Client Needs vs. Your Great Resource... a Scoping Exercise

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So this is one of the most fun exercises I’ve enjoyed walking groups through over the years as it reveals a lot about what we’re encouraging people to do and where we are guiding them.  This process helps to identify what core needs your constituents have and how you meet those needs… but it also will challenge you in what you bring to the table to them and may result in you having to step up your game.

The best way to think about this is to see five zone areas - I’ll explain the order in a moment and what each zone means.  

Zone 4        Zone 2        Zone 1        Zone 3        Zone 4

 

 

The exercise begins by plotting out two core areas… what do you have to bring to offer to your constituents and what do they need.  Often we focus on what we have to offer without thinking about what people actually want or need.  This exercise helps you separate those two thoughts so we can learn best how to then bring them back together.  

Once you’ve brainstormed out these two lists, then start to plot them in the various zones to see where they land.  HINT: what you’re looking for is how much of a constituent need is what you have to offer.  Use this key to help guide you:

Zone 4: All constituent need and nothing you have to offer OR all your resources and nothing of need/want for your constituent.  These are the most difficult things to promote and convince people they need or for you to create. 

Zone 2: These are the areas where you’re stretched yourself to meet a constituent’s need but it’s certainly stretched you to think outside the box and beyond what you currently had in your arsenal of resources.  

Zone 1: This is the most natural intersection of what you have to offer and what people need.  This was probably your first great success point and the simplest place for explaining your value proposition.  

Zone 3: This is where you want to lead people BUT it’s not where you can guide them to early in your relationship with them… it’s going to take time and most likely, it’s going to come from creating great resources that keep matching the needs of your constituents.  

More often than not, there are many items in the Zone 3 column and very few in the Zone 2 column.  That’s normal and to be expected.  We all have things we believe our constituents need… but they don’t quite see they have the need quite yet.  

 

Core Principle

Building trust and guiding constituents to a greater success always come by first meeting them where they are and then guiding them into resources they may not have known they need.  This is how you build trust and what helps built long-lasting value.  

 

Your Task

Spent time working on how you could be creating resources that meet constituents where they are - it’s going to take some work and time but it’s worth it.  

 

Cause Machine Solutions

Meeting constituents where they are is a challenge and a discipline.  It takes time to map this out and understand their basic needs.  Cause Machine helps provide the environments to deliver these Zone 1,2,3,&4 resources, experiences, connections, and content to help create your strong value proposition.  The asset creation is on you but Cause Machine will help you deliver that in meaningful ways and help you meet your constituents where they are.   Schedule a demo today!

 

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