Transforming Problems into Sales

Transforming Problems into Sales:
How to sell more by focusing on client problems

By Jeremy Cohen

My silent fish tank was no more. Enough water had evaporated
to make the filter gurgle. It was highly annoying and I knew
I wouldn't be at ease until it was silent again. 

I filled the tank.

Did I fill it to satisfy a want or a need? Does it matter?
Probably not. 

The gurgling tank was an unacceptable problem that required
a solution: more water. I was able to solve the problem on
my own. If it had turned out that my fish tank gurgled
because my filter was broken I would have needed a new
filter. 

Filters Don't Flow from My Tap
Where would I get a filter? How would I decide where to shop
first? 

There is a pet store chain in New York City that has been
advertising its business for decades. When I first moved to
my current neighborhood I noticed one of their stores a
couple of blocks from my home. I would go there for my new
filter without hesitation. I know that they have fish tank
filters, exactly what I'd need to solve my problem. 

Do your prospects know you have exactly what they need to
solve their problems? 

To sell more you must demonstrate to more prospects that you
have just what they want. There are two ways you can work
toward this goal:

      Market to a larger audience
      Improve your marketing material to attract more attention

It makes sense to do both. You can sell more by using the
same marketing material to market to a larger, targeted
audience. You can also increase sales by enhancing your
marketing material to be noticed by more of the prospects
you currently target. 

Marketing to a larger audience is simple but can be quite
expensive and improving your marketing material may seem
like a daunting task. You can make this second task easier
by knowing how to approach it. 

Help Your Prospects Focus on You
When your prospects encounter your marketing material they
should experience the familiar feeling of looking in a
mirror. 

Creating a sense of familiarity for your prospects when they
encounter your marketing material eliminates a barrier to
making a sale. People are more likely to buy from someone
with whom they feel familiar. When we see ourselves in a
mirror we see a clear and familiar image. 

You can create a sense of familiarity for your prospects by
focusing your marketing material around their problems. 

Problems tend to strike an emotional chord within each of
us. When we have emotional reactions we tend to become more
alert to our surroundings. You can take advantage of this
reaction by including client problems in your marketing
material. You will increase your chance of being noticed,
remembered and making a sale by presenting your marketing
material to someone who has recently become more alert. 
     
      What problems do your clients have?
      What problems do you solve?

Being noticed more often is good. You will sell more.
However, you will sell even more if a greater percentage of
the people who notice and read your marketing material take
the next step and contact you. 

To be contacted by more prospects your marketing material
must attract attention and also clearly demonstrate
believable value. 

      What value do you provide?
      Are your offers believable or too good to be true?
      How can you integrate client problems and the value you
      provide into your marketing material? 

The answer is to use a marketing message. A marketing
message is a highly specific set of words you can use to
attract and demonstrate value to your prospects. 

With a marketing message focused around client problems you
will sell more with less effort. 

What's your marketing message?

Copyright 2005, Better Marketing Results and Jeremy Cohen

RESOURCE BOX
The author, Jeremy Cohen, helps small business owners and
professional service providers attract more clients, grow
their business and be more successful with his marketing guides
and coaching service.
Get his free marketing guide: Jumpstart Marketing:
More Profits, Clients and Success at:
http://www.bettermarketingresults.com/y.asp