When trying to match the demand of the customer, the eternal question is what does the customer want? As the lead-time for supply can be considerable, can we discover a demand on the side of the client that is eternal? Yes we can.
There is a long term running research about happiness at the University of Tilburg in The Netherlands. That research has found that there is one thing that always gives a feeling of happiness to practically everybody. What is that element of ‘eternal demand’?
The eternal demand is the chance to develop. Not the development itself, the chance to develop will do. Give anybody the feeling that your product or your service represents a chance to develop themselves and the resulting feeling will be happiness. People want to have that feeling that they can develop, that they can progress, that they have chances and options.
So do not tell what you product or service can do or how beautiful it is or this or that. Tell the client what your service or product can do for his or her development. Not for every product and service it is easy to see how it helps the client with a chance t develop. Mostly it takes some creative thinking. But it is worthwhile the investment in time and energy.
Example. Insurances. Can be presented as a way to cover risk. Nice, but dull. Rethink. Once you are insured against this risk, you will not have to build a financial reserve just in case this risk presents itself. That makes your money free to invest in yourself, to invest in your personal development.
Example. A book. Yes, you can buy it for pleasure, and pleasure it is. Bur every book is also a journey and on every journey you can make discoveries that give you a chance to develop your thinking and creativity. Every book opens up your life and offers alternatives for your present life.
Example. Gardening supplies. Everybody can put a plant in a pot and water it. But what if you really invest in perfect maintenance of a beautiful plant? Maintaining plants with great care and great tools loads your mind and gut-feeling with the conviction that you can execute a perfect job. A perfect plant represents a strong mind. And a strong mind will give you new opportunities because people will see that and love that.
Try it out. Rethink your services and products from the perspective of the chance of your client to develop. You will be surprised.E