Physics of Marketing: Lesson 5
Every object in the Universe is attracted to the other. This is described by Newton’s formula:
Where the force of gravitational attraction is the result of the masses of the two objects, their distance from one another and the gravitational constant.
The same can be applied to sales.
Whether or not a sale happens depends on the relationship between the consumer, the product, the distance between the two and the constant of the environment they live in.
Take the Consumer. The state they are in, their age, their gender, education, lifestyle, income level and many other factors combine to give them a mass. The larger this is the greater their affinity towards a particular product.
The Product on the other hand has properties, features and benefits which make it either more attractive or less attractive for the consumer.
The distance between the consumer and the product make it either easier or difficult for the consumer to attain the product. You are more likely to buy a product you see on the shelf than one you do not.
The environment plays the part of making a product more or less desirable. The cold weather enhances the want for a hot drink while hot weather inclines you to reach for a cold one. The society also affects your preferences. Some people will reach for tea, others for coffee. (And then there are those who reach for soup.)
The fact that the sale is made will depend on all of these factors. Therefore, as a marketeer, you need to understand consumer dynamics, product benefits and features and the environment you are selling the product in. And then make the product available. There will be instances when the distance will not matter but that can only happen when the consumer or the product have enough mass (buying power, brand loyalty for the consumer; product benefits, brand power for the product) that they overcome the distance factor.
People will go to the ends of the Earth to buy concert tickets which is one extreme where distance, price and convenience will not matter. Or they will drink water from a rusty old tap if they are thirsty enough.
The consumer matters (m1). The product’s pull matters (m2). Availability matters (r^2). Environment matters (G). Sales (F) depends on the combination of all of these.