I heard a conversation on a podcast that is worth sharing about how businesses need to keep asking the right questions. In order to move past competitors, often businesses need to be solving a different problem.
Here is an example.
Rand McNally was a juggernaut in publishing. In 1904, If you wanted to go on a trip, you need a road map from them that would help you determine the roads to take on a journey. By 1924, the Rand McNally Road Atlas was everywhere and as important as having gas in your tank.
During the dot.com boom, when MapQuest came onto the seen, they solved a different problem.
Now you could find out how to get from point A to point B.
The full contours of a map weren’t relevant to the problem that needed solving. Consumers just needed detailed instructions how to get from Cleveland to Cincinnati or Pittsburgh to Peoria.
Solving A Different Problem
Businesses must keep solving customers evolving problems. The problems you are solving today may no longer be as relevant. Company’s and brand are created to understand a need in a new light, without the trappings of the past.
- A bride wants to keep costs down for flowers, so today she is willing to share arrangements with someone else getting married the same weekend. www.bloomerant.com solves a different problem from a typical florist. They solve the problem of how can you have a beautiful flower arrangement at a wedding but at a more reasonable price.
- A consumer wants to buy wine that will match their taste, without a deep dive into the stuffy, wine world. www.winc.com Winc takes the complexity out of choosing wine. It simplifies the decision-making process by mapping your tastes to a wine’s taste profile.
- Instead of finding people to adopt dogs, Lori Weise from LA works to keep dogs in their owners home by finding a way to help them solve their problem. She is asking a different question from most pet adoption services. http://downtowndogrescue.org/
The Right Question
When you are trying to serve a community, make sure you are asking the right question. It may not be the same one everyone else is asking and it may not be the question you have asked for the last ten years.
Marketing is about solving today’s problems, not the ones from the past.
Is your business clear on what problem your products and services solve for customers? If not, let’s talk. Text me at 919 720 0995 or email me at jeffreylynnslater@gmail.com – I can help you get back on a path to the growth.
Photo credit: Andrew – https://www.flickr.com/photos/nez/6623254283
