The Solopreneur’s Magnetic Sales Mantra: Sell What They Want, Not What You’ve Got
Ahoy there, my fellow solopreneurs! Today, we’re going to dive into a mentality that could be costing you more money than you realize – the desire to sell what you want to sell, rather than what the marketplace craves.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “But Ade, isn’t it my business? Shouldn’t I get to decide what I want to sell?” And sure, on paper, that makes sense. But here’s the cold, hard truth: if you’re not selling what people want to buy, you’re not really selling at all – you’re just peddling your wares to a disinterested audience.
So, buckle up, grab a pen and paper (or your trusty note-taking app, you tech-savvy rebel), and get ready to uncover the solopreneur’s magnetic sales mantra: sell what they want, not what you’ve got.
The Restaurant Revelation: A Lesson in Listening to the Market
Let me set the stage with a story that crystallized this concept for me. I was sitting in a restaurant in Harrisburg, PA (yes, Harrisburg – the epicentre of entrepreneurial wisdom), buried in paperwork for a multi-level marketing company I was involved with at the time.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted my focused scribbling: “Excuse me, sir, can I ask you a question?” I looked up, pen poised, and replied, “Sure, what’s the question?”
“Are you in sales?” the stranger inquired.
“I am indeed,” I responded, intrigued by this unexpected line of inquiry.
“What do you sell?” he asked, his eyes alight with curiosity.
And that’s when the lightbulb went off. “That depends,” I said, a smile spreading across my face. “What do you want to buy? Because I don’t want to sell what I want to sell. I only want to sell what the marketplace wants to buy.”
In that moment, a fundamental truth about selling crystallized within me – a truth that would go on to shape my entire approach to business and sales.
The Desire Dilemma: Why People Don’t Want Your “Passion Project”
You see, far too many solopreneurs fall into the trap of starting a business based on their own passions, their own interests, and their own “passion projects.” They think, “I’m going to write this book because I’ve always wanted to tell my story,” or “I’m going to sell this widget because it saved me so much time and money.”
But here’s the harsh reality: nobody cares about your story except you (and maybe your mother, but even she’s not that interested). Nobody wants to buy your widget just because it makes your life easier. People only care about one thing: how your product or service can make their lives better.
As the famous quote (often attributed to Warren Buffett) goes, “The thing you love should be your hobby. The thing the marketplace loves should be your business.”
So, instead of starting your business from the inside out, fueled by your own passions and preferences, start from the outside in – by tapping into the desires, the pain points, the unmet needs of your target market.
The Art of Desire Cultivation: Uncovering Value and Creating Cravings
Now, you might be thinking, “Okay, Ade, I get it – I need to sell what people want to buy. But how do I figure out what that is?”
Excellent question, my inquisitive friend! The answer lies in two key principles: uncovering value and cultivating desire.
First, let’s tackle the concept of uncovering value. The true definition of selling is not “talking people into buying something they don’t want, don’t need, and can’t afford” (as many mistakenly believe). No, selling is “uncovering the value of what we have to offer so well that people are happy to exchange the money they have in their pockets for the value we’ve revealed.”
But here’s the catch: you can’t uncover value to someone until you first uncover what’s valuable to them. You have to ask questions, listen intently, and understand their desires, their pain points, their goals, and their aspirations. Only then can you position your product or service as the solution they’ve been craving.
Once you’ve uncovered what’s truly valuable to your target market, you can start cultivating desire – painting a vivid picture of how your offering can fulfil their deepest wants and needs. This is where storytelling, emotion, and good old-fashioned marketing savvy come into play.
Think about how Steve Jobs masterfully cultivated the desire for Apple’s products. He didn’t just sell an “MP3 player” – he sold “1,000 songs in your pocket.” He didn’t just sell a “smartphone” – he sold a device that eliminated the clunky buttons and made the entire screen a canvas for your digital life.
Jobs had a unique ability to tap into the desires of the marketplace and then deliver solutions that exceeded those desires in ways people hadn’t even imagined. And that, my friends, is the true art of selling: uncovering value, cultivating desire, and delivering solutions that make people’s lives better.
The Solopreneur’s Desire-Driven Sales Playbook
So, how can you, as a solopreneur, adopt this desire-driven sales approach? Here’s a simple playbook to get you started:
- Immerse Yourself in Your Market: Join online communities, attend industry events, and listen intently to the conversations happening around your niche. What are the unmet needs? The recurring frustrations? The aspirations and dreams that remain unfulfilled?
- Ask Questions, Listen Deeply: When engaging with potential customers, resist the urge to launch into a sales pitch. Instead, ask thoughtful questions and listen deeply to the answers. Uncover their motivations, their values, and their definitions of success.
- Reframe Your Offering: Based on your newfound understanding of your market’s desires, reframe how you position and describe your product or service. Instead of focusing on features and specifications, paint a vivid picture of the transformation, the experience, and the emotional fulfilment they’ll enjoy.
- Tell Compelling Stories: Humans are hardwired to respond to stories, so craft compelling narratives that showcase how your offering can help your customers achieve their goals, overcome their challenges, and live their best lives.
- Embrace Continuous Learning: The desires and needs of the marketplace are ever-evolving, so commit to continuous learning and adaptation. Stay attuned to shifting trends, emerging technologies, and changing consumer behaviours, and adjust your sales approach accordingly.
Remember, selling isn’t about convincing people to buy something they don’t want or need – it’s about helping them fulfil their desires and achieve their goals. When you adopt this mindset, selling becomes not just a transaction, but a service – a way to genuinely improve people’s lives while building a thriving, sustainable business.
The Solopreneur’s Desire-Driven Manifesto
So, let’s seal the deal with a solopreneur’s desire-driven manifesto – a pledge to embrace the art of selling what the marketplace wants, not just what you’ve got:
- I will let go of the notion that my business should revolve around my passions and preferences alone.
- I will immerse myself in my target market, listening intently to their desires, aspirations, and unmet needs.
- I will ask thoughtful questions and uncover the true value my offering can provide to my customers.
- I will reframe my sales approach to focus on the transformations, experiences, and emotional fulfilment my products or services can deliver.
- I will craft compelling stories that resonate with my audience and showcase the power of my solutions.
- I will embrace continuous learning, adapting my sales strategies as the desires of the marketplace evolve.
- I will trust that by selling what the market wants, not just what I’ve got, I will build a sustainable, thriving business that genuinely improves people’s lives.
Fellow solopreneurs, the path to success lies in understanding and fulfilling the desires of the marketplace. When we let go of our own preferences and passions (at least in terms of what we choose to sell) and instead tap into the cravings and aspirations of our target audience, we unlock a powerful force – a force that attracts customers, builds loyalty, and propels our businesses to new heights.
Are you ready to embrace the solopreneur’s magnetic sales mantra? To sell what they want, not just what you’ve got? Then let’s get to work: one desire, one story, one transformation at a time.
The marketplace is calling, and the solopreneurs who listen will be the ones who thrive. When you align your offerings with the desires of your audience, you create an irresistible force – a gravitational pull that attracts customers and propels your business forward.
So, let’s make a pact, you and I. A solopreneur’s promise to forego selling what we want to sell, and instead dedicate ourselves to selling what the market craves. It’s a radical mindset shift, I know, but one that could quite literally transform your business from a struggling side-hustle into a thriving, desire-driven enterprise.
Just imagine – no more peddling widgets to disinterested onlookers, no more hawking passions that fall flat. Instead, you’ll become a purveyor of desires, a master of cultivating cravings, and a conductor of the emotional symphony that drives sales and inspires loyalty.
It won’t be easy, mind you. Letting go of our own preferences and passions is no small feat, especially when we’ve poured our hearts and souls into our businesses. But trust me, the rewards of embracing this desire-driven approach are worth the effort. Because when you give people what they truly want, when you solve their problems and fulfil their aspirations, they don’t just become customers – they become raving fans, evangelists, and ambassadors for your brand.
So, what do you say, fellow solopreneur? Are you ready to take the leap, to abandon the comfort of selling what you’ve got, and instead embrace the thrill (and profitability) of selling what you want? If so, then join me in this desire-driven revolution. Let’s be the solopreneurs who listen, who adapt, who thrive by understanding and delivering on the deepest cravings of the marketplace.
The path may be unconventional, but the rewards – both financial and fulfilling – are worth the journey. So, let’s bid farewell to the old ways of selling, and usher in a new era of desire-driven success. The marketplace is waiting, and those who heed its call will be the ones who truly win.
Remember to check out our upcoming article in this series: Make Selling Simple – Part 4
Source: This article was inspired by “Selling Without Selling – Selling Simplified” By Myron Golden.