This is the very last episode of this mini-series where we have been looking at meeting the basic needs of your customer. Today we are talking about the 6th fundamental human need of contribution.
So, a quick recap, there are 6 basic human needs. We all need these 6 fulfilled. If your product and your offer combined can meet these 6, or at least 3 of these 6, that process makes it very difficult for the ideal customer to say no. That’s where we want to be, right?
Today we are talking about contribution. Contribution is the act of giving back, doing more, impacting more than just yourself.
A great example of this is Tony Robbins. When you buy a ticket to an event he donates so many meals to Feed America. Toms is another one that donates a pair of shoes for each pair purchased. Bombas, the sock company does the same, they donate a pair for every pair purchased.
Now look, if you can’t do that, don’t do it. You can’t tank your business before you start. So to start, you don’t meet this basic need. But in the future, do it.
Maybe now you donate some of your time. You provide a service and for every purchase, you offer an hour of your time for free to a community or a subset of individuals, maybe even school-aged kids, for example, to provide that service for free.
Make people feel good about helping other people with what they purchase for themselves. That’s how you meet the contribution need.
As you can see, each of these needs makes perfect sense. None of them are crazy. And you get it because you are human and you have the same needs. So, as part of creating your customer avatar, add in how you would meet these 6 needs for that person. What would that feel like and look like to them? Then, see how many you can deliver on in your offer and product combined, and add more over time.
Now, another quick caveat before I wrap up. Some people will say, oh I just need to do this while I’m in the startup phase to get the ball rolling, right? Well, are you selling to humans no matter your business phase? Yep. Then you will always want to look at meeting these needs. Any product, any service, any time in the life of your company. Maybe your business is changing, but your customer is not. Still meet the needs. Just try new ways.
Got it? So go look at your offer and your product. Are you meeting needs? Think about your ideal customer. How do you meet his/her 6 fundamental needs? Tie it together and make adjustments.
Be Legendary!