First Lesson: Approach from the Evaluator’s Perspective
When I was young, my mother often asked me to clean the bathroom. No matter how thoroughly I cleaned, she would always point out something I missed and scold me. Through this process, I learned an important lesson. The crucial thing wasn’t whether the bathroom was actually clean, but whether it looked clean to my mother. In the end, by focusing on the specific areas she noticed, I could clean faster and still get a good evaluation.
This lesson also applies when creating and selling products. It’s more important how consumers or evaluators perceive it than what it actually is. From this, we learn how to target public perception. The success of a service isn’t just about making a good product, but about how it appears to the consumer.
POP & POD: Occupying Space in the Consumer’s Mind
When we need a taxi, we often naturally think of ‘Kakao Taxi.’ The key to successful marketing is making people think of a specific brand or service unconsciously in certain situations. Two important concepts that make this possible are POP (Points of Parity) and POD (Points of Difference).
POP (Points of Parity)
POP helps consumers understand what category our product belongs to. For example, by clearly saying “we are a messaging service,” consumers can categorize and remember our service.
POD (Points of Difference)
POD explains why consumers should choose our product. In other words, it’s about highlighting the key features that differentiate us from the competition. This differentiation clearly tells consumers why they should choose us, which ultimately drives the product’s success.
3D & FOB: Differentiation Strategy and Creating a Memorable Brand
To clearly deliver POD, you can use the 3D strategy, which stands for Desirable, Distinctive, Durable.
3D (Desirable, Distinctive, Durable)
Among these, Durability is not simply about avoiding change, but it’s the most crucial aspect. Even amidst constant change, the core value of the brand must remain. For example, Lush has maintained its eco-friendly image while continually updating its product range, gaining customer loyalty in the process.
FOB Strategy (First, Only, Best)
To be more memorable to consumers, employ the FOB strategy. Products that claim to be ‘First,’ ‘Only,’ ‘Best’ leave a stronger impression. Strive to be number one, not number two. Even in a small market, claiming “we are number one” is far more effective.
Conclusion: Targeting Public Perception
To effectively target public perception, it’s not just the quality of the product that matters but how the product appears to the consumer. This is a psychological battle. You need to use POP to give consumers clear categorization and perception and POD to emphasize the differences from competing products. In addition, constant change and the FOB strategy should be employed to leave a lasting impression on the consumer.
The goal is not to make a better product, but to create a different one. That’s the key to successful marketing.