Sell the Solution...Not the Product!
Billionaire businessman Richard Branson once said, “To launch a business means successfully solving problems.”
More often than not, we hear golf companies talk about their product and how great it is, with a heavy features-focused approach—“ergonomic hand grip” or “dri-weave technology”. Or, they’re focused on the benefits—“amazing distance” or “improved short game”. This doesn’t tell your customer what problem you’re solving.
Let’s start with an example, say an online retail golf store.
The feature of the store is that it’s open 24 hours/7 days a week/365 days a year.
The benefit is that I can shop when I want.
The problem solved is that when a customer wants to buy tees at 9:00 p.m., you won’t disappoint them.
Now ask yourself, what problem is my golf product solving?
First start by understanding your customers pain points. People spend money on two things; to fight pain (or a crappy handicap) and to pursue pleasure. It’s likely that the worse the pain or the problem, the more chance you have of selling a solution. The better the solution you offer, the quicker the customer will pay. Generally, there is more staying power in “pain-solving businesses” than there is in “pleasure businesses”.
So, look for pain. Look for things or situations that people find uncomfortable, annoying or frustrating (like six-putting on a par 4). Focus on a solution and let this help you as a guide to develop a business that will “make the pain go away”. You should also focus on trying to assess when it is that people feel the pain most. It’s easier to sell a solution to a current, severe pain than to solve something less intense.
Telling stories is a great way to communicate the pain and the solution. People love (and remember) stories. A good story has a clear conflict and a satisfying resolution. If you can frame your business as a story with a vexing problem and then a simple solution, people will listen and remember what you do.
Golf Pulp can help you identify and communicate your golf company’s solutions. Contact us today at 888.344.9915 or explore our solutions here: www.golfpulpmedia.com
