| |
| |
|
Marketing Information |
|
|
|
Linking Features & Benefits
I'm sure that you've had those Eureka! moments, too. When a piece of information suddenly helped you see or understand something that hadn't been apparent before. For me, one came when I discovered means-end analysis, a marketing concept that helps us understand why listeners or readers might respond -- or not respond -- to our messages. It does this by clarifying the relationship between product features and the benefits experienced by consumers. I also believe it has great potential for developing communication strategies. But first, let's review the marketing connection: Consumers know about products in three general ways: * by the attributes (features) they possess; * by the consequences of 'consuming' those attributes; and * by the way the consequences help satisfy personal needs. As the list suggests, these types of knowledge are linked, providing connections among attributes, consequences, and the value-fulfillment benefits we derive from them. For example, a luxury car offers a number of attributes (features) that make it distinctive. Owning and driving one has some personal consequences, which might include showing others that the owner is affluent and successful. That, in turn, satisfies the owner's value-driven need to be seen as successful... Now, let's look at the same example another way. A low-end car's attributes might include an inexpensive purchase price and economical operation. One personal consequence of owning a car with these attributes might be to have more money available for saving. And, that could provide value satisfaction by giving the owner a sense of accomplishment as she watches her savings account grow. In developing a communication strategy, the means-end concept offers a couple of important tools. First, it suggests a way to structure messages. Start with attributes, link those attributes to personal consequences, and then link the consequences to satisfying personal value-needs. Second, it may help us predict the impact of our messages. For example, say your manufacturing plant is about to buy and install a major piece of machinery, and you want employees to know about it. For the plant newsletter, you write an article, starting with attributes of the new machinery. Now, link those attributes to personal consequences: The new equipment enhances the long-term viability of the plant, which makes employees' jobs more secure. And, secure jobs satisfy an important value requirement among employees, which is to provide their families with a good standard of living. But, suppose you finish writing about the attributes, and you can't get a grip on the personal consequences for employees, or how it will satisfy their value needs. That should help you predict that the message will fall on deaf - perhaps even hostile - ears. Given that knowledge, you can rethink what you're doing, what you're saying, or how you're saying it. In summary, by linking features and benefits, we give ourselves an opportunity to understand and construct effective messages, for both marketing and other purposes. Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at: http://www.communication-newsletter.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Marketing - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Arts Marketing : Suggestions for Students and Beginners Many artists create art but when it comes to marketing and selling their work, well, that is another story. It may seem daunting at first but artists can do marketing easily if they just think logically and commit time to the effort. The 5 Musts of Marketing For most of the small business owners I work with, marketing has become the equivalent of a four-letter word. Inevitably, when I ask the question, "Do you have a marketing plan?" or "What marketing activities do you engage in?" I get the full gamut of responses from the proverbial deer in the headlights stare, to a vociferous, "I hate marketing, it's the least favorite part of my business!"After years of witnessing this reaction, and learning a bit about modern marketing, I'm starting to understand why traditional marketing is perceived and experienced as a necessary evil and avoided like a root canal. Postcard Direct Mail Marketing: 15 Ways To Grab Attention If you use direct mail postcards to generate leads or sell a product or service, you need to create postcards that grab your prospect's attention. The place to do that is Side A, the side that doesn't have the stamp and address on it. 2 Step Marketing Do it Right.I receive postcards all the time. Beyond the Booth With the advent of spring, trade shows begin to blossom. Research suggests that tradeshows are where today's businesses invest much of their marketing budgets. Marketing in Business and Commerce in the New Consciousness The point is what you give to another you give to yourself; the reason being that there is only one of us. You are apart part of the Universal life force just the same as your customer is. Getting Paid to Promote Yourself We all know we can pay a magazine or a newspaper to run ads for us. Businesses do it all the time. The Role of Marketing for Boards of Directors Small and emerging companies often do not put together a board of advisors or board of directors for many reasons. Some entrepreneurs believe that businessmen and women would not be willing to serve on their board of advisors for the little or no compensation that the new company can afford. Create a Blueprint for Your Success Having a strong foundation enables you to build a thriving, profitable life and business. A simple method to create this foundation is with Discovery, Vision, Planning and Benchmarking, the four cornerstones of your life as well as your business. When The Stars Align - Choosing the Right Entertainment Savvy event producers follow the Golden Rule: know thy audience. When they set out to create a special event, the first thing they do is slip into the shoes of a typical guest. 5 Reasons Your Marketing Communication is Falling Flat One of my associates sent me a promotional email she'd received. "I know this marketing communication doesn't work," she told me, "but why doesn't this make me want to buy?" I took a look, and what I saw was familiar and sad. 6 MUST Have Strategies To Make Big Bucks with Big Ticket Items Strategy #1: Change Your Mindset That's right, change your mindset! It's probably the number one most important strategy when selling Big Ticket Items. Plenty of people are uncomfortable selling items that are priced above the $500 - $1000 mark. FREE Means MORE Business Why give freebies?We have all seen freebies at trade shows and we have all probably seen the person that goes from booth to booth collecting as much of it as possible. There is always someone that only goes to get the free stuff, but then again there are also people that go there to learn about new products or services. Sell Your Name, Not Your Product Do you know what the majority of people sell? I could not tell you what Michael Green sells, but if he does sell something, then I would probably buy it. His name is popular among the "Marketers". Measuring the Return on Your Direct Mail Investment In direct mail lore, there's a rule stating that you can measure the success of your efforts by a minimum response rate of 1-2%. In other words, if you send out 10,000 pieces, you'll have a successful mailing if at least 100 recipients respond to your offer. How To Perfect Your Marketing Message! When it comes to your marketing message, the little things count. Trouble is, you'll never come to respect how much, until you make a commitment to science. To Be Successful Sell to Wants not Needs My mother used to tell me, tongue in cheek, that I never wanted anything in my life- everything I asked for was something I needed!! Think about it. We say, "I need a new car. Blowing Your Own Horn Opportunity Assistance Business Resource Center http://www.opportunityassistance. 10 Proven Ways To Accelerate Your Profits 1. Make copies of your web site in many different languages. Stretch Your Marketing Reach One of the most cost effective marketing strategies you can utilize is an online newsletter, also referred to as an E-Zine.You can provide valuable content to your customers and potential customers with an E-Zine.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |