Most consultants struggle to win clients because they focus on showcasing their expertise rather than understanding what prospects actually need. The real breakthrough in positioning comes from identifying unmet needs—specific problems buyers desperately want solved but can't find solutions for in the current market. In this episode, Ahmad Munawar and Ana Laskey explain how to conduct customer research that uncovers these positioning goldmines, differentiate from competitors, and build offers that command premium prices while requiring less work.
Show Notes:
- Why feedback is misleading – Customer research should focus on understanding buyer journeys and challenges, not collecting opinions on your services
- The unmet needs framework – How to identify gaps between what prospects need and what the market currently provides, creating blue ocean positioning opportunities
- Tax advisor case study – How repositioning from "comprehensive tax advice" to "deal-relevant tax insights" led to more closed deals with less deliverable work
- The curse of expertise – Why leading with technical details and advanced methodology undermines buyer confidence instead of building it
- Meeting clients where they are – The importance of using prospect language and addressing their perceived needs rather than imposing expert solutions
- Value vs. volume – How doing less work can create more value when it's focused on solving the right unmet needs
- Being of service vs. offering services – The critical mindset shift that transforms how consultants approach marketing and sales conversations
