Five Elements for Your Marketing Campaign: Problem

Last time I introduced the third element of the Open Source Marketing Circuit Questionnaire, Proposition and showed how causes can function as either a proposition or a commodity. This time the focus is on the problem your proposition solves.

The circuit covers five elements and aims to analyse each element at a very deep level. The order in which you think about each element depends on the nature of your work. This order is the order in the circuit questionnaire and follows a logical sequence. However, many people may find a different order works for them.

The pattern I’m using is to describe the element in the circuit questionnaire, show how it can be used in marketing a cause and then use my business as an example. I may use examples from other sources where they seem relevant.

Marketing Problems

This element takes a hard look at the nature of the problem your product, service or cause addresses. Of course, your offer may solve several problems and so it is important to know what your proposition is. For example, if you are selling home insulation, your proposition may be the promise of lower fuel bills. Alternatively it may appeal to a concern about climate change. The focus on the former would be about how heat is lost through poorly insulated homes and the savings made by insulating them properly. With the latter, the focus will be on the impact of climate change and the contribution poorly insulated homes make to the overall carbon footprint.  Both are true; the question is which argument appeals to which market?

But, you may be thinking, don’t most people decide on several factors? Well yes, but the most effective arguments will depend on the market. The market is the fifth and final element but you can see how all five elements interact. Using insulation as an example: essentially the same product can be marketed to two groups, those who wish to cut household expenditure and those concerned about climate change. Even though someone concerned about cutting household expenditure may welcome the impact of their purchase on climate change and someone concerned about climate change may welcome the savings in household costs, the problem they wish to solve captures their attention.

For example, if they are searching online, one might search for “how do I cut my fuel bills?” and another for “how do I cut my contribution to climate change?” The same company might have two landing pages for these markets and they might lead to the same product. The customer might see both pages in their exploration of the site and the other page might even clinch the deal for them.

You need to start where the customer is, with the problem they perceive and then lead them to consider all the advantages of using your solution. If you are interested in how this works in-depth, see my post about the awareness ladder. This shows how you need to start at the level of awareness of the customer and lead them to a point where they are ready to respond to your offer by making a purchase or otherwise supporting your cause.

For products and services, it is hard to move someone to a purchase if they are not aware of their problem. For example, some overweight people may not be aware they have a problem, so they are not going to click on a link that reads: “Are you overweight?” To engage their attention you may need to make them aware they have a problem. They might click on a link that reads: “Find out the biggest threat to your health today”, for example.

For causes though, it is likely most people are not aware of the problem. Climate change is an example of something that potentially will affect everyone but it is not an immediate problem. Most people campaigning about climate change will readily admit it is hard to build a sense of urgency. It is even harder if the issue is remote from the lives of those who can do something about it. Issues based a long way from where charity supporters live, for example. There are issues that affect one group but need the support of unaffected others for resolution. Same sex marriage is a good example of this. It directly affects a particular section of community but needed more general support to bring about the desired change.

We can all think of many causes that have caught the public mood and brought about significant change. These causes often do not include a direct appeal to self-interest but somehow capture the public’s imagination.

The Problem my Business Addresses

Here is my one sentence description of the problem my business addresses. I wrote this a few months ago and I’m reading it critically for the first time since I wrote it:

“The pressures to keep your business or organisation solvent, address internal and external conflict whilst maintaining a reasonable work life balance mean you rarely have time for strategic thinking about your vision.”

Overall I think this is pretty good! Two points about it. First, it lists three pressures that could each be a problem. Everyone involved in running a business or a community organisation will recognise they are forever fire-fighting. They will be familiar with the occasional shudder when they remember they are losing sight of their overall purpose.

The second point is your problem statement should make you feel it is incomplete. There is a slight lurch as you read to the end – oh yes I recognise that feeling that I’m rudderless in a stormy sea! If I feel that way, I’m more likely to read on …

The problem should help a prospective customer recognise, “this is someone who understands my problem”.  Often it is not only a good solution that counts but also a degree of empathy.  So the problem you address can be central to your brand.  As we head deeper into this topic we shall explore these connections in-depth.