Selling Solutions: How Infomercials Get It Right
I recently realized I’d rather think more like an infomercial than a political ad.
Nearly one billion dollars is spent during every major election cycle—much of it on negative ads. You know those sinister spots, blaming and shaming the opposing candidate.
But infomercials are all about solutions.
Sure, infomercials can be over-the-top tacky. But we’re still drawn to them. Why? Because they’re selling a solution—to clean our floors better, make our food healthier or help us get fit faster.
Whatever our problem, informercials sell the exact tool we need to change our lives for the better.
However, when we face big challenges—blaming is the easy way out.
Slow sales? Increased competition is cutting into our market share. Unmotivated team members? Millennials don’t have the same work ethic as their predecessors. Inconsistent product quality? This team isn’t paying attention to detail.
Approaching those same issues with a solutions-focused mindset looks radically different.
Slow sales? Evaluate how competitors are reaching our audience and shake up our marketing strategy. Unmotivated team members? Survey the staff to learn what work perks they value and build those into their benefits package. Inconsistent product quality? Establish new training procedures and increase quality control check-ins throughout the production process.
As a leader, when you demonstrate how positive thinking is prized over pessimism, your team will naturally begin to seek solutions instead of pointing fingers.
For every challenge we face in our lives and careers, we can take one of two distinct paths: solutions or blame. Choosing the path of blame stops us dead in our tracks. While choosing the path of solutions helps us fix what’s broken so we can focus on our future.
What steps can you take to promote a solutions-focused approach for yourself and your team?
Jason V. Barger is a globally celebrated keynote speaker, leadership coach and author of Thermostat Cultures, Step Back from the Baggage Claim and ReMember. He is founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, a Columbus-based company that works with businesses and organizations worldwide. Connect via email at jason@JasonVBarger.com or on social media at @JasonVBarger.
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