Seek first the customers who want your solution

There are some entrepreneurs who go around marketing their product or service to anyone they get hold of. This is common for many new businesses believing the more diverse people they can reach the better chance they can grow fast. Which make them spend so much on marketing.

Even though, most online marketing companies have provided rich tools to help businesses target a precise group, Yet, some don’t know how to take advantage of those tools.

We can learn this principle from the life of Jesus on earth, while He was known as the Healer, He didn’t heal everyone who was sick, but only those who want to be healed.

Some people are sick but don’t believe they can be healed. Jesus didn’t have to persuade any of such people, rather He motivated those who were seeking healing but were not sure if He was willing to heal them. In the case of the leper man who met Jesus and said;

“Lord, if you’re willing you can make me clean.” Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” He said. “Be clean!”

Matthew 8:2-3, Luke 5:12-13

Faith is the currency for most of the healings done in the scriptures, and where there was unbelief, there were fewer miracles as it happened in the hometown of Jesus (Mark 6:4-6).

Christian entrepreneurs can apply this lesson to their business by focusing on customers who are actively seeking a solution to their problem or need. Then you can offer your business solution to them.

How do you extend your customer reach to those who have the problem but are not seeking a solution?

Questions like this are what stable growing business should ask in order to grow their market share. There are marketing strategies to capture such target group. 

For example, you meet someone who is very sick but doesn’t want to treat himself because he thinks it’s trivial. You don’t immediately prescribe the cure to such a person because he wouldn’t take it since he can’t see the need for it. 

If you’re a doctor, your first tactic is to diagnose them as evidence of the sickness, next is to explain how it will affect his life (try to connect the effect to something that seems valuable to him).

At this point, you have stirred a desire for a cure, by the time you prescribe a solution, he’s willing to take it because he is enlightened of it’s benefit to him.

Back to the scriptures, when Jesus saw their unbelief in His hometown, He focused on teaching them instead.

“And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.”

Mark 6:6

Since we understand healing is received by faith and faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17). It’s logical to start with the latter which may result to the former.

In the same way, in business, when you identify a prospect who isn’t looking for a solution but need one. Don’t waste your time, money and energy to persuade them to buy your solution. Rather, spend time educating them about the danger of their problem. Show them facts and statistics to appeal to their intellect rather than emotions. 

People need to know that not all marketing campaigns should appeal to emotions, you need to know what stage your target customers are in the marketing funnel.

Let’s look at what marketing funnel is;

Marketing funnel is the representation of buyers’ journey from prospect to customer. There are 4 stages of marketing funnel;

Awareness: This is the problem or need recognition stage, that is when the customer is aware of their need. You target these customers by validating their need and educating them about how they can prevent it from occurring etc. 

Consideration; At the stage, your customers are actively looking for a solution to the problem through information search. In this stage, you help the customers evaluate most alternatives. This information is key to enable them to understand what you and others offer.

Decision: This is the stage when prospects can become real customers by paying for your solution. Here you should appeal to their emotions on how your solution is better than others.

Loyalty: This is the stage every business strive for. Here, customers become loyal to your brand and are willing to recommend your business to others. Discounts, promo, referral codes are tools to acknowledge and keep loyal customers.

Every stage of the marketing funnel has its own marketing strategies.

Jesus employed the right strategies based on His target audience, He never said the same thing to everyone. To the Jews, repentance and reconciliation. To the gentiles, God’s grace and mercy. Although salvation is the main message for all people, however, the approach to the message varies.

Just like Paul wrote to the Corinthians;

“To those not having the law, I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak, I became weak, I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I can save some.”

1 Corinthian 9:21-22

Takeaway: You may identify many customers that have a need that your business offer solution to. First, understand what stage your prospect falls on the marketing funnel and pick the right strategies to reach them. However, start with those who are already seeking a solution.