You’ve probably heard the famous quote that I, too, encountered over and over again in college:

“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole.”

The idea behind it is basically correct: Don’t show the way, but the result.

But if we are honest: Who has the desire for the result of having a hole in the wall?

Ask 5 times “Why?” to find the real desire!

A hole in the wall is one of the last things I want in my house. Unless…

Unless I have a plan for what I’m going to do with that hole.

Here are a few examples of why I have holes drilled in my walls:

Hang:
• lamps.
• televisions.
• pictures.
• whiteboards.

You see, the story does not end with the hole. And usually not even one step further. Why do you want a picture in the apartment?

• To have memories visible.
• To make my walls not look so bare.
• To impress my friends with my new NFT collection.

Here is something for your customer interviews:

When people go to a hardware store, they usually go straight to the right shelf. After all, they already know what they’re looking for.

“I need a drill.”

Well, what if I told you that I recently put pictures on the wall without drilling a hole?

I was recommended a strong adhesive by a friend. Because I didn’t mention that I wanted a hole. I said I wanted to install pictures in our new apartment.

Don’t assume people know what they need!

The possible solution alternatives for one and the same desire can be very diverse!