solving Problems Must Be The Real Focus

Nobody wants the remodeling, training, consulting, coaching, mentoring, or repair services you sell.

What people want is for their problems to be solved. Solving problems must be the real focus of your marketing efforts.

CEOs, owners, and people buy better versions of their business, home, life, and bank account, not things. They want what they believe will help them feel good about themselves, achieve something higher, get relief from some level of pain or discomfort, avoid a sticky situation, or prepare themselves for the future.

It’s your job as a CEO or owner of a small business to understand the problems people are trying to solve and match your services to those very specific problems.

Very few people in the world want what you provide, they want what you solve.

Here’s how to develop your problem-solving message to attract ideal clients.