Sell the want, not the need

Convincing someone to buy something they need but don’t want is a losing game.

• “I need to quit smoking,” they say—while lighting up.
• “I need to lose weight,” they say—while in the McDonald’s drive-thru.
• “I need to spend more time with the kids,” they say—while turning on the game.

We’ve all been that person. But this isn’t a self-help post.

It’s about customer development.

If you’re picking a problem to solve, don’t choose something your customers should care about. Choose something they already do.

When someone wants a solution, they’re already halfway to buying. Your job isn’t to convince them they have a problem—it’s to show them you solve it best.

That’s where traction lives.