Entrepreneurs Shouldn't Sell the Product, Rather the Solution If people can't see how their problems could be solved by what you are providing, you are likely wasting your time and resources.
By Thomas Oppong Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Most people search for solutions to their problems, not products. If people can't see how their problems could be solved by what you are providing, you may be wasting your time and resources. And if the problem you are trying to solve isn't compelling enough, you have a really tough road to ahead of you as business.
Here is how to turn your business strategy around to focus on the solution, rather than the product.
Related: The 3 Building Blocks Every Successful Product Shares
Sell the benefits, not the product.
Successful selling means showing your prospective customers how your product meets their needs and why your offering is the right solution. What you should be doing is highlighting the benefits of your product in the simplest way possible. (No jargon, please.)
If they can't identify benefits, consumers are likely to move on to the next company that can. You definitely do not want this to happen so don't let it. Your first goal is to attract attention before you even present the product. Anybody who has ever made a decision to purchase a product already has an existing problem. Find the problem, offer the benefit and explain why your product will solve it.
Features are great but not the end game.
Every feature you have included in your product should offer a clear benefit. So, instead of naming various features, focus on the key reasons why the customer will be better off with what you are providing.
Related: Have a Business Idea? 6 Ways to Research Your Industry.
One place you can do this is your product page on your business website. Here is where you can really convince your target audience that your business can provide the best solution possible to their problems. If you want to up the ante include real customer testimonials. People want to see evidence that what you are offering really works and helps Ask your satisfied customers to share with you how they benefited from your product. You could even make it better with a case study of what your customers do and how your product is helping them achieve a particular business process.
Don't make your marketing message all about your product.
Can you answer why people should choose you over your competition? Why are you the best option available? If you were a prospective customer, would you pay attention to the sales or marketing messages you are currently sharing? The best solution without the right message can make it difficult to convert leads.
Start putting buyers first and focus on messages that speak to their problems and address how they can be solved when they use your product. =
Focus on education instead of promotion.
It pays to educate. If you don't already have a business blog that addresses industry problems, you are missing out on a lot of organic traffic.
If you don't have time to run the blog, hire someone who will. If you can't hire additional help, get your team to commit some time for sharing amazing content each week.
By educating your target audience, they will be more likely to think about your offering when they need a solution to that particular problem you solve.
Related: 6 Ideas for Epic Business Blog Posts
