A Good Product Solves a Problem

I have been reading books about marketing, management, productivity and personal growth quite a bit over the past few years, and one idea that has really stuck with me is that of a problem, or a delicious problem. Seth Godin writes and speaks about this. He says that a meaningful product or service will sell well if and as it solves problems for people. I have been using this lens to question some of the marketing that comes up in my feeds. For example, I never click anywhere to learn more about a stylish pair of travel pants. I simply do not travel enough to need special pants to do so. That does not solve a problem for me. I am, however, a sucker for clothing or gear that promises to help me move in nature more efficiently, even though I know I could solve this problem myself my just taking less stuff when I go backpacking. I still have a wish or a hope that something I could buy would make my pack lighter.

This concept also makes me wonder about our product--fermented vegetables--and what problem it can solve for our customers. Steve and I have landed on this simple process of preserving fresh vegetables using salt, an ancient method of preservation that cooperates with natural processes. We chop and salt and squeeze fresh produce in a way that would be familiar to people living at any time over the past ten thousand years. And at this point in history, anyone with an internet connection and a sharp knife could replicate what we do and ferment something in a jar on their own countertop. The problem I think we are solving for our customers is that the product in our jars is consistently good. We have had so may iterations of our krauts and kimchis that we know what works, and how to account for variables of season and heat and produce itself. We have made a number of mistakes and learned from them. People could make their own at home, and we encourage anyone to join in the fun. In fact, we plan to welcome the public to our Sauer Haus very soon for hands-on workshops so you too can see how easy and fun this process is. And we are counting on a growing group of supporters to select our jars as a way of solving their need for consistently good, fresh, delicious, locally made ferments to enhance their pizza, sandwich, taco, egg, or just about anything they had in mind. Our customers and potential customers may know that ferments are a great way to support their gut's health, but may not have the time to chop, squeeze and attend to jars on their own counters. No problem: we can help.