Marketing Tip: Sell them ideas!

The most successful business owners have discovered that you do not sell a product or service: You sell the idea. Today’s post explains why they do it and why YOU should consider doing the same!

Before its launch, Steve Jobs famously told his team that the iPhone was not a product, it was a lifestyle. Apple marketing then sold the idea of owning an iPhone and living the iPhone lifestyle. iPhone went on to become more than a phone: It became a statement about those who owned it.

Sell ideas and capture imagination

Over and over, we see that the most successful people in business focus on selling the idea, rather than the product or service.

For example:

• The most successful alcohol brands do not sell you booze. They sell the idea of the fun lifestyle, which they have attached to booze.
• The most successful restaurants do not sell food. They sell the idea of enjoying a wonderful, memorable, culinary experience.
• The most successful coffee shops do not sell hot beverages. They sell the idea of being part of the cool, coffee shop culture.

Switching from selling products / services, to selling ideas

What is the idea behind the products or services you provide? If you save people money, save people time or make people more productive etc., that’s what you need to market to them.

For example:

• When clients hire me, they do so because they like the idea of their business having more powerful marketing than any of their competitors.
• They like the idea of being more visible and more desirable than their competitors, through my copywriting service or marketing services.
• The idea of attracting the best sales leads or client enquiries is also extremely compelling.

So, it’s the idea of what their business will achieve, which motivates them to hire me — not a list of my features or benefits.

In short: Spend some time thinking about the benefits of what you provide. Then, consider marketing the idea behind those benefits – rather than marketing your core product or service itself.

PS: If you found this useful, you can get my latest ideas delivered direct to your inbox, for free, right here.