We’ve talked about how your ideal customer has an external problem —something they physically don’t have or can’t do.
And an internal problem — emotions like frustration, fear, and overwhelm.
But here’s the kicker: they’re also facing a philosophical problem — how they shouldn’t have to deal with this situation at all. How your customer’s situation “just plan wrong.”
Your marketing should address all 3 problems — external, internal and philosophical.
Wanna know where most organizations swing and miss with these problems?
They successfully locate a problem in each of these buckets, but they aren’t aligned.
Much like an alignment for your car, the most effective marketing creates a seamless connection between each.
Here’s a bad and good example using a dog food company:
MISALIGNED PROBLEM SET
- External Problem: I don’t have dog food.
- Internal Problem: I’m frustrated because my dog won’t listen to me.
- Philosophical Problem: Pet parents ought to have a trained dog who obeys before they eat.
ALIGNED PROBLEM SET
- External Problem: I don’t have dog food.
- Internal Problem: I feel like a bad dog parent because they’re hungry or just eating table scraps.
- Philosophical Problem: Pet parents should always have access to food that keeps their dog healthy and happy.
See the difference? One brings the same issue through each problem set, and the other introduces multiple problems.
It’s ok to address more than one problem in your business, but don’t try to tackle them all at once.
Struggling to stick with a clear message that hits all 3 problem types? Let’s chat about building a company message that guides and simplifies all your marketing efforts.
