A few days back, over a dinner conversation, we were discussing exercising options and who does what to keep fit. Unsurprisingly, most of us conceded that we have (or have had in the past) gym memberships and are guilty of not using it. We all cough up a hefty fee to join a gym with amazing equipment, good trainers and what-not, and yet most of us don't last beyond the first week. While there are those who see their memberships used throughly (keep it up you people!), majority end up contributing to the 'drop-out' ratio!
And then I started looking around and realized that there a number of things (be it products or services), that we pay for and never end up using- a gym membership being just one of the countless others! Some of the other things that I could think up of almost immediately were: Home gym equipment (Yes, I'm talking about that treadmill or cycling machine that you purchase believing that your gym membership expired unused because the gym was far away/ inconvenient!), Encyclopedias (If you belong to my generation, you have definitely seen a set of Britannica encyclopedias stacked up beautifully, volume number wise, in that corner shelf. But even before the advent of Encarta and the internet, how many of us have used these marvelous books?!), Extended warranties (This one's a little tricky. In some parts of the world, this has become a norm, while in others it is catching up fast. Yet the truth is that most of us are 'convinced' the additional fee we pay towards the extended warranty will save us a lot of money- yet we almost never use it!), Roti makers (Conceptually, this was a brilliant invention proposing reduction in effort, time and using too many dishes. Yet, most people who did purchase this went back to the traditional way of cooking).
These are just a few of the things on the top of my mind and the list could be endless! So what is it that really makes us buy into such products/ services? With some reflection, I realized that its these products that are sales and marketing's greatest challenges. Identifying the need for a product/ service aside, one has to pitch these with amazing conviction to influence the consumer into making the purchase!
1) Perceived need: The salesmen behind these products have nailed it as far as creating a perceived need goes. I recall an episode in friends where an encyclopedia salesman pointedly asks Joey 'Do your friends ever have a conversation, and you just nod along even though you are not sure what they are really talking about? You need these books'. That statement right there, is amongst the most convincing ones that I have ever heard. Think about it- why do you need the gym membership when running or swimming or exercising at home is just as good an option? To 'fit' (pun unintended) in? And what was it that pushed you to make that decision?
2) The concept of improvement: Even if we don't feel the need to possess some of these things, we are constantly reminded that we can be a better version of ourselves, if we did have them! The Roti maker, for example was one which promised 'ease' in the life of the woman (or man as the case maybe) who used it. It seemed utopian to someone who had to use the traditional rolling pin and stone, standing near a hot pan, to make a meal for the family. While this was an interesting invention on its own, the salesmen and marketers made it the answer to all of one's Roti woes (notice how she harps on ease of making, winning the hearts of your family etc.)!
3) The fear of 'What if': Another amazing insight into the human psyche is to play up the fear of 'what if'. A lot of times, when we don't plan to purchase a product, we are made 'aware' of other people's trials and tribulations that resulted from making a similar decision. Especially true for the electronic items category, I have found more often than not, a salesman would tell me horror stories of another customer who refused to buy the extended warranty and ended up being sorry. The immediate reaction we are geared to have is to capitulate!
Of course the list could be endless. Yet, what amazes me is that in spite of all the the logic and reasoning we put into our purchases, we succumb to our innate nature and there is always a salesman/ marketer out there who identifies, targets and convinces us! Maybe, it is this deep understanding of the human nature and its correlation to the material world that really intrigues me, for in spite of being a victim to many such attempts, I still hold a grudging admiration for what it really is. It is marketing!
