How do you know there’s a problem? — Kelford Labs Daily
The first step in solving it.
“Help! I don’t know what I need!”
That’s how a recent client put their marketing challenge to us. Which is actually a fairly common way of expressing it, if not in those exact words. Another common variation on the theme is, “It feels like I’m spinning in circles.“
The point is, entrepreneurs often come to us unsure if it’s what they’re saying, who they’re saying it to, or where and when it’s being said that’s causing them problems.
They just know something isn’t working, and it feels bad.
So, instead of asking them what they think they need and giving them a stock solution that doesn’t work, we ask:
“How do you know there’s a problem?”
What led you to believe you needed marketing support at all? What happened, what changed, or what went wrong that told you, “We need to do something?”
Was it a disappointing product launch that didn’t quite get off the ground? An offhand comment made by a customer that made you cringe? A sense of dread when someone said they’d visited your website? A looming deadline for a trade show, conference, or sponsorship that you’re painfully unprepared for? Or just a feeling that you’re missing opportunities?
Good marketing requires knowing the real problem that’s being solved. Otherwise, you might just be making a new one.
Which means getting good marketing support requires knowing who’s best suited to solve that problem. Otherwise, you’ll get the same stock advice anyone could give—and most will.
But when you know the problem, you can search for marketers who specialize in solving that problem in particular—instead of going to a one-size-fits-all partner who does a little bit of everything for anyone who comes to them.
But your problem isn’t generic—it’s specific. And so is the solution.
So, ask yourself: What happened that told me I needed support? Where was I? When was it? Why did it feel bad?
And who could I reach out to that specializes in solving that problem?
Kelford Inc. provides finely crafted value propositions and marketing messages for hands-on entrepreneurs and founders.
We’ll show you the way to always knowing what to say.
