"learning to ride... bicycle" and "ask the right question"
This two phases come from Paul, my professor, give me an idea to start with my marketing course.
It is true and I agree that no one know how to ride a bike if he or she never try it. Similar to marketing, learn from well succeeded business will give you a better view and how to achieve a strong marketing plan. It take time to understand which group of people need what kind of thing.
To ask the right question, it is not only for asking other people; yet, it is also important to ask myself "what, how, and why" to solve out consumer's desire.
Before I used to see thing as it is. Function follow by functions. Like a pair of sunglasses.
For protecting our eyes from sun light. But if it just a pair of glasses with a dark lens, who will buy this product. It have to combine "a must and want" that consumers are looking for in the product.
A "must" is a functionality of the object that it have and consumer is looking for it.
On the other hand, the "want" is different; it may not necessary according to what consumer need beside function of the products. Most of consumer tend to grab a little of "must" and lots more of "want". Therefore, if I can figure out what people want, even a small group, I will earn high income in a short time.
People tend to believe what they see without notice there are a hided information.
This group of people, and I, are call Top-consumer level; take in any information by vision of a product and service. For example, a body lotion that have 2 times concentrated vitamin C from whatever source label on its package. When I saw this advertise, I just went to buy this lotion because it have double vitamin C in it. After I did research on how it affect to colour of skin, it turn out that they only add from 0.05 mg to 0.1 mg. it does not really work out well. Therefore, every-time I buy something, I will give it a time for research on that specific product. The company were wrong, no they are right. It is just a answer for some people who want a brighter skin who fall in to trap.
And other two levels of awareness were educated consumer level and marketer level. Which educated level is somewhat aware of the options + quality of good. For a marketer level tends to have deeper view to market. The example that Paul show me was that > car = freedom + the function of transportation.
In that case, I can increase my car's sale by focus on the right group of consumer. Like, sport car = man = sexy or strong = luxury = expensive = high class, high profit people who can afford it. Or, a van or family car = married = woman car = shopping grocery.
Marketing is a way of trying to sell product to consumers by deliver message to them, it may contain 20% of functionality and the least 80% is fancy stuffs. Some consumer will welling to purchase this product if the fancy meet their needs.
After and during my marketing course, I will keep in mind to...
1.ask myself why this product deliver this kind of message to me,
2.what does it try to make me think that way, like a toothpaste, most of dentist advise to use this brand. but only 67% of the dentist said that.
3.And is it possible or really happen like the message told me.
