Feb 07, 2021

What’s their worldview?

What’s the worldview of the audience you’re seeking to reach? One thing that This Is Marketing changed about my thinking is understanding that not every person cares about the same things when buying something.

This seems obvious, but let me explain myself.

For some things, this already made sense to me. For example, I understood that not everybody cares about lowering their carbon footprint so if you make something that is supposed to be better for the environment, you’re telling a story that aligns with a specific type of person.

But for other concepts, this was less intuitive to me. For instance, I assumed everyone likes getting something for a lower price. It is true that most people, when given a choice between similar offerings, would prefer the less expensive option, but some people actually want the more expensive item. Not because it’s any better, but because of what it says about who they are and the story they tell themselves. They’re the type of person who can afford luxury and they like affirming this story by buying things that others can’t afford.

I also assumed most people liked new or better products or services, like myself. But I now realize I am in the minority and there’s actually a term for customers like me: neophiliacs. The majority of people prefer the status quo over the new because they want familiarity and are averse to change.

Unless your customer is you, it is important to think about what the worldviews of your audience might be.