What People Want is special marketing

I can buy the same books as millions of others at Amazon but I feel special because the computer recommends books to me according to what it believes I like. A well marketed theatre tells me about shows as soon as they go on sale because I am a valued customer, knows the seat I like to sit in, and offers me a special price or access to a ‘sold-out’ event because I have joined a loyalty scheme.

So often Seth Godin notices what others don’t or puts into words the thoughts you have but haven’t articulated. His blog entry What People Want is a great example. How true that most people want to be the same as everyone else but just a little bit better.

The need to be different but without drawing too much attention to oneself is something we have to be aware of in marketing. Now we are able to know so much about our customers, we can offer each of them the same products and services their peers are buying but in a customised form that will make them feel special.