Am I supposed to be selling them donuts or a simple, painless, practically free ($1.99 one time), scientifically proven solution? I hope it’s the latter. I don’t want to start now investigating a Krispie Creme franchise

Your thoughts and comments here and on our site are welcome.

Peter

Glad you took the humor in stride. Personally, it’s easier to sell me donuts than it is to sell me a gym membership. One I buy because I want it, the other only because I need to. It’s a subtle, but important distinction. The question to ask is are you selling what people need or want?

I’m sure my many neuroses are because of a childhood filled with ill intent. They were calling me something that was/is clearly a fact, so I’m pretty much over it. My comeback now is “wow… you are a master of the obvious, aren’t you?”

He could have easily said “sell drugs to drug users” (although even more politically incorrect and not meant to advocate any illegal activity…)

The intent of the article is obvious. It’s a hook that obviously has readers reading it. Brilliant!!

Many people need to figuratively (and literally) lighten up. Including myself!!

I suppose you’re right… but people who are overweight do factually have fat on their bodies. I’m under no illusion that that stuff around my belly is anything other than fat. (I keep telling my wife there’s a 6 pack abs underneath there somewhere, but she doesn’t believe me).

I’ll probably do a post in the future on word choice, reality, and accurate thinking where I elaborate on this topic.

Thanks again to you and everyone for taking the time to comment and contribute to the dialog.

You make a good point. I should probably point out an additional distinction that I neglected to make in my original post. Sell people what they want, but not necessarily what they ask for.

In other words, ask buyers which problems are important enough to spend money to solve. Then solve that problem.

Customers are notoriously bad at asking for innovative solutions that don’t yet exist. So you’re right, if you just ask what kind of product/solution do you want, and give them exactly that, often there’s an awful lot of room for improvement.

BUT, if you ask them which problems they care about most and what a solution would have to accomplish in order to be considered a good solution, then that leaves room to innovate within the context of proven demand.

Engin – I totally agree. If you have $25 million in other people’s venture money, take a big risk. If you’re gambling with your kids grocery money, sell the proven seller.

And as to the fat people and political correctness about weight, you could also sell slimming pills and hi-tech scales to skinny people since some have this inborn anorexia nervosa urge.

Warm Regards,

Dan