Sell painkillers, not vitamins

“Find a need and fill it” is timeless advice for entrepreneurs.  In today’s economy, there’s a more instructive expression: “Find out where it hurts and kill the pain”.

There’s ample opportunity for pain relief in the financial services industry today.  Specialists who deliver services in leasing, payment and foreclosures, for example, are doing brisk business. Same for health care where services in nursing, mental health, and home health-care  continue to grow.  Business-training services are up over 400 percent this year compared to ’08. Energy services firms are sustaining rapid growth—especially the ones pursuing clean technology energy sectors.

Just remember this. If you want to ease somebody’s pain, don’t offer a vitamin pill. People today will pay only to relieve what’s hurting them today, not the preventive medicine for what may or may not befall them in the distant future.

All you need to know about Steve Jobs

In today’s Silicon Alley Insider, there’s a salute to Steve Jobs.

The piece, and the comments it generated, say it all.  http://www.businessinsider.com/the-life-and-awesomeness-of-steve-jobs-2009-6

Not the easiest guy to be around.  Nor the most pleasant.  But to focus on his sharp edges, or the decades-long trail of broken glass he’s left behind, is to miss who and what this guy and his legacy are all about.  I can’t think of anyone who can match his commercial accomplishments.  Not even close.  And that’s what we need to focus on here.  Commerce.  Pure and simple.   Can anyone deny, dismiss or even minimize the  thousands of “Jobs jobs” created because of this guy’s drive, obessiveness, pushiness, crankiness and prickliness?  Sheer force of will?   I’ll admit I don’t look back with any particular fondness on my brief time associated with him at Apple.  I can remember times trying to avoid him.  But give the guy his due, because he’s due plenty.   He’s created value, wealth and Jobs jobs.   Long may he flourish and prosper.  If he does, many others will too.  I can think of worse things.

I’m back.

Actually, what happened was I could no longer make entries to Branding Post which died last month in a horrific disk crash. The archives still exist, but the blog network (Know More Media) I wrote for, and maintained the site, went belly-up a year ago and I could no longer make entries. So, here I am.

Question: Bugged by cold calls? What do you do when you get one? How much time do usually take to end the call if it’s clearly not useful? Our shop’s doing research on this as way to determine a market need. More tomorrow.