What drives value? Has it changed much in recent years?

Well, of course values themselves have changed because they’re always in flux. What clients want one day, they may not want the next and vice versa.

Something that is highly captivating, or trustworthy generally is considered of value. Why is it valuable though? There are a good number of captivating or trustworthy products and services out there…Maybe it isn’t rarity then, though that must play some part of it. Of course our emotions must also be surrendered or maybe captivated by something valuable.

What makes our emotions do that? What makes a client value a product?

Two words: The Cure.

The Cure for what ails. The Cure for the itch. The Cure that solves the problem.

You might even have to create the itch or manufacture a problem (though that method loses out in the long run), but ultimately you and your client both win when the problem is Cured.

I propose a few actions if you want to take this approach to marketing and developing your products:

  1. Write down who your client is. What are their preferences, and interests?
  2. Write down your client’s problems. There might be more than one, so be thorough. You wouldn’t want to lose the chance to get a solid upsell…
  3. Write down how you will tell your client how to Cure the problem.
  4. Write down how you will Cure the problem.

There is a fundamental difference in the order above I’d like to note: the marketing plan drives the product. If you can’t market it, if you can’t tell the client how you will Cure what ails; you might not have a product that sells.

After you’ve figured out the pledge, design the product to fit.

What do you think, should you design your product around your promises? Or should you design a product and then build your promises around the product?

Pledge first, then the product…What do you think?