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Whatever you're selling, if you can move your potential customers from thinking "that would be cool" to "I must have this right now," you'll sell a lot more. You don't want people to say your product or service is good. You want them to say it's necessary.
But what does that look like if you're selling something that seems boring or hard to communicate? Victor in Mexico City has a question about this.
I just finished The $100 Startup, and it gave me good elements to start my hustle. I'm starting a business around HR and change management. In the chapter "An Offer You Can't Refuse," you mentioned that we should create the "must-have-this-right-now" feeling for customers. How can I achieve that when what I'm selling is a service?
Most of us, even minimalists who don't like to shop, have felt the pull of "I need to buy this right now." Apple is very good at creating it. The question is how to replicate it when you're not selling cupcakes or iPhones.
Start by being specific about who you're serving. In HR, is it the executive in charge of the department, the administrator running day-to-day operations, or a whole team? Then ask what that person's critical needs are. What's hard about the job, and what would make it much better? It might be hiring, evaluation, or reporting. Ask them directly, or draw on your own background. What takes up all their time, is frustrating, or would be a game changer?
Services can become essential. Think of Slack or Salesforce: in some companies and industries, everyone uses them every day and is expected to know how.
The last point is the one Victor hinted at. It isn't just a logical offer that meets a practical need. It's a feeling. No matter what you sell, think about emotions. What positive emotion does your product or service produce? The stronger the sense of relief, excitement, or euphoria, the bigger your advantage. You can inspire loyalty and urgency with a carefully crafted service.
Have a question? Visit SideHustleSchool.com/questions.
