Administrative Scrivener Industry: 'Market-In' or 'Product-Out'?

Hello, I am K.G., a former civil servant turned administrative scrivener.

Now, for this marketing segment, I would like to talk about two marketing strategies:
'Market-In'
'Product-Out'
.

There has been a long-standing debate in the business world about which is better, and it seems that generally, 'Market-In,' which starts from customer needs, is often considered the correct answer.

I would like to write about my thoughts on how this applies to the profession of an administrative scrivener.

What are 'Market-In' and 'Product-Out'?

The concept of Market-In

Market-In is a method of developing products and services starting from the needs of the market or customers.

First, you conduct market research to understand what customers are looking for, and then provide products or services that meet those needs.

Listen to the customer's voice and solve their problems

This approach is considered the standard way to increase customer satisfaction and create products that are easily accepted by the market.

Especially in mature markets, a detailed understanding of customer needs is important to differentiate yourself from competitors.

The concept of Product-Out

On the other hand, Product-Out is a method of developing products and services starting from the technology or know-how possessed by the company or professional.

'We have such amazing technology' or 'This service must be useful'—from the provider's perspective, you propose new value to the market.

Innovative technologies and products that meet needs customers haven't even realized yet are often born from this Product-Out approach.

Many products that changed the era, such as Apple's iPhone and Sony's Walkman, were proposed by the provider before customers even said they 'wanted' them.

Which is generally superior?

In modern marketing theory, Market-In is often considered to have a higher probability of success.

The reason is clear: because it solves problems that customers are actually struggling with,

Because there is a definite demand for it.

While product-out has the potential to create innovative products, it also carries the risk of being misaligned with customer needs.
'Even if the creator thinks it is good, it will not sell if the customer does not need it'—there are many such examples of failure in business history.

However, this is just a general theory. The optimal strategy changes depending on the industry and the nature of the product.

The Importance of Market-In in Administrative Scrivener Services

When performing work as an administrative scrivener, the market-in perspective is certainly important.

In what situations are customers having trouble?,
what procedures are they struggling with?

Understanding these things is essential for increasing customer satisfaction.

Only by standing in the customer's shoes and adopting a supportive stance can a relationship of trust be built.

Furthermore, presenting services in a way that is easy for customers to understand, such as the structure of a website, the way explanations are given, and the clarity of fee structures, is also based on the market-in concept.

Why Product-Out is Necessary Specifically for Administrative Scriveners

However, I believe that administrative scrivener work has special aspects that differ from general products and services.

Customers are not well-versed in administrative procedures

For many customers, administrative procedures are extraordinary events that they only experience a few times in their lives.

Without specialized knowledge, such as for construction business permits, status of residence, various business licenses, or inheritance-related procedures, they cannot even judge what is necessary and what is unnecessary.

In reality, there are cases where a simpler notification suffices, and conversely, cases where additional procedures are required in addition to obtaining a permit.

Customers themselves often do not accurately understand their own situation or the procedures they truly need.

The gap between a customer's 'words' and their 'true needs'

If a customer comes for a consultation saying 'I want a certain permit', what is their true objective?

For many permits and licenses, obtaining the permit is not the goal; there is a true objective, such as 'I want to make a certain business successful'.

Of course, it is often the case that clients say, 'I want this specific permit,' and we receive requests exactly as stated.

However, clients can only express their needs using the vocabulary they know.

But as an administrative scrivener well-versed in administrative procedures, you can identify the true issues behind those words and propose the optimal solution.

Proactive proposals that only an expert can provide

As experts in administrative procedures, administrative scriveners have the ability to foresee risks and necessary procedures that clients may not even be aware of.

Designing services that leverage such capabilities to make proactive proposals—this is exactly what a 'professional proposal' from a product-out perspective is.

Aiming for 'True Product-Out'

Furthermore, I want to aim for a 'true product-out' approach, where we provide services that no one else has done yet, conceived precisely because we are well-versed in our specialized administrative fields and have accumulated extensive experience.

I also think it would be interesting if former public servants could create 'true product-out' services based on their time in office and revolutionize the administrative scrivener industry.

Summary

In conclusion, the most effective approach for an administrative scrivener is one that fuses market-in and product-out strategies.

First, listen to the client's troubles and anxieties.

This is the market-in stance.

Then, use your expert eye to discern the true issues behind those superficial needs and propose solutions or necessary procedures that the client hasn't realized they need.

This is the strength of product-out.

Since clients are often in a state of 'not knowing what they don't know,' an administrative scrivener actively making proposals based on professional knowledge leads to true customer satisfaction.

And what you should aim for is to bring a revolution to the administrative scrivener industry with 'true product-out' services.

If you found this article even slightly helpful, please
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Also, on my NOTE, I will be introducing various information such as: ・Worries during my time as a public servant and my thoughts upon resigning ・The overwhelming competitive advantage that former public servants possess ・Preparation for independent practice, etc. ・Sales methods after opening a practice. I would appreciate it if you could read my other articles and leave a


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