Do you want to boost sales? Look for the Ouch
When people decide to try online marketing, one of the first questions they ask is what should I sell? That is understandable. But with all due respect, that is the wrong question.
A better question that gets closer to the core is this. “What problem can I solve?” Why? Because the truth is that people don’t buy products, they buy solutions to their problem.
Many business owners and marketers make that rookie mistake. They look for a business, product or service first rather than the ouch (the pain or the problem). When I hear or see a person say ouch, it is a potential profit opportunity. That is something that people will pay to get rid of or solve. Wouldn’t you?
I repeat, people do not buy products, they buy solutions. They buy relief for pain or problems.
For example,
– They don’t buy a drill … they buy holes.
– They don’t buy food … they buy tasteful hunger relief.
– They don’t buy a Mercedes … they buy an elegant means of transport.
Do you understand my point? If you do, you will start to see sales boost opportunities in more places.
Here are 3 powerful ways to see the woe (pain or problem) in people’s lives and increase sales.
Look for …
Go to:
A quick and easy way to get ideas for a profitable product or service is to look for what makes people mad. For example, long lines, traffic jams, poor customer service, etc. Create or find a product or service to help eliminate or alleviate that expressed or repressed anger.
Anger is an emotion that most people want to avoid enough to pay for. Can you create or find a product or service to help people eliminate the anger caused by __________?
Excellent places to do your research are watching the evening news, television talk shows, listening to radio talk shows, reading newspapers, blogs, and visiting forums. Why? Because that’s where people express their anger the most these days. But don’t stop there.
Whatever market you are targeting, read trade magazines in the specific market. Visit online forums in that market.
If you follow the tips above, while listening and keeping a notepad and pen nearby, you will start to get more ideas.
II.
Lost: One thing people hate is losing. Research has shown that the average person will fight harder to avoid losing something than to gain more.
We hate wasting money, time, possessions, love, attention, respect, peace of mind, enthusiasm, health, youth, good memories, and a mountain of other things. We hate losing what we have, especially if we have worked hard to get it. I’m right?
So any product or service that you create or find that can help protect people from loss will always have a lawsuit. For example, products and services that help people preserve what they already have are in high demand now.
In tough economic times, people look for ways to make what they have last longer. More people see any product or service that helps them preserve what they already have as a smart investment.
III. Limitations:
In today’s mobile society, people hate being bound by limited choices or options. Can you offer a product or service that gives people more options or choices?
Products and services that increase people’s choices will continue to be in high demand. Can you help expand people’s time constraints? Can you help people break out of their routines? Or show them a more comfortable, fast or fun way to do a routine task?
Routine is a burden that everyone faces in some way. Study people’s daily routine with a view to making it better or lighter.
Another way to help people overcome their limitations is to show or teach someone how to do something. Make it with a book, an e-book, a DVD, a CD, a seminar, and even a webinar.
What do you know that most people don’t? It is a safe bet that others will pay to learn how to do it.
These are 3 simple yet powerful ways to find the ouch, pain, or problems in people’s lives and increase sales. They represent the hidden opportunities that most people walk through every day. If you take the time to apply this knowledge, you will begin to see more profitable opportunities to drive sales.
