In reality, our products and services are simply vehicles that solve problems / meet needs / alleviate pain points for the purpose of helping our customers achieve an outcome.
When it comes to marketing, rather than focusing on the features and benefits of your product/service, focus on the value you bring in closing the ‘customer problem gap’ to achieve this outcome.
This gap is the distance between where your customer is now, in their current problem state, to where they want to be, in their desired future problem-free state, in which their business or life would be better in some way.
In simple terms, your value is in how you take your customer from A to B.
People looking for a product/service usually know what they want (in terms of outcome) but may not know exactly what they need (in terms of a solution). For instance, I may know that I want to be more financially savvy but I may not know whether I need an accountant, a bookkeeper, a financial coach or a financial advisor.
Using language in your marketing materials that makes clear the unique value you bring in building the metaphorical bridge that traverses the customer problem gap, can help someone determine if your product/service is exactly what they need.
Know Your Customer’s Currency
When thinking about the customer problem gap you close, it must be considered from the perspective of the customer‘s desired outcome.
For instance, do they want more time, visibility, wealth, confidence, influence, connection, trust or leads? Or, perhaps they want better performance, productivity or employee retention.
The outcome your customer is looking for is known as their ‘currency’. This is because it’s what they are will to pay for in exchange for your unique value offering/solution to help them achieve it.
Let’s say my client’s currency is confidence; that is, they want more confidence. My value then, is how well I solve my client’s confidence gap – the chasm between where they are now, feeling self-doubt and fearful and focused on mistakes and failure, to where they want to be, feeling worthy and optimistic, and focused on learning and success.
When you know your customer’s currency, you understand their problem gap.
What’s the Customer Problem Gap You Close?
What’s the gap you close with your specialist knowledge and expertise? Here are some examples to spark your thinking:
- brand visibility gap
- business mindset gap
- prosperity gap
- confidence gap
- trust gap
- theory-practice gap
- resilience gap
- communication gap
- learning gap
- influence gap
- performance gap
- leadership gap
- innovation gap
- engagement gap
- culture gap
- lead generation gap
- courage gap
- gender pay gap
In closing your customer’s problem gap, your value as a catalyst of change in facilitating the transformative process, is your ‘superpower’.
By making this ‘superpower’ crystal clear in your marketing materials, you’ll not only elevate the perceived value of your product/service, you’ll also attract prospective clients who see you as the perfect solution.
©Ros Weadman 2024
