People buy things for a variety of reasons. I reluctantly bought 4 new tires for my Suburu Outback recently because some idiot left a nail laying on the road which I managed to drive over (talk about a needle in the haystack). Sometimes, you really need something, like a tire for your car or a computer for work. More often than not, though, we buy things because we want them. I didn’t need the Arctic Monkeys CD or the canoe, but I bought them anyway.
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Marketers respond to needs and wants differently. They may offer a range of products at different price points to respond to the variety of budgets of the people who need them. They may also include extra features or special designs for those who want them. Often, the marketing to needs and wants are combined. When I bought the tires that I needed, the salesman asked if I wanted the treads cut in a certain way for better traction on Mt. Baker.
Often, marketers concentrate on converting basic needs into wants. They understand that we have to buy something if we need it, so they focus on the wallet share by playing to our wants in a time of need and try to persuade us to purchase the upgraded model or extended service for the product we need. They do this by creating stories that play to our emotions. These sunglasses are cool. I want to be cool. Brad Pitt is cool. Brad Pitt has these sunglasses. I want these sunglasses. Sometimes, we’ll be convinced (or convince ourselves) that we need those sunglasses.
Think about the products and services that you purchased recently. Did you need them or want them? What convinced you to purchase something beyond your basic need or want? What story was told? What emotion was involved?
