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1-Page Summary of What Customers Want

Fifty “Truths” About Your Customers

Consumers use different methods to decide what they want. They consider their needs and wants before making a purchase, which is just the beginning of the process. Good marketers are sensitive to their audience at every stage, knowing that the real test of a marketing strategy is how consumers react to it. To be effective, you must know what your customers want.

  1. Customers want to build relationships with companies, and Apple has been successful at this. They recognized that hardware alone does not create a relationship, so they added specialized content and features to their iPod device in order to give it a brand personality.

  2. Good design is very important. It can even be more important than the quality of a product, because it speaks to people’s emotions. Design has moved up on the list of priorities for product creators and companies who want to sell their products.

  3. Since 1956, when Glade debuted its air freshener in the market, marketers have been aware of how smells can be used to influence consumers. By 2016, this practice will become a $500 million industry.

  4. The power of suggestion – While there are a few studies that suggest subliminal messages might work in some contexts, marketing isn’t one of them. If you can see or hear the message, it’s not subliminal; the stimulus is above the level of conscious awareness.

  5. People will interpret your ad in different ways because they all have their own schema, or criteria for evaluating things. They also have their own beliefs and perceptions that affect how they see the world. If you can tap into these emotions, then you’ll be able to influence them better.

  6. “Stay in their minds” – If a person doesn’t remember something, it’s not likely that they’ll buy it. More than 50% of 13,000 adults polled could not recall seeing an ad within the past 30 days. “Recall” increases when people pay attention to an ad or when the product is unique and different from what else is on the market.

  7. Most people look back on their lives and think that the good old days were better than today. Nostalgic marketing builds upon those positive feelings about the past to create a strong emotional connection with consumers. People feel nostalgic when they remember things from their younger years, like favorite songs or movies stars, and want to relive them in some way.

  8. Motivation is the reason why people buy certain products. Consumers may be motivated to purchase a product because they believe in it or want something unique. For example, Cachet perfumes claim that each scent is “as individual as you are” (Cachet). People also vary by what motivates them; some Americans value freedom, youthfulness and materialism while others value spirituality and environmental awareness.

  9. About 16% of Americans are concerned with healthful, ethical and eco-friendly products. This market is worth more than $200 billion in the U.S., according to a study by Nielsen Co.

  10. People’s self-esteem affects the products they buy. To appeal to their sense of self, show how your product can make them feel good about themselves. Also, virtual reality is a powerful marketing tool that you should use in order to reach out to people who are increasingly participating in cyberspace.

  11. “You are what you wear”—People who suffer from incomplete self-definitions often buy brands that help them complete their identities.

  12. Gender identity is evolving in today’s society. It affects what people buy and how they spend their money. The definition of masculinity has changed over time, which may explain why men are spending so much on grooming products.

What Customers Want Book Summary, by Anthony Ulwick