Hit The Demand Button

When I first began studying marketing, I was taught about the importance of satisfying consumer needs. But in reality, all consumers REALLY need is food, clothing, shelter and maybe a little sexual appreciation (so to speak). These basic physiological needs, once satisfied, would then lead our human species to satisfy more psychological needs such as self actualization, self esteem, achievement, etc. etc. etc.

As the years rolled on, I realized that satisfying needs wasn't quite as important as recognizing what people "demanded."

Well, think about it.

People need to lose weight, but they demand a Big Mac. People need to get exercise, but they demand a 72" 3-D LED TV to sit in front of and veg out. People want to have fun, but they demand something "different that they know for a long time."

And that's why they like bowling. They already KNOW what bowling is. They even think they know how to bowl. They have done it since the first bowling birthday party they attended. They did it, as a teenager, on a date; or as part of a group who conducted a fundraiser; or as a company employee who attended a holiday bowling party or team building event and THEY LIKED IT...but not enough to keep doing it.

Why is that? Was it because it wasn't different enough each week? Or it was not challenging enough? Or it was it too challenging?

Whatever the need or the reason, does it really matter?

What matters is finding the "demand button" and pushing it hard. Here's the button I haven't seen many proprietors hit in a long time.

This button is the demand for "belonging" to a group, or to "be part of something."

What compelling offer can you develop that hits these demand buttons?

Now do the Fred thing: Develop. Implement on a small scale. Measure. Modify. Repeat.