In sales and marketing, "pain points" are things bothering individuals and organizations. These can manifest as unmet needs, negative emotions, or anything else prospects struggle with.
Understanding pain points help us tailor our offer, our marketing messages, and our sales efforts better. By positioning ourselves as what the target audience needs, we can drive more revenue more easily.
Why are Pain Points Important?
To earn more money, you need to provide more value. Your ability to provide said value is dependent on how well your business addresses customers' pain points. This makes understanding pain points a critical aspect of both marketing and sales.
The first reason is that you can sell better if you know what the other side is struggling with. For example, covering pain points on discovery calls and in sales collateral is a strong way to gain someone’s business.
The second reason is that catering to pain points long-term helps you create better products and offers.
Comparing Pain Points, Wants, and Needs
Pain points, wants, and needs are all similar concepts. What, exactly, is the difference between them?
- Pain Point: This refers to a specific issue or challenge that an individual or organization is experiencing. It's an active problem, often causing some form of distress. Addressing a pain point often leads to immediate relief or improvement for the customer.
- Need: This is a foundational requirement, something indispensable. Needs might not always be tied to an immediate pain point but are essential for functionality, survival, or efficiency. They will create pain if unmet.
- Want: While related to needs, wants are nice to have rather than essential. Catering to wants improves comfort, pleasure, or luxury. Unfulfilled wants are unlikely to cause serious pain or distress.
Understanding the distinctions among these three is crucial. While all present sales opportunities, addressing pain points often results in a more immediate and compelling value proposition. Relief from pain tends to sell more than the idea of pleasure.
3 Ways to Discover Your Audience's Pain Points
Direct Feedback and Surveys: Show your audience you care about their thoughts – ask them! Surveys, feedback forms, or direct interviews can provide valuable insights into their challenges. Craft open-ended questions to encourage respondents to paint a clear picture of their pain points.
Social Listening: With the ubiquity of social media, customers often voice their pain points online. Platforms like X, LinkedIn, or industry-specific forums can be goldmines. By monitoring mentions of your brand or industry, you can gain insights into common challenges your target audience faces.
Competitive Analysis: Studying your competitors can offer indirect insights into potential pain points. Your competitors strategic decisions' may point to pain points they're seeing. Also, customer feedback on competing products can highlight areas of dissatisfaction where pain points remain.
