Tonight my wife (Mel) and I are going to dinner with friends. Ange is one of my wife’s best friends and they haven’t seen each other for about a year.
Ange and her husband (Nick) are flying into town for a few days and we are going to a local BYO restuarant at 7.
Mel went out and did some shopping today and bought some beer and wine to take with us tonight. She purchased her favourite bottle of white wine – a fairly inexpensive drop at $10 a bottle.
But she was worried.
* She was worried that the wine wasn’t good enough.
* She was worried that she hadn’t spent enough money on the wine.
* She was worried about the perceived quality of the wine.
My question to her was:
“So you think you should go and buy a bottle of wine that is more expensive and that you probably won’t like? And this is because you don’t think you have spent enough?”
Different types of consumers
When you market your products there are different segments of buyers. My wife, because her special friend is visiting, has turned into an ‘aspirational’ type. She aspires to something better. In this case wine.
It’s the very same reason Mel has spent the day cleaning the house from top to bottom and that the kids aren’t allowed to make any sort of mess at all!
Ange and Nick are coming at 4 p.m for a chat and a drink before we go to dinner. Mel wants the house to be perfect for them, so they are impressed (That aspirational focus again).
The important marketing aspects I’ve been reminded about from this simple story are these:
1. Many people equate price with quality. There are different markets for your product or services
2. There are different consumer ‘types’ buying your products or services (and consumers can jump between them)
3. There are different motivating factors when buying your products or services
4. My wife is nuts
Take the first 3 aspects into consideration when considering your marketing positioning. For example, you might market to aspirational consumers – you may not need to market yourself as the lowest price within the market. That could actually turn your target market off!
P.S: Mel darling, if you ever read this I’m just kidding about you being crazy! I’m just doing it for dramatic effect! Please, please forgive me.
Regards
Brendon
(originally posted on www.tailored August 2003)