The 'Problem-Unaware Prospect' Does Not Exist

This post by Dale W. Harrison has been in my swipe files forever:

I’m always puzzled by the “problem-unaware prospect” so often mentioned by the “demand creationists.”

The two rules of reality

The first rule of reality - Just because you can describe a thing, even in great detail, does NOT mean that thing exists. Yes, we can all describe a Sasquatch, a Unicorn, or a Hobbit, but that does not make them real. 🦄

The second rule of reality - If you think some behavior exists in others, it should be found in equal abundance immediately around you in your own life. We’d all like to think we’re special snowflakes, but we’re mostly just like everyone else… sorry. ❄️

The test

For people bringing up the “problem-unaware prospect,” I always ask them this question:

“How many times a year does YOUR business buy something that meets an urgent high-value need where that need was so obscure and so entirely invisible that not a SINGLE person in the entire organization had any conscious awareness that it even existed?

And did that ‘sudden awareness’ come from some random spam caller, a cold email, or a Facebook ad?”

If your answer is:

“Why yes… this happens to us in our business several dozen times a year!” then there’s a solid case for marketing to solve the problem of the “problem-unaware prospect.”

If the “problem-unaware prospect” is common and worth pursuing as a marketing strategy, it should happen weekly or daily in your own business.

Right?

Yes, but…

Yes, people have problems they’re unaware of… otherwise, therapists wouldn’t exist.

But it’s magical thinking to believe that some random spam call or Facebook ad will “inform” you of that problem, and you’ll suddenly be breaking out your credit card.

How often, even in trusted relationships, does merely “informing” your spouse, child, or parent of the problem they were “unaware of” work? 99% of the time, their response is either denial or to continue with the prior inertia of ignoring it.

So why would Slick-Joe, the spam caller, be different? Or merely scrolling past some inane Facebook ad suddenly cause an epiphany of massive action?

They might not be aware of YOUR solution, but they’re certainly aware of it if it’s an urgent, high-value problem. 🤦‍♂️

What to do instead

The “problem-unaware prospect” is simply an absurd notion that some marketers and salespeople (especially spam callers) are convinced is everywhere.

Instead of chasing that magical Sasquatch riding a Rainbow Unicorn, focus on prospects who are:

1. Clearly aware of their problems
2. Clearly solution-aware (because they’re using some solution)
3. But may not be aware of YOUR solution

Selling to people who “don’t know they have a problem” by just “informing” them of their ignorance doesn’t work with spouses and doesn’t work with prospects.

Market to people who already know they need something that looks like what you’re selling.