Stop Selling and Start
TRANSFORMING
Many marketers make business far too complicated.
When it comes right down to it, creating a successful business boils down to this:
You get paid to move people from a BEFORE state to an AFTER state.
In the “before” state, your prospect has a problem. Could be she’s bored. Frustrated by something. Or, simply unhappy about the way things are.
In the ‘after” state – one which your product or service helps bring about – life is much peachier. The pain is gone. The frustration has subsided. Your prospect’s life has changed for the better.
Many marketers fail to understand that prospects don’t buy our products or services – they buy outcomes.
They are seeking the “after” state.
If you’ve never thought
of it this way before, think of yourself as being in the transformation business.
All your marketing should be built around this premise.
For many business owners who struggle with marketing, the problem can be traced to a failure to offer a desired “after” state
or a poorly articulated transformation that clearly presents the “after” state.
Often, your prospects can’t easily “see and feel” how life will be different after their experience with you.
That's your job.
Ok, so how do you shift from “stuff” marketing to outcome marketing?
Start by asking yourself the following questions:
- What does your prospect HAVE
in the “before” state? What does your prospect HAVE in the “after” state?
- How does your prospect FEEL in the “before” state? How does your prospect FEEL in the “after” state?
- What is an AVERAGE DAY like for your prospect in the “before” state? What is an AVERAGE DAY like for your prospect in the “after”
state?
- What is your prospect’s STATUS in the “before” state? What is your prospect’s STATUS in the “after” state?
Here’s an example:
Say you sell a little squishy bathtub toy...
An average marketer would explain how it keeps babies occupied while parents bathe them.
A GREAT
marketer would make sure to explain HOW customers who buy this simple tub toy will transform their lives by...
…turning a cold, hard bathtub into a relaxing play area where BOTH parent and child are more relaxed and likely to have fun.
…decreasing the feeling of anxiety a parent may be feeling because the child doesn't like a bath.
…elevated the parent's status from someone who is forcing a child to have a bath to “super parent".
We THINK in pictures.
The more you can get your prospect to SEE + FEEL how her life will be different after her experience with you, the more likely you are to add her as a happy customer.
Editor's Note: I'm not saying the above WILL create a relaxing bath tub experience. But we're aren't trying to sell 2-year olds! 🙂
