With product design, it makes no sense to create a key and then try and find a lock that fits it. Your marketing and product offering is not a war, or even a contest. It is about the generous act of helping a person solve a problem – their problem, not yours. In this article, the author will discuss the need to focus on specific groups of people and to really understand their underlying problems.
Selling glasses to people who need them
A few years ago, author Seth Godin went with a VisionSpring team to a small town in India to understand the challenge it faces as a healthcare organisation. VisionSpring is a social enterprise that offers reading glasses to the billion people around the world who need them, but do not have them. As lifespans have increased, many people over the age of 50 who are otherwise healthy need reading glasses, but are unable to work because they cannot read or do close-up work. VisionSpring's strategy is to produce low-cost glasses in bulk, then sell them in villages around the world for around $3 USD each.
As the table was set up in the village, people began to visit to see what was going on. Many were wearing traditional Indian work shirts, so it was possible to see they had money in their pockets. From this, Godin knew 3 things:
As they visited the table, they were given a laminated sheet to test their eyes. Next, they were offered a pair of sample glasses and did the test again. Right then, they could instantly see perfectly. Afterwards, customers were shown 10 different styles wrapped in plastic sleeves, along with a mirror to try them on. Approximately a third of people who they knew needed the glasses and had the money to buy them made the purchase, while the rest walked away.
A change in tactic
This mystified Godin, as he could not imagine why someone would make this choice after it was clearly demonstrated that they needed glasses, as well as knowing they had the money to buy them. This tactic was what opticians in the West do all the time! After considering it further, Godin changed the sales tactic. He removed all the glasses from the table and after letting them use the sample glasses for the eye test, said ‘Here are your new glasses. If they work and you like them, please pay $3. If you don't want them, please give them back’. Sales doubled as a result. In an instant, the story changed from, ‘Here is an opportunity to shop, look good and regain your sight’ to ‘Do you want us to take away what you have, or do you want to pay for the glasses that are already working for you?’ The narrative changed from an opportunity for gain to an avoidance of loss.
The bottom line here is that Godin realised the current sales tactic did not work, nor did he arrogantly assume it was the fault of the customer. In this case, the customer simply was not hearing the story they needed to hear, and the sales tactic needed changing to communicate the message successfully.
Marketing is about underlying needs and wants
Surely, marketing is about assuming your target audience are well-informed, rational and independent long-term decision-makers, and, therefore, you should provide information that you would want if you were purchasing a product? No, marketing is a quest about understanding the irrational forces that drive each of us. Some people will pay extra for Ludicrous Mode on a Tesla car, boosting its 0-60 mph to less than 3 seconds and never be in a position to use it, while others will buy a Land Rover, but never drive it off-road. Why? Theodore Levitt, a marketing professor at Harvard University, US, famously said, ‘People don't want to a buy a quarter-inch drill bit, they want a quarter-inch hole’. The point here is that the drill bit is merely a feature, what people really want is the hole.
However, what consumers truly want goes deeper than that – no one wants a hole. Perhaps they want the shelf that goes on the wall once they've made the hole. Maybe what they want is how they will feel when everything is a little less cluttered, or the satisfaction of knowing they did it themselves. What about the increase in status when their spouse admires their work, or even the peace of mind knowing their bedroom is not a mess? It is starting to look like they did not want to buy a quarter-inch drill bit after all. Their underlying need was that they wanted to feel safe and respected.
The glasses and the drill bit stories highlight a different facet of these underlying needs. When people come to your clinic, your job is to help them feel good about themselves and respected, and skilfully advising them is how you do it.
Aim for the smallest viable market
It is tempting to try and market to everyone on the internet or in your local area. However, it is important to aim at the smallest viable market for you and provide a product that is tailored to your audience; otherwise, you will never be able to find a story that fits everyone. Find your market, really listen to what they need and create a product that fits this. Godin (2018) defines effective marketing in these niches in 5 steps:
» It is important to aim at the smallest viable market for you and provide a product that is tailored to your audience; otherwise, you will never be able to find a story that fits everyone «
Delivering a personalised message
You can change the world through marketing, but you cannot change it for everyone, so make sure you target your efforts to ensure effectiveness. Your role is to deliver personal messages that help people solve their problems, so spend time understanding this.
