The Key to Uncovering Business Opportunities: Look for a Poison Ivy Problem

Imagine you have a little itch. Maybe you got some cookie crumbs down your shirt. Sure, it’s annoying, but it’s not a big deal. You can easily brush them off, and it doesn’t really occupy your thoughts too much. Now imagine a different scenario: you have poison ivy. That itch is persistent, it’s spreading and it consumes your mind. You can’t stop thinking about it. You’re frantically asking Google, your besties and your neighbor’s brother for help. You’ll try anything to get some relief.

Skeptical? If this isn’t you, ask someone you know who’s highly sensitive to poison ivy. They’ll likely launch into a detailed narrative about the last time they had it, how excruciating it was, whether or not it spread, how long it lasted, and all the remedies they tried.

This is the kind of excitement you’re looking for in your customer insight interviews. Your business might not solve the kinds of problems that people get passionate about, but if you can find even a small segment of the population that gets revved up about your thing, those are you people. Build your product, service or offer for them.

What Are Some Examples of Poison Ivy Problems?

Poison Ivy Problems are so persistent and bothersome that people are actively seeking solutions. That’s why it’s such a big deal if you find one. Because people who have them are ready to buy. Poison Ivy Problems don’t actually have to be painful, they just need to command a lot of mindshare.

Here are some examples:

Maybe someone wants to learn how to bake one of those loaves of bread where you tear it open and the inside has those big airy holes. And they’ve tried dozens of recipes and can’t make it happen. If they’ve tried dozens of recipes, this is a Poison Ivy Problem for them.

Maybe someone is getting back into the dating scene after a divorce and they haven’t updated their makeup routine in 15 years. And they really want some photos for a dating app, but they don’t want to post them until they update their look. And they’ve tried going online but they don’t know who to trust. This is a Poison Ivy Problem for them.

One thing to notice here is that a Poison Ivy Problem for one person isn’t necessarily that big a concern for someone else. That’s why ultimately your product or offer shouldn’t be for everyone. If you focus on a Poison Ivy Problem, what you get in return for narrowing your offer is a group of loyal customers who will tell all their friends and come back to you again and again.

How Can I Identify a Poison Ivy Problem?

In addition to animated customer insight interviews, poison ivy problems generally share most if not all of these other characteristics:

1. They don’t have quick, one-size-fits all, readily available solutions
2. The solution might require innovative thinking or creativity
3. There is no easy fix
4. The people who care about the problem are actively seeking ways to resolve it
5. Solving it improves the quality of life of the person impacted

What to Do If You Find a Poison Ivy Problem?

If your customer insight interviews uncover a Poison Ivy Problem, your next challenge (should you choose to accept it) is to design a solution for it. Here are a few next steps that might be helpful.

Deepen Your Understanding of the Problem:
Explore the nuances, pain points, and challenges people face when dealing with it. The more you understand the problem from your customer’s point of view, the better your solution can be.

Innovate and Prototype:
Brainstorm multiple solutions that you might be able to deliver. Don’t just jump on the first idea that comes to mind. Be open to ideas you might have overlooked in the past. See if there’s some small way (inexpensive, fairly rapid) way you can get your solution into the hands of a few people that care deeply about finding a solution.

Test and Refine:
Don’t rush to launch. Collect feedback and refine your idea based on real customer input.

The Advantages of Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy Problems a great indicators of business opportunity because in most cases people are willing to pay to get them solved. Which means you, as a business owner, have a group of customers who are willing to buy from you. Not every business has a set of Poison Ivy customers, but if you can find yours, and you can offer something that can make a difference for them, you will be on your way to growing a sustainable business.

If you’re looking to increase your revenue, there are only two ways to do it — sell more stuff or raise your prices. You have 100% control over raising your prices. If you’d like some support figuring out how much you should be charging, check out my quick, on-demand lab class, Find Your Ideal Price Point. In less than 60 minutes, you’ll fill in the blanks on a done-for-you spreadsheet to calculate how much you should be charging and whether or not your offer is profitable.