Selling something is already difficult enough but when you have to sell the problem first, it’s even hRder. That’s because convincing someone about a problem they didn’t know they have is like trying to push the bolder uphill. Sure it’s possible, it just takes a lot more effort.
Compare that to nothing sales—merely by showing up, you’ll make a sale 30% of the time. All things being equal, you want the market that looks like that.
Educating the market is expensive. If you have to convince someone of the problem, your best bet is to help shape the category altogether or hijack part of an existing one where customers are underserved.
See also:
- April Dunford’s book about positioning Obviously Awesome
- Don’t step into someone else’s frame
Links to this note
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Don’t Try to Sell Doctors to Healthy People
Sales is difficult enough, but selling a good solution to the wrong people makes it worse.