This is part 3 in a series to help you clarify your website messaging.
In part 2 we worked out what it is deep down that drives your customer’s desire. In part 3 we will look at the problem and how to solve it.
When you market to your Avatar, keep this quote in mind:
“Sell them what they want
Give them what they need”
Humans work in mysterious ways. Often we don’t know why we’re drawn to certain things and why we buy what we buy.
Think about the problem your Avatar faces as the villain in the story. We want to make it the big bad wolf that we’re fighting with our products and services.
Some examples of problems/villains:
Headache – Panadol saves the day
Taxis are too expensive, slow and inconvenient – Uber to the rescue
Dieting is hard/Overweight – {Brand here} diet shakes makes it simple
Bacteria in the kitchen – Antibac wipes sweep in
You can probably see the ads for these in your mind, the problems being painted as villains and the solution that comes in for the rescue and makes everything ok. There’s a fine line here where you want to remember that it’s the customer/Avatar who is the hero, not your product/service, and your product or service helps on the way to success.
There are three levels to the problems you solve.
- External – the obvious problem your business solves
- Internal – the frustrations arising from the external problem
- Philosophical – why is it unfair to experience this?
To give you an example, this is how it looks for my business:
Bad Guy: Crappy websites
External problem: I want a nice looking website that works
Internal frustration: I want to feel like I have it together and am in charge of my website
Philosophical: I shouldn’t have to be a web developer or pay a fortune to have a nice website
Points to remember:
- The problem is the enemy – the villain in the story.
- The external problem is the obvious problem your business solves.
- The internal problem is about the frustrations your Avatar is experiencing because of the external problem.
- The philosophical problem is about ought and shouldn’t, good vs evil.
Write down the answers to the following questions. Determine a single focus for each answer.
- What is the enemy your business is against?
- What external problem is the enemy causing your Avatar?
- How is that problem making your Avatar feel / How do they want to feel?
- Why is it not fair for your Avatar to suffer this problem?
