Why Leading with Problems is the Secret to Better Marketing.

Nobody wakes up thinking about your products or services.

They wake up thinking about their problems.

And yet, so many businesses lead with their features, awards, and USPs. Then they're left wondering why their marketing doesn’t connect with their ICP.

If you want to build relevance and trust with your audience, you need to stop talking about yourself and start talking about them.

The Problem with Product-First Messaging

When your marketing talks about features, you’re asking your audience to figure out how your product fits into their life. Spoiler... they won’t.

Product-first messaging:

• Makes buyers work too hard.
• Feels disconnected and self-serving.
• Misses the emotional connection buyers are looking for.

The Power of Problem-First Messaging

When you lead with the problem, everything changes.

Imagine your messaging says:

• “Struggling to convert leads?”
• “Sales and marketing aren’t aligned?”
• “Your team can’t explain what you actually do?”

Your buyer immediately sees themselves in the story. They don’t have to figure out why they need you, you’ve already told them.

How to Nail Problem-First Messaging

1. Know the Problems You Solve Talk to your customers. Ask why they buy, why they don’t, and what’s keeping them awake at night.

• Why do you win deals?
• Why do you lose them?
• What challenges do they face every day?

2. Build Clear Problem Statements Keep them short, sharp, and relatable. For example:

• “Leads are stalling and not converting.”
• “Your team can’t explain what you do in one sentence.”

3. Use Problems Everywhere Your content, sales decks, and website should all lead with the problems you solve. Blogs, case studies, and tools should help customers recognise those challenges before they even realise they need you.

Let's wrap this up.

When your customers see their problem reflected in your messaging, you don’t have to convince them you’re the right choice. They already know.

Stop selling products and services. Start solving problems.