Pander to wants, or address the real need?

When we create anything, it can be tempting to just pander. This is what they are already asking for, this is what gets searched for on Google, this is what they WANT. Give them that.

The problem is you’re just steering into the status quo. You’re “capturing” the moment, not creating change. Not everyone will use their work as a way to make things better, but if you’re reading this blog, chances are that you’d like to do exactly that. So what can we do? Surely, not pander?

We can listen to what others say they want. Then give them what they need. We may package a blog post, a book, a podcast episode, or a product or service as something they want. It’s what brings them to us. But once they engage, immersed in our ideas and beliefs, we can begin to show them what they need.

It’s easier to say, “You’re asking for tactics. Actually, you need to see things better first.”

But nobody listen to people who run around going “actually…” before they speak.

The trick is to lead with what they want, show them how you’ll deliver on what they want, and then tell them, “Now that we’re aligned with where we want to go, let’s take this one step back or to the side, because doing so will enable us to get where we want to go faster.”

Think of it like a story.

Status Quo: You (the audience) is going through a situation.

Conflict: But then, this thing happened. You feel it. I feel it. It disrupted the situation. But there’s a better way.

Now, of course, is where you’d offer your resolution, the better way. But before you do, you can say, “But before I do, we need to understand THIS first.”

In this way, you couch what they need to hear inside what they want to hear. More so, you get the permission you need to show them how what they want will be better served if you share the thing they NEED first.

Wants and needs play off each other. One sounds like fun, the other a chore. To make positive change, we can’t just demand people do their chores. We have to make the chores fun.

We can pander to their wants and let the status quo persist. Or we can address the real need, because we have a point of view, a set of beliefs, and a vision for the better way. To do that, however, we need to weave together what they want and what we know they need.

Make things better. Just don’t demand it by handing out facts. Get permission to show people and bring them with you. Tell a better story.

I was inspired to write this post thanks to a podcast called The Nod. On my podcast, 3 Clips, I dissected their approach to this wants/needs connection by looking at a subtle storytelling technique they deployed in one of their episodes. It’s a useful technique across mediums, not just in audio. You can listen here.