It is a classic lesson taught in most marketing classes – sell on the why, not the what. The request is simple: sell me this pen.
Many students of marketing start with the basics – it writes, it comes in different colors, etc. But the basic features of what a pen is will not help you beat out the 100 other pen varieties on the shelf.
This same principal can be applied to any business model. Why?
Customers buy on emotion, not just logic.
Telling someone you need a pen does not persuade them to buy your pen over the next persons. It is the same reason ‘we have food’ does not work for a restaurant’s marketing campaign. As a consumer, I want to know why I should buy your product or service over the competitors.
When thinking about a marketing campaign, follow these steps to start building your messaging:
- Who is your customer? What do they care about or what features matter most? Are they more interested in price or quality? What would make them buy more often?
- What are your competitors saying? If ‘fastest in town’ is taken, think of something else you can deliver on.
- Why should someone buy your product over another? Are you always on-time? Do you source local-only ingredients? Do you have a new offering?
