The basic concept for this article is purpose brands.
You can check a search engine for a summary of THE INNOVATOR’S SOLUTION By Clayton M. Christensen & Michael E. Raynor. The Innovator’s Solution has an explanation of a purpose brand.
People, products, services & businesses can have purpose brands.
When you establish a purpose brand, you can establish yourself as a specialist, who supports people in fulfilling goals.
Offer Ways To Control Conditions
Some products help people regain control after an accurate diagnosis. The level of control can depend on the quality of products & diagnostic knowledge.
Cheap products might bring a low level of control & value. Discounters have persuaded consumers to think cheap products are valuable.
Get people focused on product value by explaining what value is. Generally, product value is producing & maintaining consistent positive results.
Positive results can include controlling conditions. It's hard to consistently control conditions with low quality products.
Since customers can't control all factors, they need superior products & plans to control what they can.
Effective plans include instructions for getting full product benefits in specific conditions. It's why customers need your knowledge.
Your guidance adds more value by helping people understand & control their conditions.
Help people identify negative changes & choose products to maintain or regain control quickly enough to reduce damage. Coach people on maintaining control, which depends on mitigating or preventing problems.
Ask about people's conditions & their definition of control. Would they be satisfied with reducing problems or do they expect to eliminate problems?
What do people want to keep, eliminate or add? What do they need to maintain?
What kind of improvements do people want? What interferes with desired results?
Based on their answers & available resources, what can you recommend for better results?
Ask questions to help people describe problems.
Examples: Does it look/feel like __? Has it been like __? Is it better/worse when __?
When you & customers share an understanding, you can set goals, then choose products.
If people don't understand product benefits, they might hesitate especially if they were frustrated by a cheap quality version. They might not know about attractive new options.
As a specialist, get people past hesitation by explaining products, so people get full benefits.
Persuading People To Buy
Compare life with & without potential benefits. Show what's possible to help people decide why they should buy. Show how easily problems can be reduced or eliminated.
Ask questions to clarify customers' thoughts. What are they confident about? What are their doubts? What have they tried already?
People might not be confident enough to start projects if they have nebulous goals. Defining problems & solutions can reduce stress & build confidence.
People will be more confident when they're sure about what they need & how to get it.
People are frustrated when they don't know what to do or expect. You can show people what to do & expect by diagnosing problems & developing plans.
People, who can't afford big projects, might benefit from progressive incremental improvements. What's the minimum increment they need to prevent losses?
Help people plan for the incremental improvements they need most & can afford.
You can develop full or incremental procedures by combining products with instructions to solve or prevent problems.
Reduce problems with maintenance instructions.
Basic procedures are based on controlling effects of local conditions & refined from successful results. Specific procedures are based on customers' conditions & expectations.
Developing Purpose Brands
Your store's purpose is filling gaps & eliminating obstacles. People's purposes are goals. What are people trying to achieve?
Analogy: If a customer needs resources to reach a destination, what's missing? What can you add? What are the obstacles? What can you remove?
Your store's purpose brand can fit combined purpose brands of products you offer.
Example: If some products enable independent living, those products could fit a general purpose of helping people live comfortably.
A home comfort purpose is wide enough for different weekly promotions. Promotions could focus on issue categories involved in improving or maintaining comfort.
Home comfort includes indoor & outdoor conditions.
Indoor home comfort includes health, weatherproofing, furniture, storage, security, lighting, plumbing, privacy, entertainment & repairs.
Health includes in-home mobility, cleaning, exercise, heating, humidity & pest control.
In-home mobility is a concern for people using walkers, canes & wheel chairs, plus traditional bathtubs & stairs aren't safe.
Promotions Should Focus On A Purpose
Since your store's purpose is part of its brand & market position, state the purposes of your business & promotions in each ad.
Example: 'Shop at (store) to make your home safe & comfortable.' Promotion Purpose: 'Improve your health & be comfortable by reducing dirt, germs & allergens.'
Explain how products fulfill the promotion's purpose. Example: '(Product) traps allergens during routine dusting. Just seal used dusters & allergens in a trash bag.'
If your store helps people get full value from possessions, promotions would focus on making possessions fulfill their purposes.
Example: Cars should provide more than transportation. Safety & comfort also are important.
You can be an interpreter & problem solver. What do warning lights indicate? Some lights connect to multiple parts.
Help people clear up doubt & reduce stress by replacing basic parts & topping off fluids.
You can refer customers to technicians for technical problems.
You can offer: 'We'll help you find reasons if you get less than you expect from (product). We'll help you with precautions & recommend repairs.'
Offer Example: 'We'll help to get your money's worth from your __. We'll restore its full function with adjustments or repairs, so you'll __ again.'
If your store helps people do tasks, you can offer: 'Get better results in less time when you __. Don't put off (task) because old ways didn't work well or took too long. With new technology, there are new ways.'
Offer Example: 'Will (task) bring the right results? Explain what's wrong, so we can recommend the right tools, materials & actions.'
Purpose Brands Can Strengthen Businesses
Competitors could upstage hardware stores with more attractive hardware offers.
Purpose brands focus on benefits, not product or retail categories.
Home comfort purpose brands offer more than regular hardware stores by combining products for maximum benefits.
Example: If you serve people, who have limited mobility, study their needs for special shoes, clothing, furniture, exercise equipment, etc.
Your purpose can be helping people prepare for & adapt to changing conditions.
Study & fulfill local needs by adjusting product & service combinations based on the effects of changing conditions.
Discuss with customers what's practical & affordable for their current needs, then recommend products.
You can develop plans to solve customers' needs in stages.
Create options based on current needs & recommend future purchases to increase benefits of what customers bought before.
Example: Help improve customers' homes for current & future needs. Though customers might need walkers soon, they need new linoleum now. When customers need walkers later, their floors will be safe. Next, they might need a walk-in bathtub.
You can supply updated solutions as needs change. If customers want solutions now for predicted needs, explain advantages of step-by-step adjustments as needs become definite.
If needs are predictable & if customers will need upgraded products, schedule improvements just before their needs arise.
Instead of going for quick sales, show your integrity by helping customers compare the urgency of needs & potential benefits of future upgrades. Help customers avoid spending money now because better technology might be available when their needs arise.
How Is Your Purpose Brand Superior?
Explain how you use knowledge of your local area & products to help people: 1- avoid or solve problems; & 2- create or extend benefits.
If competitors only offer products, you should offer more value with solutions. Solutions are specific ways to use products to end or mitigate problems.
Explain why diagnosing problems produces better value than guessing. If people think problems are minor, they might buy cheap products.
Help people recognize trouble, so they don't misdiagnose problems as minor. Pictures & videos can show how problems become worse.
Invite people to discuss problems. These discussions are for your education & credibility, so you can find causes then eliminate & prevent problems.
Help customers diagnose problems, so they buy the right products based on a purpose without expecting too much or little. If customers expect too much or little, they might choose the wrong product or misuse the right product.
Purpose Brands Are Specific About Benefits
Purpose brands can establish high quality market positions, competitors might fail to match.
Example: Cars are made for various conditions, but you can specialize in maintaining cars for local conditions. Winter weather is hard on cars & roads.
As pavement buckles, drivers need mechanics to check for wear & tear, cracks, rust & loose connections. Maintenance services should be promoted as thorough & specific for driving conditions, locations, seasons, etc.
Some maintenance is only oil changes & greasing. Define your maintenance offer & why it's important.
Specify features & benefits of your offers. Example: 'Maintaining reliability often requires minor repairs to prevent major problems. We check for safety problems & nuisances, so your vehicle will be dependable. We'll discuss what you need to keep your vehicle going.'
This is more reassuring than "routine maintenance". Reassurance is a major benefit.
Thank you for using my blog. Please let me know if I should clarify anything.
Copyright 2019 Dennis S. Vogel All rights reserved.
When you compete against big businesses with big budgets you need powerful marketing strategies & tactics. You'll find them here-
https://thriving-small-businesses.blogspot.com/
http://www.voy.com/31049/
Showing posts with label Offer Ways To Control Conditions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Offer Ways To Control Conditions. Show all posts
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Friday, January 25, 2019
Fulfill Consumers' Terms & Quality Requirements
It seems strange how some businesses thrive despite unfriendly policies.
Computer-based businesses have flawed products & push people to accept Terms Of Service.
Big box stores compete by cutting quality & ignoring customers.
When prices are low, some consumers submit to discount stores' terms of self-service & cheap products.
Since unfriendly businesses succeed, can friendly businesses thrive by fulfilling consumers' terms & quality requirements?
What Are Consumers' Terms?
Consumers' general terms are needs, opinions & preferences, plus how, when & how often people fulfill needs & desires.
What can people afford? If they can't afford a solution now, what can they do instead? Example: If they can't afford window replacements, what would patch & prevent leaks?
Terms can include warranties because people want to preserve results.
Terms can be based on life stages. What do people want/need now? What do they want to achieve by a certain date?
Fulfilling Consumers' Terms
Business practices & inventory choices should be based on customers' terms.
When deciding which products & services to offer, consider these issues:
What are customers' long- & short-term goals? What could prevent people from starting or finishing projects?
How do people prevent or overcome negative conditions? How do people enhance positive conditions?
Which results do people want to maintain? What could interfere with maintaining results?
With your knowledge of customers' needs, local conditions & products, help people define their personal terms. It'll help your business become part of customers' lives.
People's terms could include getting maximum value from high quality products. Explain how discount stores focus on setting low prices instead of product quality & effectiveness.
You can differentiate your business by helping people choose & use products for specific needs.
When people buy inadequate products, they become discouraged. If they stop trying, they stop buying.
Encourage people to conquer problems based on their personal terms. Example: 'You have a right to expect better products & services. We choose products based on our knowledge of local conditions, so we can help you get the right results. Explain your goals & we'll help you with the high quality products & knowledge you need to prevent & solve problems better than before.'
When there aren't better offers, people buy from discount stores, even if they don't like discount stores.
By explaining why better quality matters, you can attract people, who don't like discount stores. Explain how better quality improves lives.
Example: 'Instead of preventing or solving problems, cheap products might let you down when you can least afford it. We'll help you find dependable solutions & improvements, then show you how to get long-term results.'
Encourage people not to settle for less than they require.
Example: 'When you need solutions, avoid discount store cheap products that cause more problems. We'll listen to your descriptions & help you with real improvements.'
Reset Consumers' Quality Requirements
Give reasons to invest in top quality products, services & advice to control conditions.
Example: 'Top quality products bring lasting effectiveness & control, so you can avoid expensive repairs. We'll help you determine what caused problems & plan what to do. We have updated knowledge & technology to help you get lasting results from reliable products. We'll match products with your goals & help you produce lasting benefits you expect.'
Superior service helps people save time & avoid mistakes, plus it's more than most big box stores offer.
You can offer: 'Improve your life an issue at a time. We'll help you with plans & products to solve & prevent problems. Compare that with discount store offers. We'll help you get better results in less time, so you'll have less stress.'
Similar Conditions, Different Experiences & Reactions
Though people's conditions may seem the same, people experience things differently.
Example: Insects affect people differently. Some don't like any insects. Other people want beneficial insects. Bugs might be OK outside, but not in houses. Many people are concerned about safety, so they only kill biting & invasive bugs. Some people carelessly buy & spread insecticides. Some people prepare when they expect damaging insects.
Help people live on their terms by helping them with plans to avoid problems.
Planning requires knowledge. You should be prepared with product specifications, so you can help customers plan.
Stores can thrive by accommodating people's terms - especially high priority terms.
When you order inventory & plan promotions, you should know when people's terms are rigid or flexible.
People want rigid terms fulfilled in specific ways &/or times. Terms can be flexible if people aren't strict about methods or times.
Discount stores might not fulfill people's rigid terms because of generic product categories & insufficient customer service.
Tell suppliers about customers' terms. Suppliers should know what to suggest or they can develop products.
You can make better offers by expanding your information sources about customers' problems & suppliers' solutions.
Example: 'Let's review what you need to make your home ready for winter. We offer the newest insulation & sealants. We can show you how to make necessary repairs. These repairs also will make insulation & sealants fully effective.'
You can help people adjust how they fulfill rigid terms as conditions change.
Example: 'When you choose from this product line, you'll find the protection levels you need through each season.'
Offer Ways To Control Conditions.
You can help people plan full or incremental improvements based on their finances &/or technology.
Compare customers' needs with suppliers' offers. Determine which products could be used to prevent, reduce or eliminate problems & increase what's positive.
Can current technology fully solve customers' problems? Are future technological upgrades likely?
As technology is upgraded, you can help people determine which version to choose. Can they afford the new version? Is the new version better for them?
Discuss whether upgrades might bring full or partial improvements, then compare costs & benefits
.
People might focus on what's possible & important now without considering future needs. You can show your concern by focusing on current & future improvements.
Do/will people need different materials? If they change materials, do/will they need different tools & techniques? Will maintenance requirements change?
What do/will they need to learn about using products? As people change their conditions, what kind of side effects should be expected?
You can guide people's expectations according to current reality & to prepare for future advances.
Good Conditions Require Good Quality
Cheap discount store products might not last into the future. When you compare product quality, include the quality of future results.
Example: 'Good products have good warranties. With a __ year warranty, (product) will work for years after cheap discount store products have worn out or broken.'
Help people understand options.
Examples: 'With (option 1) you can __ compared to (option 2), which will help you with __.'
'Based on your needs & goals, (product 1) can help you ___. (Product 2) is a better investment since you want __.'
You can increase people's returns on investments with product lessons focused on their goals.
You can offer: 'Tell us when your needs change & we'll show you how to use (product) for more benefits.'
This kind of offer can help you adjust your business based on customers' lives.
Guidance Or Instruction
General task tutorials are available but aren't as helpful as lessons you can provide for using specific products for specific goals.
Solutions might be incomplete since people can't get direct guidance through video tutorials. Those instructors can't review results or adjust lessons for local conditions.
Instructions can show next steps. In-person guidance shows when to make next steps.
It's important to balance your need for competitive advantages with potential problems if people misinterpret your advice. You can specify how customers are responsible for results of applying your advice. You can get liability advice from a lawyer.
If you aren't comfortable with being an advisor, refer customers to hobby groups, instructors or related businesses.
When related businesses add products & knowledge, your collaboration can maximize benefits for customers.
Monitoring & Maintenance
Value should include forming realistic expectations, so people know the limits of benefits they're buying.
Big retailers' service seems to end when customers pay for products. You should show you don't abandon customers.
You can offer: 'We'll consult with you to be sure you get the right results.'
Based on customers' goals, should they buy a bigger quantity or higher quality?
You should advise customers about maintenance if results could be wasted without maintenance.
Knowing what to expect is important for planning & planning is important for achieving specific results.
Your offers can be powerful when you assure customers.
Example: 'We offer products & advice based on personal needs. Explain your expectations & we'll help you maximize results & reduce uncertainties by adjusting plans as conditions change. We'll work with you to reduce risks & stress with the right plans, tools & materials.'
People need help monitoring changing conditions & maintaining results. Use advertising to alert people about effects of different conditions.
Example: 'Because of the dry weather, you should __. We have the equipment & instructions you need.'
Thank you for using my blog. Please let me know if I should clarify anything.
Copyright 2019 Dennis S. Vogel All rights reserved.
When you compete against big businesses with big budgets you need powerful marketing strategies & tactics. You'll find them here-
https://thriving-small-businesses.blogspot.com/
http://www.voy.com/31049/
Computer-based businesses have flawed products & push people to accept Terms Of Service.
Big box stores compete by cutting quality & ignoring customers.
When prices are low, some consumers submit to discount stores' terms of self-service & cheap products.
Since unfriendly businesses succeed, can friendly businesses thrive by fulfilling consumers' terms & quality requirements?
What Are Consumers' Terms?
Consumers' general terms are needs, opinions & preferences, plus how, when & how often people fulfill needs & desires.
What can people afford? If they can't afford a solution now, what can they do instead? Example: If they can't afford window replacements, what would patch & prevent leaks?
Terms can include warranties because people want to preserve results.
Terms can be based on life stages. What do people want/need now? What do they want to achieve by a certain date?
Fulfilling Consumers' Terms
Business practices & inventory choices should be based on customers' terms.
When deciding which products & services to offer, consider these issues:
What are customers' long- & short-term goals? What could prevent people from starting or finishing projects?
How do people prevent or overcome negative conditions? How do people enhance positive conditions?
Which results do people want to maintain? What could interfere with maintaining results?
With your knowledge of customers' needs, local conditions & products, help people define their personal terms. It'll help your business become part of customers' lives.
People's terms could include getting maximum value from high quality products. Explain how discount stores focus on setting low prices instead of product quality & effectiveness.
You can differentiate your business by helping people choose & use products for specific needs.
When people buy inadequate products, they become discouraged. If they stop trying, they stop buying.
Encourage people to conquer problems based on their personal terms. Example: 'You have a right to expect better products & services. We choose products based on our knowledge of local conditions, so we can help you get the right results. Explain your goals & we'll help you with the high quality products & knowledge you need to prevent & solve problems better than before.'
When there aren't better offers, people buy from discount stores, even if they don't like discount stores.
By explaining why better quality matters, you can attract people, who don't like discount stores. Explain how better quality improves lives.
Example: 'Instead of preventing or solving problems, cheap products might let you down when you can least afford it. We'll help you find dependable solutions & improvements, then show you how to get long-term results.'
Encourage people not to settle for less than they require.
Example: 'When you need solutions, avoid discount store cheap products that cause more problems. We'll listen to your descriptions & help you with real improvements.'
Reset Consumers' Quality Requirements
Give reasons to invest in top quality products, services & advice to control conditions.
Example: 'Top quality products bring lasting effectiveness & control, so you can avoid expensive repairs. We'll help you determine what caused problems & plan what to do. We have updated knowledge & technology to help you get lasting results from reliable products. We'll match products with your goals & help you produce lasting benefits you expect.'
Superior service helps people save time & avoid mistakes, plus it's more than most big box stores offer.
You can offer: 'Improve your life an issue at a time. We'll help you with plans & products to solve & prevent problems. Compare that with discount store offers. We'll help you get better results in less time, so you'll have less stress.'
Similar Conditions, Different Experiences & Reactions
Though people's conditions may seem the same, people experience things differently.
Example: Insects affect people differently. Some don't like any insects. Other people want beneficial insects. Bugs might be OK outside, but not in houses. Many people are concerned about safety, so they only kill biting & invasive bugs. Some people carelessly buy & spread insecticides. Some people prepare when they expect damaging insects.
Help people live on their terms by helping them with plans to avoid problems.
Planning requires knowledge. You should be prepared with product specifications, so you can help customers plan.
Stores can thrive by accommodating people's terms - especially high priority terms.
When you order inventory & plan promotions, you should know when people's terms are rigid or flexible.
People want rigid terms fulfilled in specific ways &/or times. Terms can be flexible if people aren't strict about methods or times.
Discount stores might not fulfill people's rigid terms because of generic product categories & insufficient customer service.
Tell suppliers about customers' terms. Suppliers should know what to suggest or they can develop products.
You can make better offers by expanding your information sources about customers' problems & suppliers' solutions.
Example: 'Let's review what you need to make your home ready for winter. We offer the newest insulation & sealants. We can show you how to make necessary repairs. These repairs also will make insulation & sealants fully effective.'
You can help people adjust how they fulfill rigid terms as conditions change.
Example: 'When you choose from this product line, you'll find the protection levels you need through each season.'
Offer Ways To Control Conditions.
You can help people plan full or incremental improvements based on their finances &/or technology.
Compare customers' needs with suppliers' offers. Determine which products could be used to prevent, reduce or eliminate problems & increase what's positive.
Can current technology fully solve customers' problems? Are future technological upgrades likely?
As technology is upgraded, you can help people determine which version to choose. Can they afford the new version? Is the new version better for them?
Discuss whether upgrades might bring full or partial improvements, then compare costs & benefits
.
People might focus on what's possible & important now without considering future needs. You can show your concern by focusing on current & future improvements.
Do/will people need different materials? If they change materials, do/will they need different tools & techniques? Will maintenance requirements change?
What do/will they need to learn about using products? As people change their conditions, what kind of side effects should be expected?
You can guide people's expectations according to current reality & to prepare for future advances.
Good Conditions Require Good Quality
Cheap discount store products might not last into the future. When you compare product quality, include the quality of future results.
Example: 'Good products have good warranties. With a __ year warranty, (product) will work for years after cheap discount store products have worn out or broken.'
Help people understand options.
Examples: 'With (option 1) you can __ compared to (option 2), which will help you with __.'
'Based on your needs & goals, (product 1) can help you ___. (Product 2) is a better investment since you want __.'
You can increase people's returns on investments with product lessons focused on their goals.
You can offer: 'Tell us when your needs change & we'll show you how to use (product) for more benefits.'
This kind of offer can help you adjust your business based on customers' lives.
Guidance Or Instruction
General task tutorials are available but aren't as helpful as lessons you can provide for using specific products for specific goals.
Solutions might be incomplete since people can't get direct guidance through video tutorials. Those instructors can't review results or adjust lessons for local conditions.
Instructions can show next steps. In-person guidance shows when to make next steps.
It's important to balance your need for competitive advantages with potential problems if people misinterpret your advice. You can specify how customers are responsible for results of applying your advice. You can get liability advice from a lawyer.
If you aren't comfortable with being an advisor, refer customers to hobby groups, instructors or related businesses.
When related businesses add products & knowledge, your collaboration can maximize benefits for customers.
Monitoring & Maintenance
Value should include forming realistic expectations, so people know the limits of benefits they're buying.
Big retailers' service seems to end when customers pay for products. You should show you don't abandon customers.
You can offer: 'We'll consult with you to be sure you get the right results.'
Based on customers' goals, should they buy a bigger quantity or higher quality?
You should advise customers about maintenance if results could be wasted without maintenance.
Knowing what to expect is important for planning & planning is important for achieving specific results.
Your offers can be powerful when you assure customers.
Example: 'We offer products & advice based on personal needs. Explain your expectations & we'll help you maximize results & reduce uncertainties by adjusting plans as conditions change. We'll work with you to reduce risks & stress with the right plans, tools & materials.'
People need help monitoring changing conditions & maintaining results. Use advertising to alert people about effects of different conditions.
Example: 'Because of the dry weather, you should __. We have the equipment & instructions you need.'
Thank you for using my blog. Please let me know if I should clarify anything.
Copyright 2019 Dennis S. Vogel All rights reserved.
When you compete against big businesses with big budgets you need powerful marketing strategies & tactics. You'll find them here-
https://thriving-small-businesses.blogspot.com/
http://www.voy.com/31049/
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