All Marketers are Liars

Ok not really. But marketers tell you stories about what you want to hear.

It's true.

I'm reading a book called All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin, and so far I recommend it for anyone who works with marketing. (It's about one out of several books I plan to read this summer to try and strengthen my skillz. I mean skills.) This book brings up several good points, one being that marketers tell stories. Why is it that everyone wants to own Pumas or Adidas or Nike when any other inexpensive shoes will do? It's because the story marketers tell you says that if you wear Pumas or Adidas or Nike, you'll be cool. Seriously.

Marketing is all about wants, not needs. People associate emotion with wants. Fulfill the emotion, and people will purchase your product.

We don't make purchasing decisions on a whim--well, most of us don't. We are convinced to make a decision. So, I dare you--start thinking about the decisions you are making. Take on decision out of your day and analyze why you did what you did. What convinced you to make said decision?

My main decision today was to buy Skechers. I could have bought Crocs, as I pointed out in a prior post, but my decision to buy Skechers had nothing to do with marketing directly--it was solely in the design of the shoe. And that they resembled Crocks just in a different style. My marketing decision for something like Crocks came from my family, actually, who kept repeating how much they loved their Crocs, but the decision for Skechers came from me because I really dislike Crocs designs and wanted something that felt more snug against my foot. On Saturday I happened to walk into the BYU bookstore and saw these Skechers sitting out--I hadn't ever seen them before. I thought to myself, "Self, these look like Crocs," so I was instantly interested. Later I got online and looked up reviews for Skechers Women's Cali shoes. Reviews said that people loved them. The next factor in my marketing decision was that Famous Footwear's website said they were having a sale on Skechers Cali shoes. I couldn't care less where I bought them--I just wanted the cheapest price. So I went to Famous Footwear, tried them on, loved them, and bought them. All for cheaper than anywhere else.

So I guess you could say that after all that, there were a few factors that motivated me to act: (1) I dislike Crocs designs and wanted something else, and (2) Famous Footwear's online marketing convinced me that they had the cheapest price.

But what was the story I apparently told myself via marketers? Apparently it was a story about how Crocs are comfortable, but that if I wanted a different design, there were other companies that had them. And oh yeah, Skechers are cool.

Is this story true? Maybe not the "Skechers are cool part"...that's solely a worldview mindset.

Your turn. (Seriously--do you ever analyze things like this? Probably not...)