| "body"> | | | | in their living room. (Call me crazy, I know.) |
| A few years ago, I met a woman who was | | | | So, while she probably does have something |
| trying to peddle a painting created by a relatively | | | | valuable on her hands (a one-of-a-kind painted by |
| famous Western painter. | | | | a famous artist) it's not what the target market |
| This painter had painted it specifically for her | | | | buys. And that, my friends, is the point I'm trying |
| family. It was the story about how her father | | | | to make. |
| acquired his favorite horse. He was hiking | | | | It doesn't matter how good your product is or |
| somewhere and came across a dead mare | | | | how much you believe your target market |
| tangled in barb wire with the colt standing next to | | | | NEEDS what you're selling. If it's not a good fit, it |
| the body. The poor colt didn't know what to do | | | | isn't going to matter because they won't buy. |
| without his mom. So her father took the colt | | | | So the first thing you need to look at is this: |
| home and raised him. | | | | Is what you're selling (whether it's a product or |
| The painter (who knew her father personally) | | | | service) something your target market WANTS |
| was so moved by this story he went to his | | | | to buy? Not needs to buy but wants to buy. No |
| studio and painted it. He then gave the portrait to | | | | one buys what they need, people buy what they |
| her father, who treasured it. However, the father | | | | want. Many times they'll justify it as "need" (i.e. I |
| had recently died, and the woman wanted to sell | | | | need a dress for the wedding, I need to eat |
| the painting. | | | | organic food because it's better for my health) |
| In her mind, it was worth quite a bit. The painter | | | | but those are still wants, not needs. You WANT |
| was famous; many of his paintings went for quite | | | | to show up at the wedding in a nice dress, but no |
| a bit of money. And it was a one-of-a-kind. | | | | one is going to shoot you if you show up in jeans. |
| Buyers should be lined up around the block to | | | | (Dirty looks maybe but no executions.) You |
| snap it up. She thought she should be fighting | | | | WANT to take good care of yourself so you buy |
| them off with a riding crop. | | | | organic, but you can live a long time on cheap, |
| But to her utter surprise and astonishment, no | | | | non organic food. (Maybe you'll have other health |
| one was interested. More then that, they didn't | | | | problems, but you'll still be alive.) |
| want to buy it for ANY price, much less the price | | | | If what you're selling is not what your target |
| of what she thought it was worth. For the life of | | | | market wants to buy, then you need to either |
| her, she couldn't figure out the problem. | | | | find a different target market or sell something |
| She actually had the painting with her when she | | | | different. |
| told this story, and unwrapped it to show | | | | And if what you're selling IS what your target |
| everyone. So I got to see this painting, which I've | | | | market wants to buy, but they're not buying it, |
| never been able to get out of mind. This picture | | | | then you need to look at how you're explaining it |
| of a dead horse, wrapped in barbwire, with the | | | | so people realize they do want to buy it. |
| poor colt standing close by, head bowed in | | | | Here's another quick example of making sure |
| mourning. The landscape is beautiful but bleak and | | | | what you're selling matches up to what your |
| desolate around him. | | | | target market is buying. You may have noticed |
| Needless to say, I took one look at this painting | | | | Hollywood is coming out with an Incredible Hulk |
| and knew EXACTLY why she was having trouble | | | | movie. But wait, you might be thinking, hasn't |
| selling it. First off, it was disturbing. The horse is | | | | there already been an Incredible Hulk movie? Why |
| clearly dead, the barbwire wrapped around her | | | | yes, in 2003. But the movie didn't do very well. |
| was bloody. And the colt looks so alone and | | | | Why? Well, common thought is because people go |
| helpless in the landscape. (It reminded me a bit of | | | | see an Incredible Hulk movie because they want |
| the scene in Dumbo where Dumbo was saying | | | | to see a big green guy running amok and |
| goodbye to his mother, who is wrapped in chains. | | | | wrecking all sorts of havoc. The one in 2003 didn't |
| Another dreadful scene.) | | | | deliver --- it was a slower, angst-ridden Hulk we |
| Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with | | | | saw, not one gleefully stomping about ripping |
| disturbing, plenty of people buy disturbing art. But | | | | police cars in half. |
| not her target market. Her target market is | | | | Whether or not this Hulk movie does better in the |
| people who buy Western art. Western art is | | | | box office is yet to be seen, and it's really besides |
| realistic art. While many times there is a sense of | | | | the point. The point is, Marvel Comics believed |
| loneliness and desolation, I wouldn't classify much | | | | that the first movie did not deliver what their |
| of it as actually disturbing. | | | | target market wanted, and therefore the target |
| On top of that, many people who buy Western | | | | market did not buy. So, they decided to |
| art love horses. People who love horses probably | | | | repackage it and re-release it- (to the tune of |
| wouldn't want a painting of a dead horse hanging | | | | $150- million). |