Needs vs Wants. Why understanding the difference is important.

It is a fact that people buy on emotion – not logic.

What they choose to buy will have some emotional benefit to them.  For example it may make them feel more attractive, thinner, healthier, more accepted by others or rich and successful and so on.

Whatever the reason, logic does not form the basis for most purchases of either goods – or services.

Now you might be offering a great product or service that you feel people really need…..and perhaps they do.

However, is it what they want? Does having purchased your particular product or service make them “feel” better in any way?

This is one of the many reasons why selling a “preventative” service is so difficult for people such as Health Care professionals, Mechanics, Veterinarians, Dentists and even accountants.

There are no emotional benefits to be gained after purchase….. and unfortunately “peace of mind” (used a lot to sell to sell prevention) – does not work.

So – ask yourself – “What are the emotional benefits of your product or service”?

You know they need that yearly check up but how can you turn it into something they want?

A little knowledge can be costly….

I had a recent experience where a friend contacted me for some tips on marketing their business. I was happy to answer some of the questions and even email some information.

After all – that’s what you do for a friend….

What I didn’t expect was instead of asking further questions and creating a proper plan, she took some of the ideas (that she liked, disregarding the ones she didn’t) and put together a very expensive campaign including website copy that’s totally missed the mark.

I doubt she’ll get the results she’s expecting!

The message here is:

Don’t rely on fragments of information and expect results – no matter how good you think it sounds.

Marketing is not just about putting together some creative ideas and expecting them to work.

It’s a process that involves a broad spectrum of activities that work together in harmony to achieve a specific goal.

From defining your USP to researching your target market to selecting the appropriate media to changing your beliefs and using the right words and tone in your copy plus creating the right offer – it needs a carefully designed plan.

It’s no wonder that some of the world’s greatest marketers experienced many failures before they became successful. It’s a learned craft.

Please don’t make this mistake. If you do ask for help, be prepared to spend the necessary time and money to create a plan that will work for you.

Otherwise you could be making a very costly mistake.