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Boost Your Sales through a Strong Product Identity
Selling a product is more complex than it used to be. The world changes constantly, and businesses are more pressured to stay competitive. Modern consumers are also tech-savvy and expect to buy what they want whenever they want. They want a simple buying process with many delivery options and prefer fewer choices to make their buying experience faster and more accessible.
Today’s article will discuss what modern consumers want and how businesses are changing to meet their needs. We’ll cover topics like what consumers expect, what they value most, and how enterprises adjust their products and marketing to keep up.
What the modern customer looks like
Today’s consumers express themselves through the products they buy. Brands and products are more than just tools to make life easier. They allow people to show off their values and personalities. As a result, businesses increasingly focus on customers’ lifestyles, values, and habits to understand their preferences.
Marketing to the modern consumer is also about more than just showing how a product works. It’s about illustrating a lifestyle that people can identify with. A typical example is beer ads. They often show attractive people having fun on the beach or enjoying themselves at social gatherings. Life insurance ads show families having barbecues. Smartphone ads show people with active lifestyles easily connecting with other people. These ads basically sell a lifestyle, not just a product. The key takeaway is that these ads present a lifestyle consumers can identify with and desire.
You are what you buy.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Today, it’s more like “you are what you buy.” Experts have looked into this idea and discovered that brands and products now play a significant role in how we express ourselves. It’s not just about buying what we want or need – it’s about using purchases to show what we’re like and how we’re similar to others with like interests.
Your demographic doesn’t define you.
Businesses used to think they could determine their ideal customer by examining demographics like age or education. But now, that method seems old-fashioned. What really matters is people’s lifestyles, values, and habits. We know from experience that diversity is a good thing. But, surprisingly, what makes us similar is more important than what makes us different.
When trying to reach your ideal customer, it’s essential to think about how they live, what they care about, and how they shop. For example, are they always on the move, looking for comfort and convenience? Do they prioritize fitting in with their peer group, or are they passionate about social or environmental causes? And when purchasing, do they stick to familiar products or make spur-of-the-moment or bulk purchases?
Successful marketing sells a lifestyle.
Marketing has changed. It’s no longer about selling a product but creating an experience which customers want to participate.
This continuing shift in marketing strategy is evident in how companies target their audiences and use marketing budgets. So much time and money have been spent researching what consumers want or need so that products fit those needs perfectly and stand out. The result? Commercials on TV and video ads on social media featuring lifestyle focus–not just products or services themselves!
Lifestyle advertising is powerful.
Lifestyle advertising is an effective marketing technique. It presents a current lifestyle or one you aspire to while providing enough information about the advertised product or service so that viewers can make an informed decision about purchasing it.
Lifestyle ads often omit specific details about differentiating a product from similar products. Instead, they focus on showing how your life could be improved by using it–and implicitly asking consumers if they want their lives improved in this way. The challenge for marketers is to identify the proper lifestyle for your product and show how your product fits into that lifestyle.
The advantages of lifestyle advertising
Lifestyle advertising uses an individual’s lifestyle to promote a product. It creates an emotional connection between the consumer and their target market by showing them how they can live their lives in a better way with the help of your brand.
Lifestyle advertising has been around for decades, but it has recently become more popular due to social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook allowing people to share daily activities with others online. As a result, this type of marketing has allowed companies to reach out directly to consumers’ homes without any physical contact.
The drawbacks of lifestyle advertising
Lifestyle advertising can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal but it has drawbacks. For example, suppose you’re selling a product meant to help people achieve their dream lifestyle (like an expensive car or fancy watch). In that case, it’s easy to get caught up in showing off that lifestyle instead of discussing what makes your product great.
Another issue with lifestyle advertising is cost: If you’re trying to sell something like an exotic vacation package, there will be costs associated with shooting footage and editing together a compelling video that shows people enjoying themselves on this trip. You also need actors who look like they’re having fun and can act natural while being filmed at various locations worldwide–which means paying them as well!
Final thoughts
You can have the most unique product when marketing your product’s distinctive identity. But, if your customer perceives the brand as something bland, generic, or uninspired, it won’t matter.
It’s not about the product as much as about the message. If you’re selling a product or service, you’re trying to convince your customers to buy from you. Your goal is to influence your customers but to do so; you must be clear about what your company is and what you represent. You have to figure out how your product fits a lifestyle need your customer may not even realize. Strong product branding helps. To develop a clear brand identity, you need to know your audience, how you want to be perceived, and what problem or need you solve for customers.
However, today’s consumers have different values, priorities, and habits than in the past. The incredible surge in technology also means that today’s consumer has different expectations too. They express their identity, allegiance, values, and priorities through purchases. They want to buy products that will affirm or confirm who they want to project themselves to be. Successful businesses will adapt their sales and marketing strategies and design and sell products that meet these new expectations from the consumer.
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Even seasoned marketing departments can get overwhelmed trying to discover how their products fit into customers’ lives. If you’re one of those, we recommend tapping sources like Cooperata to assist in your branding efforts and make sense of lifestyle marketing. Feel to reach out via our contact form to set up a consultation.