Instant sales vs Instant Buyers.

[MikePT]

There is this narrow notion on direct response world that I can't only accept:

"Find what people want and give them"

But as I see it, some people don't know what they want, or as Steve Jobs said:

"Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, "If I'd ask customers what they wanted, they would've told me a faster horse." People don't know what they want until you show it to them."


And I agree with Steve Jobs.

The great late Designer Massimo Vignelli said: "Designers look at the front window when driving, while Marketers look at the back mirror when driving".

The Adman George Lois launched iconic brands with big ideas, like Tommy Hilfiger ( http://www.georgelois.com/phone/tommy-hilfiger.html ).

I am not defending or attacking Branding, but for me I use the 2 approaches: wants & needs.

And of course if I had to choose Direct Response advertising or Branding advertising I would invest my pennies on Direct Response.

The only safe road, in my opinion, is this magic word: TEST.

And for me common sense and intuition is serving me well.

So, all of this to say that myself - on my view - wanting only instant buyers (wants) and not selling (needs)... I have doubts.

But great insight Gordon.

MikePT