Are you a doer or a dreamer?

In my last two posts I introduced Motivational Theory. More specifically the theory of 4 motivations modeled after Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Motivational Theory addresses what people need and how that motivates them to take action.

To recap, the four motivations are: 
Stability/Control
Mastery/Risk
Belonging/Community
Independence/Self-Actualization

Know Your Customer’s Needs

It helps to know what motivates your ideal customer. That way you can speak directly to how you meet their needs in your marketing copy and on your website.

That task is a little easier if you are assisting your customer meet their need for Stability or Mastery. You are the How-To-Preneur. You are helping to fix a problem or teaching your customer how to fix a problem.

If you’re assisting your customer meet their need for Belonging or Independence, you are more likely helping with an issue of lifestyle, perspective or philosophy. You are the Idea-Preneur. 

The How-To-Preneur and the Idea-Preneur have different paths to reaching the ideal audience. Marketing messages for the How-To-Preneur can be much more pragmatic and straightforward. There are definite practical steps that can be used to solve lifestyle and philosophical problems. As an Idea-Preneur you first have to connect with your customers on an emotional or subconscious level in order to convert.  

So are you more of a How-To-Preneur or an Idea-Preneur? Can you guess which one I am?