I read this in a business book once:
People don’t buy products, they buy a better version of themselves.
I’m not sure what book I saw that in. It’s something Kathy Sierra talks about a lot. But somehow I find it very easy to forget.
And while I encountered this quote in the context of marketing, it’s equally important to remember when building software solutions.
When writing software I often remind myself to keep my eye on the problem that is being solved. But while problem-solving is a better focus than “building a thing”, there is another level of perspective that goes above and beyond.
Solving problems will keep you employed. Solving problems will make you a valuable team member.
Helping people become better versions of themselves is what will transform your career. It’s what will move you from team member to team leader. Sometimes, it’s what creates whole new application categories.
When I think about what my business mission is, this idea of “making people better” comes back to me a lot. It’s surprisingly difficult, when planning a book or a course, to put aside thoughts of “here is what I will teach you”. And instead, focus on “here is who you will be when you finish”.
But it’s worth the effort to do that reframing. If you can draw yourself a picture of who your customer will become, you’ll create a better product and have a much better idea of how to market it.