While counseling a fresh marketing candidate about his day-to-day marketing activities, it is often a matter of discussion that “a smart sales representative sale a thing even if the person does not intend to buy it.” Many fellow marketers often quote “we create needs”.

This may be a suicidal approach and may lead towards loosing a long-term prospect. A marketer should go by analyzing present market and buyer’s behavior. If you are honest with your career, try some thing different. A systematic, customer oriented marketing plan helps a buyer to take good decisions, instead of confusing them.

I see “needs” on different prospective. Needs are there before a marketer, he just promote the idea about a product that may satisfy a need of person. He gets help with other societal factor that influence a person’s desire to own a product. A honest presentation of product features can be a great help in buying decision process.

Here is a short analysis that differentiates the different level of requirements of a consumer or a buyer:

1. Needs means basic requirements of an individual, business or a group. There are some statutory requirements that people will buy at any cost. The requirement may vary from person to person but the point is “when he needs it, he will buy it.” For example, education is a need for student. A successful marketer promotes the idea and help student choosing the right course for his future. This can help him to analyze and greater influence in making his decision about joining the course.

2. Desire to own or Wants some thing. This is another aspect of requirement. Say the person wants to see a movie; he can choose a cinema hall and a movie of his choice. Its all depends upon his choice. Alternatively, another example of this, a person from north may want some food, but he will prefer some Chapatis or Tandoori, where as person from East will prefer rice and other stuff. This requirement is entirely dependent upon the person’s locality, mentality and society he belongs to.

3. Market Demand. This is something different again. Good brands have always a demand in market, but it is directly connection with consumer’s ability to afford them. Here segmentation of income group plays a vital role. For example, I have a desire to own a BMW but my budget does not allow me to buy it. Since car is my basic requirement, I prefer to buy a Honda City, as it is cheaper than a BMW. So product brand is there, Demand is there, people also wants to buy it, but the real measurement of demand is “How many actually afford to buy it”

Above are my viewpoints about analyzing a requirement. I have several instances where a successful marketer promotes a product, carefully understanding “needs” of consumers instead creating a “need” in to the market.

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