Ninety percent of the marketing texts on the shelves claim that marketing is about finding a need and filing it. As a black belt marketer, you know differently. Marketing is finding out what people want and value and then delivering it.
This is why many companies struggle and spend significant amounts of time and money trying to find out what people need. But when they do, people don’t buy it! Why? Although they may need it, they do not value it enough to part with hard-earned cash. We’re all told we need to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, to exercise, and not to smoke. But how many of us follow these guidelines?
I have been part of several focus groups over my career. In these groups, people are asked about their views on a proposed product or service. An obvious question is often forgotten in these groups: Would they buy the proposed product or service?
The difference between a need and a want in marketing: a need is something nice to have, whereas a want is a must-have. People get what they want in life, not necessarily what they need.
Need is another word for benefit. But just because something benefits you does not necessarily mean you will buy it. That’s why we have the value proposition, not the benefit proposition. People will always pay for what they value; it’s the must-have. Once you understand this distinction, you will have a clear advantage over the competition.
Let me provide you with another way to differentiate between need and want. Think of two people arguing about ending a relationship. One person wants the relationship to work, so the last thing he says to the other is: “So what do you really want?”
They don’t say, “So what do you really need?” It is past the need stage. It is the absolute, and absolute is always the want or value. This is a small but powerful distinction all black belt marketers know. It’s all about customer wants in marketing—the perceived value they desire.
A want is equivalent to a must, and people always get what they must have in life. A need is simply a wish list. As you change your mind-set to think like a true black belt, focus on asking customers or prospects these questions: What do you really want? What is of value to you?
These simple questions help prospects and customers share their expectations, something they will move toward. It’s a powerful marketing question because it help you to find what is of value to them. Once you know this, you are in a position to deliver it.
This simple change in the question that you ask will have a profound impact on the way you market.
Let your competition focus on what people need, the wishful thinking. In the meantime, find out what your customers want and value, and guess who wins? Once you recognize what people value, you own the transaction.