Problem Solver Marketing Style

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PROBLEM SOLVER
Motivation: Competency
Motto: I will figure it out

Description:
Problem solving is what you like to do. You even take a problem solving approach to problem solving. This means you will employ some method for figuring things out. It may be the scientific method, or a systems approach, whatever it is it will be a structured way you use deliberately or intuitively to figure things out.

Your tendency will be to understand the whole territory (the subject you are studying) and all the parts and pieces that go into it. You will want to research, gather and analyze as much data as you can, get the facts and figures so you can come up with the “perfect” solution.

You want to know it all inside out, backwards and forwards, this way and that way. And in the process, you will probably come up with your own innovative insights and contributions.

You do all this to achieve competency. You just do not want to get caught with your pants down. In starting something, you do not want someone asking you a question you do not have the answer to. For that reason, you tend to be a good listener, listening for the facts, figures, and information, anything that will help you gain the competency you desire.

Strengths:
You are intelligent and thorough in your approach, an inquisitive thinker and investigator who can be seen by others, at times, as brilliant. Your determination for competency makes you ambitious and energetic to solve the problems before you. This can make you a valuable resource for your clients in coming up with the customized solution to their problem, need or want.

As you gain competency and expertise, this can play to your advantage in marketing and public relations.

You have a great ability to problem discriminate – seeing the differences in similar problems. This insight allows you to find better solutions to problems, which leads to greater client satisfaction, a real asset in business.

Areas of Concern:
Because of your desire for competency and thorough understanding, you can find yourself talking over the heads of others who do not have your background. You will seem to them to make things more complex, technical, detailed and difficult than need be.

In your desire for thoroughness, you may get into over studying a problem or subject, becoming perfectionist in your desire to understand something.

This, in turn, gets you into procrastination, analysis paralysis, and endless thinking loops. Here it can appear to you that you are getting things done by “thinking about it.” When, in fact, you are merely chasing your tail in an endless quest for the “perfect.”

As a problem solver, you need to understand that not everything can be understood by thinking. At some point, you must do! It is in the doing you understand more completely. For example, you can read all there is to know about flying a plane. But to know how to fly a plane, you must get into the cockpit and actually fly it.

Success Strategies

Playing to Your Strengths
* When reading or studying material, make sure you take notes, underline, highlight and ask yourself – in writing – questions to things you do not understand.
* When you write down a question to something you do not understand or does not make sense to you, you send a message to your mind to figure it out. Your mind will do homework for you and bring back the answer. You must do your part by telling your mind what you want figured out. Be prepared to write the answer down when it comes. It may come at an unexpected moment.
* Take time to crystallize your thinking by using your Business Journal. Write down what you are reading, studying, doing so you become very clear in your thinking as to how things work and how to get things done.

Strategies to Improve
* Problem solvers tend to be good at figuring things out in their heads, but are not as good when implementing. Apply what you are learning. As you implement write out a clean plan of action for yourself to follow and get done.
* Give yourself time to figure things out. Again, your Business Journal will be a valuable tool if you use it. If you do not, you will find yourself behaving like a flea on a hot griddle hopping from this problem to that and not getting anywhere only more and more frustrated.

Offline Marketing

Beginning:
You will feel most comfortable taking a scientific approach to marketing. You are ideally suited to doing your own market research and testing various methods statistically. Direct mail and direct response marketing in the form of display and classified ads or card packs which track can be your strong suit. You can also shine by offering free one-on-one consultation where you can delve into the problems and show others what you could do for them. Listing in directories where people turn to locate experts is another natural for you.

Intermediate:
As your confidence grows, you can boost your business by connecting with gatekeepers and mentors who respect and value your scientific contributions. A good way for you to meet them and gain their respect is to present scientific papers at trade and professional associations and organizations. You can also publish your papers as articles and prepare information brochures and newsletters that help people understand the complexities of what you do in simple terms.

Advanced:
As you become more confident, you can teach seminars and classes to other problem-solvers who are potential clients. You should also consider capitalizing on your PR advantages as an expert. You can conduct surveys and other research that illustrates the need for what you offer and then promote yourself by sending news releases to the media summarizing the findings and positioning yourself to be interviewed as an expert.

Marketing Vehicles

Walk:
Informative Brochures
Business Cards
Newsletters

Talk:
Mentors
Gatekeepers
Referrals
Scientific Presentations

Show:
Free Consultations
Demonstrations
Trade Shows
Exhibits
Volunteering

Tell:
Advertising
Direct Mail
Business Directories
Business Name
Classified Ads
On-Line Networking
Writing Articles

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