Desired Outcome: What Your Customer REALLY Wants (and How to Deliver It)

Unlock the secrets to achieving your desired outcome with expert tips on customer success and growth strategies. Click to learn…

By Ivana Taylor

Published on July 31, 2024

In This Article

You live and breathe your business. Late nights and innovative marketing strategies are second nature to you. But still, you feel a disconnect, a nagging gap between your efforts and your aspirations. Achieving success in this noisy digital world involves so much more than just presenting your products. It’s about truly connecting with your customers and addressing their underlying “why”—their ultimate desired outcome.

The answer to bridging this gap often lies in a simple yet often overlooked concept: the customer’s desired outcome. Whether you aim to attract new customers, create memorable experiences, or scale your business, recognizing and leveraging their desired outcome is critical.

Unveiling the Power of the Customer’s Desired Outcome

A customer’s desired outcome represents the ultimate goal they want to reach by engaging with your business. They are not just buying a product; they are investing in a solution, a transformation, an experience that aligns with their needs, aspirations, and values. This desired outcome transcends mere transactions, becoming a fundamental part of their journey and a reflection of their individual aspirations.

For some, the desired outcome might be a tangible result like getting a promotion at work, learning a new language to connect with family, or launching a successful online business. But sometimes, it goes beyond the material and dives into personal growth and fulfillment.

Think achieving work-life balance, improving physical health, or finding more meaning in their day-to-day life. Think about the different motivations behind a person choosing a plant-based meat alternative. They are not simply looking for a substitute, but rather seeking a healthier lifestyle, showing concern for the environment, or reflecting their commitment to ethical eating habits.

Grasping the essence of the desired outcome is like having a secret roadmap for effective marketing. It directs your efforts and allows you to present your brand as the guide who can help customers get what they really crave. Consider this scenario: you’ve poured your heart into building a business coaching program for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Will focusing solely on features, course modules, and bonuses truly resonate with potential clients? Likely not. Instead, dig deeper into what your ideal customer is looking for to craft your marketing message.

Speaking to Your Customer’s “Why”: Crafting a Winning Marketing Strategy

Shift your focus to emphasizing the transformative desired outcome. Now, you’re not selling a coaching program – you’re selling the opportunity to fire their terrible boss, achieve financial independence, and live a life of purpose on their own terms.

That is a much more compelling offer, right? Here are a few actionable steps to consider:

1. Ask The Right Questions: Unearthing the Motivations that Matter

Don’t shy away from diving deep. Engage in genuine conversations, create thoughtful surveys, or orchestrate insightful focus groups. Customer success management training emphasizes these tactics. Aim for questions that go beyond basic demographics and purchasing habits.

Unearth their true aspirations. Uncover the challenges they face. What keeps your customer up at night? What do they hope to change?

And what would achieving this desired outcome look like for them? Knowing the answers is powerful. Having supportive figures involved in the initial planning phase can do wonders. It might even bring new and surprising solutions to light.

2. Weave Your Customer’s “Why” into Your Brand Story

What if your product is something a bit less “life-changing”, like a software program for developers? While a software solution might not feel as emotionally charged as say, weight loss or financial freedom, you can still tap into the desires of developers.

It’s about showing how your product helps them solve real, practical problems, making their lives easier. Perhaps it helps streamline their workflow, avoid tedious tasks, or increase their coding efficiency. Your job is to weave your brand story around these “why” statements.

Don’t settle for just showcasing features. You’ll find the results far more engaging if you communicate the transformative experience that your brand brings. For instance, position your lawn care service as a gateway to having a pristine outdoor haven – a space for making memories with family and friends without lifting a finger.

Sell that effortless, relaxing summer lifestyle, and suddenly, your lawn care package becomes far more appealing. This principle applies beautifully to digital products as well. Think about free trials, which give users an early taste of value, making them far more likely to convert to paying customers.

You could highlight the potential of landing their dream job or even launching their own side business in your marketing materials for a course. Demonstrating tangible success, like highlighting testimonials and compelling customer success stories can significantly influence a prospect’s decision to purchase. By framing your narrative in a way that speaks to these deep-seated desires, you move beyond mere products and become a partner in achieving their ambitions.

3. Build Connection with Authentic Language

It’s time to listen closely. Tune in to how your customers discuss their desired outcomes and the language they use to paint that picture of success. If your target audience consists primarily of small business owners, incorporate the same language and phrasing they use when discussing their dreams and struggles into your messaging.

This mirroring might be subtle, but it can create a powerful subconscious connection. Using real customer testimonials within your marketing can boost trust and drive conversions. By weaving these authentic voices into your marketing copy, you’re validating your customer’s experiences and showing empathy.

4. Positioning Your Offer: The Bridge to Transformation

Connect the dots for your audience. Make it incredibly clear how your product or service helps bridge the gap between their current reality and their desired outcome. Avoid being overly technical or feature-focused when talking about your offerings.

You could focus on building a comprehensive inbound marketing strategy centered around creating content. Think in-depth guides or helpful tutorials. Focus on providing genuine value to your customers throughout their journey.

These forms of content not only address user queries and concerns but also provide clear and understandable solutions, aligning perfectly with the customer’s desired outcome. Take Lincoln Murphy, a recognized expert and innovator who, as he states it himself, “invented customer success.” He focuses heavily on the crucial element of “Customer Engagement.”

He emphasizes how offering an “Appropriate Experience,”— an experience perfectly matched to your customer’s wants and needs is critical. Understanding and highlighting these nuances fortifies your brand, attracts the right clientele, and increases overall profitability.

5. Embrace Diverse Marketing Channels

In a world overflowing with marketing messages, think beyond just conventional advertising. Instead, provide genuine value through a content marketing approach. Imagine creating an online community forum specifically designed to allow your target customers to connect, network, and discuss common interests.

It positions you as an authority and offers a non-intrusive, high-value resource that helps customers succeed. You can use this space to get valuable feedback about your products or services to improve upon them.

Practical Examples: Turning Concepts Into Action

Consider a company that helps e-commerce businesses optimize their websites for conversions. Their potential customers are business owners looking to make more sales, which becomes their primary desired outcome. By structuring their website copy, blog content, and social media messaging around improving conversion rates and driving revenue, this company can attract the attention of their ideal clients.

Business Type Desired Outcome Actionable Strategies
Freelance Graphic Designer Helping clients build a recognizable and memorable brand identity. Create a compelling online portfolio, craft detailed case studies, offer client testimonials, participate actively in design communities, and contribute valuable insights to industry blogs.
Boutique Fitness Studio Create a fun, supportive community to help clients reach their fitness goals. Organize engaging community events, offer specialized workout programs, provide personalized nutrition coaching, and encourage customer testimonials and before/after photos.
SaaS Company specializing in project management software Become a crucial partner in helping businesses streamline their operations and achieve greater efficiency. Offer a feature-rich free trial with exceptional onboarding resources. Provide ongoing customer support and educational content. Collect and showcase impactful customer success stories. Highlight integrations that enhance productivity.

Remember GreenThumb Landscaping’s success with the “Grand Slam” offer? Instead of selling individual landscaping services, they packaged everything together (maintenance, seasonal treatments, pest control, and even an online portal) to meet their customer’s true desire – a beautiful, carefree lawn year-round.

The outcome? Happy, satisfied customers and significant business growth, highlighting the importance of understanding the customer’s desired outcome in achieving marketing success. Learn how you can craft an amazing offer by checking out ” $100M Offers: How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No ” from Alex Hormozi.

Implementing even just a few of these methods can transform your business. It goes beyond acquiring customers; it creates genuine engagement and lays the groundwork for trust. A lower churn rate is another benefit to focusing on customer success.

FAQs about desired outcome

What is a desired outcome example?

Let’s say you’re a fitness coach. Your customer’s desired outcome may not just be to lose weight, but to feel more confident in a bathing suit for an upcoming beach vacation. Understanding that “why” allows you to tailor your coaching, encourage and motivate them effectively, ultimately contributing to their success.

What are goals and desired outcomes?

Though they might seem similar, it’s essential to distinguish the difference. A goal is often seen as a specific, measurable target. Let’s imagine you’re a marketing consultant helping clients grow their Instagram following.

A goal might be to gain 1,000 new followers within three months. The desired outcome, in this instance, delves deeper.

It could mean establishing the client as a thought leader, increasing brand awareness, or driving traffic to their online shop. Recognizing and addressing the “why” paves the way for sustained success.

What is another word for the desired outcome?

Synonyms include words like objective, goal, intent, target, or even the slightly loftier aspiration. It depends on the context and desired level of formality. Remember that using various synonyms can enhance your content and improve its readability.

You can also download dictionary apps on the iOS/Apple or Android app store for helpful suggestions.

What is an example of a desired outcome of a meeting?

Take a scenario where the purpose is to secure funding for a new product launch. A successful outcome is securing funding, but the underlying desire might be to secure a strategic partnership to accelerate growth.

Framing the meeting around both funding and a long-term partnership could lead to a more favorable result.

Conclusion

In today’s dynamic business landscape, simply marketing your products or services isn’t enough. The key to standing out is connecting with customers on a deeper level. This involves understanding and strategically leveraging their desired outcome in everything you do.

Instead of leading with features and benefits, concentrate on the transformation your audience seeks. By weaving their desired outcome into your brand’s narrative and exceeding their expectations, you foster authentic connections that encourage customer loyalty.

This customer-centric approach is not just a strategy; it’s about cultivating relationships where both customer satisfaction and business success become intertwined. By adopting this philosophy, you’ll watch your business flourish in ways you never thought possible.