This has been said to me twice in the last week, when discussing new projects. "It's all about marketing." But is it, really?
People often cite Nike or Coca-Cola as marketing-led companies. The implication is that the products are actually pretty basic - trainers, or flavoured water - so it must be the marketing that has made them global brands.
Well, maybe. But it had to start with a decent product - something potentially desirable. I wonder if entrepreneurial ideas are often to do with fulfilling a need, rather than a desire, and this is the fundamental mistake. One of my favourite quotes is "people don't necessarily buy what they need, but they always buy what they want."
If some people desire what you're selling and others hate it, even better - look how that idea has been exploited by Marmite for example.
Marketing isn't the magic ingredient. You can find a gap in the market, you can fulfil a need, but there's no point starting with a product or service idea, then thinking it will sell if you market the $*%!t out of it, if it's not desirable to someone.
Photo: Opening of Apple Store in Sydney, from http://www.james-williams.com
