NEW: 💰 The core of conversion

Hey 👋

I almost fought a kid for a bottle of PRIME.

Logan Paul and KSI (two insanely large YouTubers) had just launched their competitor version of Gatorade and every influencer was talking about how amazing it tasted.

Hypnotized by all this social proof, and a deep curiosity to try this drink, I walked to the grocery store only to find a large mob of kids running towards the drinks section to snag their bottle. By the time I got through, there was one bottle left.

Despite the impulse, I let the kid next to me have it and walked away, empty-handed but amused by my own desperation.

As I walked home, I began to laugh at myself at how ridiculous the whole experience was. Why did I even leave my house to look for a bottle of some kids drink that’s probably not even that good for me? Am I just a kid trapped in an adult body?

Later on, I realized what had happened. All the creators I watched on a regular basis on YouTube made PRIME feel like the next best thing. And if you didn’t get your hands on it, you were missing out.

The marketing strategy of PRIME is an impressive one. Especially given the fact that it’s a commodity product — hydration drinks are simply hydration drinks, there’s not much that really differentiates them from each other.

This little adventure led me to a realization about the nuances of consumer behavior, specifically the interplay between want and desire — concepts that, while often used interchangeably, trigger people in different ways to complete a desired action.

Want is immediate and often driven by external factors — like the social proof that lured me towards PRIME. It's about the here and now, influenced by trends, needs, or even a sudden whim. The want for PRIME was sparked by influencer endorsements and the collective rush for it, a classic example of a short-term, surface-level need.

But then, there's desire. Desire runs deeper, tied to our identity, values, or long-term aspirations. It's not just about having something because it's available or endorsed. It's about how that item fits into our perception of ourselves or the life we aspire to lead. For instance, paying for an AMEX Platinum membership isn't just about wanting access to airport lounges and sweet deals. It often reflects a desire to belong to an exclusive group of individuals.

Applying want vs. desire in marketing

Knowing when to speak to a want or a desire depends heavily on your target audience and the product you’re selling — something I want to dive deeper into in a future edition. But, here are some generalizations for different types of business:

For SaaS companies: Often, SaaS products are designed to address specific operational needs or challenges, such as automating tasks to save time — a clear, immediate benefit. However, beyond these practical features lies the opportunity to connect with deeper business or creator aspirations. For instance, a project management tool doesn’t just organize tasks (a want), it embodies the desire for team cohesion. This tool becomes an extension of a product manager's ambition to lead projects that not only succeed but also redefine efficiency and teamwork standards. By highlighting how your software serves not only as a tool for solving immediate problems but also as a catalyst for achieving long-term growth and transformation, your marketing goes beyond product features to inspire your customers' broader life visions.

In ecommerce and D2C: You're not just selling products, you're selling lifestyles, dreams, and identities. A beauty brand, for example, doesn’t only sell makeup (a want), it sells confidence and self-expression (desires).

Service businesses (Dentists, Lawyers, etc.): While people might want a dental check-up or legal advice (immediate needs), they desire good health and security. Highlighting how your service contributes to fulfilling these deeper, long-term desires can differentiate your practice.

Leveraging want and desire

To figure out the wants and/or desires of your target audience, use surveys, interviews, and social listening to gather insights. Wants are often easier to identify (i.e. I need a product that does X, Y, and Z). Desires require a deeper understanding of your audience's lifestyle and values (the identity they want to encompass).

Your marketing should address the immediate wants by highlighting the features and benefits of your product or service. Simultaneously, weave stories that tap into the deeper desires of your audience, showing not just what your product does, but how it makes them feel or the aspirational identity it helps them achieve.

Understanding and acting upon the wants and desires of your target market is how you get people to care. And when they care, they convert. It’s at the core of conversion.

As for me, reflecting on my PRIME side-quest has been a prime (pun intended) lesson in the power of marketing and the complexities of consumer motivation. It's a reminder that we're all influenced by a mix of short-term wants and long-term desires — and recognizing this can be the key to unlocking true marketing success.

What to do next: Start by reviewing your current marketing strategies. Are you addressing both the wants and desires of your audience? Consider how you can integrate this message — from your homepage copy, social media ads, blog posts, emails, etc.

With that, let's get into what we have in store this week (lots of good stuff):

• Marketing news from the past week

• The ultimate guide to homepages

• 16 copywriting mistakes to avoid

• 10 SEO A/B tests that actually worked

• Tried and tested Pinterest marketing strategies

• Ad from the past

• Website of the week

• Cool marketing jobs

• And much more

🗞 In the news

• Now you can use ChatGPT without an account

• New report suggests that X usage has declined 30% year-over-year

• 6 new Reddit Ads Manager features to simplify campaign creation and tracking

• Why several U.S. ad forecasts predict a better 2024, and not just because of political spending

• Google begs SEOs to stop showing Google things; Show visitors things instead

🚀 All things growth & product

How Zapier grew to over $230M ARR, how Revolut grew over 150X with referral marketing, the ultimate guide to homepages, and how positioning allows you to 8x a product’s price.

✍️ Copywriting, ads, & emails

16 copywriting mistakes to avoid, how to use offline conversions to optimize your Google Ads campaigns, and things that matter for newsletter growth.

⚙️ SEO & content marketing

10 SEO A/B tests that actually worked, the reality of Google HCU, and steps to building a word-class marketing strategy.

🤳 Social media & branding

10 tiny tweaks that bring social media growth, tried and tested Pinterest marketing strategies, and Vimeo’s brand positioning doc.

🦖 Interesting stuff

📣 Ad from the past

💻 Website of the week

🏝 Cool marketing jobs

• Social Media Manager @ SkinSprint

• Performance Marketing Manager @ ClickUp

• Content Marketing Manager @ Pinterest

• Head of Brand Marketing @ Equip Health

• VP of Marketing @ Instead

Okay, that's it for now 💙. See you next Tuesday!

“This is what I find most magnetic about successful givers: they get to the top without cutting others down, finding ways of expanding the pie that benefit themselves and the people around them. Whereas success is zero-sum in a group of takers, in groups of givers, it may be true that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.” — Adam Grant

Riddle answer: An envelope.