What to do when your customer doesn't know the PROBLEM exists?

[SimonT]

Hi all,

Have recently finished the book and ever since, I have 100's of ideas each week. My biggest problem is picking one and sticking it out, but a bit of discipline will keep me in check (hopefully).

Now, with most my ideas, i like to work backwards to try to prove to myself why it WOULDN'T work and identifying the flaws first to see if they are easily avoidable before jumping in.

The idea i've got is in the domestic pet category. I'm not naive enough to think it's a completely innovative and revolutionary idea, as no idea is a new idea. So I want to make sure i'm not investing time/money on something that is a dud.

My first port of call for validating is to see if anyone else has already done it. I can't seem to find many other businesses doing it, which usually sounds a warning alarm. Although, what has driven me to start this thread, is that there is A LOT of content surrounding the idea, but no actual businesses providing the service, just content.

Questions:
1. How do you define if there is a NEED for something, if there are no current existing competitors? Is there enough validation in looking at the amount of content/blog articles created around the idea?

2. How do you go about providing a solution for a problem that the consumer doesn't know exists?

 

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[Fox]

Hi all,

Questions:
1. How do you define if there is a NEED for something, if there are no current existing competitors? Is there enough validation in looking at the amount of content/blog articles created around the idea?

2. How do you go about providing a solution for a problem that the consumer doesn't know exists?

Since it is a Pet Product I would call 20-50 Pet Stores Nationwide

'Hello do you guys provide [insert your idea]'

You seem to think they will already respond with No so if that is the case...

• 'Okay, do you know if anyone has ever asked for [insert your idea] before?'
• 'I am wondering if there might be another place that provides [insert your idea]'
• 'Did you ever get anyone else asking for [insert your idea] ?'
• or
• 'Do you think there is much of demand for [insert your idea]'

If they say that it happens a lot/somewhat frequently then yes there might be demand for it.

You could even ask them if they would be willing to stock [insert your idea] if someone did invent it.


Also you could google your idea and see if there is any threads or people asking the same questions online.

 

[loop101]

2. How do you go about providing a solution for a problem that the consumer doesn't know exists?

You educate them...

 

[WilliamL]

If they don't know it's a problem, it probably isn't a problem


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

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[HAL]

Ask a few of the millions of pet owners if this is a problem for them. If you lived with dog / cats long enough you would know if it's a problem or not. I don't think you could convince me something is a new problem unless it is medically related and backed with research.

There are age old problems to solve / improve upon like these people did:

 

[DeletedUser396]

Can you scare your customers and then sell your product as an effective solution to their fears?
If the answer is yes, you're golden.

If they don't know it's a problem, it probably isn't a problem


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tell that to Listerine.
As Steve Jobs once said: “A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them.”.

 

[Mattie]

I would think pet owners probably know what the problems are they're focused on the problems every day. If they don't know it's a problem, well it's probably not a problem at the moment.

I can tell you as a pet owner the problems I faced. Cats jumping off the back of the toil and thinking it was fun to slide down the shower curtain. You go into the bathroom and wholes are in it everywhere. Not just there but jumping off the couch and sliding down the curtains in other rooms, snagging them. Right there, design shower curtains and curtains that animals can't chew, cut, or rip a part. My dog was scared of fire works and locked herself in the bathroom some how and than wanted out and dug out the bottom half of the door. Build a guard for the bottom of doors. She also loved eating plaster on the walls. Create a product that doesn't make animals sick, or they can destroy, and still fits the building code of homes.

I think if you're talking to pet owners, they'll tell you what happens. I always hated it when my two dogs wanted to sit in the front seat on top of each other. lol And there was nothing really grand to seat belt them and safety except of course your carrier, but my dogs always wanted to be upright, front, and center, and see what was going on and pant. And I'd have to listen to one of them pouting because the other one was sitting on top of her.

If you have some idea what the customer doesn't know, I'd just put it out there. Usually, I knew what my problems were and looked for it, and what was the most effective product.

 

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[Dark Water]

Can you scare your customers and then sell your product as an effective solution to their fears?
If the answer is yes, you're golden.


Tell that to Listerine.
As Steve Jobs once said: “A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them.”.

I came into comment something similar to this. Most of the time, my customer won't realize they have a problem with their current product until I paint a picture of what could go wrong. They just feel like they are paying too much. But, price alone is not enough to create urgency.

Most of the time when my customer truly doesn't have a problem and is just shopping around, you then create a problem in their minds. Plant the seed, let it grow in their own mind - careful not to plant the seed and harvest it for them, because then you sound like you are discrediting why they have what they have (or don't have).

I would create a website explaining your product/service professionally. May cost $10-$20. Then cold call 100 businesses trying to presell them your product. Secure contracts for when its finished. You may have to call more. But, if you cannot get any to agree, you either need more skill in selling or what you are offering is useless. This is one way to find out. They don't have to be in your area. Call them all over the country. You are first, gauging need. Second, making sales.

Create the problem and then present the solution.