The Problem is Not the Problem
Don't always focus on a problem or even the solution. Focus on the possibilities.
“I’ve got a problem”, a friend of mine told me a few years ago.
“I’ve launched a new course that’s just not selling. I’ve tried everything. I ran marketing campaigns, offered discounts, hired a sales person … nothing is working. I’m starting to think the problem is that no one wants my course”, he sighed.
After some further analysis, I realized the problem was not the problem.
“I don’t think the problem is related to your marketing, sales, pricing, or even the demand for your course”, I explained to him.
“The problem is related more to credibility and trust.”
“Ok,” he asked, “What can I do about it?”
“Think of the possibilities” was my response.
Together, we reviewed options and developed strategies for him to build a trusted community and leverage the experience he had as an expert in his field.
It worked.
Within a couple years, his course sales exceeded $350,000.
Some of the greatest companies in the world focused on exploring possibilities rather than developing a solution to a problem or filling a customer’s need.
Why?
Because …
For example, let’s look at the history of MySpace and Facebook:
The Problem: People had a hard time staying connected and keeping up with friends and family.
The Solution: Take advantage of the first-mover advantage in the burgeoning social networking space by building a creative and customizable network of people (MySpace)
The Possibility: Explore the feasibility of creating a better and more scalable network of real people on a platform that is clean, easy-to-use, and free, while gradually building a robust and reliable technology infrastructure (Facebook)
Or, if we look closer at the strategies of Research in Motion (RIM)’s Blackberry compared to Apple’s iPhone:
The Problem: People were becoming more mobile and not being able to efficiently communicate or have access to important information.
The Solution: Build a phone that offers mobile email and an app ecosystem designed for business users (Blackberry)
The Possibility: Don’t just build a multi-purpose mobile phone; look into the possibility of building a touchscreen phone that will put the Internet in everyone’s pocket (iPhone)
So, why did MySpace and the Blackberry fail when they had the “first-mover advantage” while Facebook and the iPhone succeeded beyond anyone’s wildest dreams?
Simple:
Are you focusing on a solution to a problem in your target market?
Or are you thinking about the possibilities in helping your target audience?
Because if your not, your competitors probably are …
Today, we’ll take a look at commenting on LinkedIn and how it plays such an important role in establishing authority, building your network, and getting recognized by the algorithms.
If done right, commenting is an amazing strategy for passive growth on LinkedIn as you can build a significant following just by posting comments alone.
Commenting on LinkedIn
Commenting Tips
Your comment should add something new, different, or valuable
Every comment is a new conversation
Treat every comment as a mini-post
Position yourself as a Thought Leader
Use to inspire future posts
Want to learn more?
Check out my new LINKEDIN COURSE:
Strategic Networking on LinkedIn with a FREE Account
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