Pictures this. Your company manufactures this product, let’s say it’s a light saber. You obviously want to sell as many light sabers as possible, but the problem is that your neighbor, Darth Vader, sells a light saber that is slightly more technologically advanced, a little more durable, and costs less for customers. Sounds like you’re done for right? No sir, just like any good Jedi, you must “Use the force,” which happens to be marketing!
Admit it, you want a lightsaber now.
That’s right, although your competition has a slightly superior product, you use marketing to make the public perceive your product as superior. This may be by putting it in a swanky light saber case (packaging), or ensure first class customer service from your collection of droids (Vader’s storm troopers were never much for customer satisfaction).
What it comes down to is perception. This is the only thing that matters in the world of marketing. You could have the “best” (see my last post for why best is in quotation marks) product in the entire galaxy, but if you aren’t able to communicate these benefits to the public, or if someone else beat you to the punch and you’re playing catch up, then you’re going to be left in the dust. In this manner, Marketing is the great equalizer. It allows products that the experts deem inferior to compete with the “big boys.”
Let’s look at it from the other end. If you are the company who has the a superior product, you can use marketing to communicate all the sweet benefits to your customers, making sure they know you’re “all that.” This way, the public perceives your product as it actually is, a category leader.
So there you have it. Short and simple, but very important. It’s all about perception, people. And that’s all I have to say about that.
Photo from www.light-sabers.net
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I couldn’t agree more Jackie (stumbled across your blog through Ryan Stephens, FYI). Perception is key in the world of marketing. I love the lightsaber analogy (and not only because I love Start Wars + Light Sabers are bad ass!) – but so many people/companies get caught up in how they have to make their product better than the competition – and while that is important in it’s own right (to have the best product) – you can have an inferior product and market the hell out of it, increase the brand perception, and be made in the shade.
Simple and well put – love this post, and I look forward to reading more from you (just subscribed to RSS). Cheers!
Matt,
Thanks so much for your comment and glad you came across my blog!
Interestingly, my most recent post kind of builds off this one in that even if your perceived as king of your product category, you do need to continue to R&D and improve your product, because this perception can only carry you so far. If you don’t do this, reality is going to catch up with you and people’s perceptions will change as they realize you’re yesterday’s product.
Regardless, the power of perception is incredible and makes marketing that much more important!
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