When marketing to an audience, it’s often helpful to poke the problem. As humans we are more likely to try and avoid problems than we are to act so we can enjoy success.
Problems for consumers can be in front of mind, or deep under the surface. The surface level problems could be as simple as I need to buy this thing to fix the issue with my TV. Or I need to get my car repaired.
But it’s really the deep down problems and desires that can control our actions the most. By fixing my TV, when friends come over, they won’t tease me about the small screen. So, on it goes. Problems and deep unconscious desires. And most of us don’t want to acknowledge every desire.
When you tactfully poke the problems your solution solves, you aggravate the deep down desires and introduce more pain or agitation. For someone who is not aware they needed the solution, this helps bring the problem to light. And problems in light can be acted upon.
For example, if I am walking past the bakery department in my local store, the smell of fresh baked goods and donuts is present. The smell is subtlety nagging in my mind. “Hey, you should get a donut!” it says.
Before I walked by, donuts were not in my mind. I was focused on getting milk and eggs. But now, donuts… The smell aggravated two needs. The need for food or in other words my survival. And the need for sugar which satisfies that universal craving of excitement and pleasure.
The bakery department is designed in a way that the smells are free to enter the store and entice the minds of the shoppers. It’s intentionally done to create more sales for the bakery department. Just the same as the free samples at Costco and other places.
If your business offers a service, then showcasing the problem and what could happen if they don’t use your services can easily help to drive sales. People won’t know all they can lose until you show them.
Example photos of a house fire could be decently effective for a chimney sweeping business, or insurance carrier. A little problem to encourage the end solution. Nobody wants to experience the loss, so we act.
Poking a problem can be a superpower to more sales. But be careful not to turn the problem into an iron rod and beat your prospects with it. Then they will only run away.