taking from them the ultimate prize - market share. And where there is little or no discernible difference or the consumer doesn't really care about the choice of brand or product, the mechanism used is often price.

If you don't have an existing product - but are in the process of developing a product - you need to develop a product that is genuinely different enough that it creates its own product category. And, since it is so new and no-one else is doing it, you'll have a better chanc

When I was being trained in marketing (more years ago than I care to recount), marketing was defined as anticipating and meeting customer needs. Today this definition of marketing is redundant and if you follow it, there is every chance you will fail.

The average consumer today has all his or her basic needs already met. In fact, they are totally overwhelmed by the vast array of product choices.

To illustrate this, take a stroll down any supermarket aisle and count the number of brands and/or product variations in any given product category.

Common sense tells us that consumers really don't need in excess of 30 different brands and/or product variations of toothpaste.

And despite large advertising budgets, many of these products have no real discernable difference in the eyes of the consumer.

In addition, most marketers (and consumers) agree that consumers are bombarded with advertising messages wherever they turn.

So much so, in fact, that it all becomes noise and the consumer learns to ignore it. They simply shut down.

How many of us walk out of the room when the ads come on TV? Can you recall the last 10 advertising messages you heard? Just as you probably can't recall them, someone else can't recall your messages either.

So here is the dilemma for modern marketers.

1. There are already more products available than the consumer wants or needs.

2. And the consumer has less time available to research products for themselves and, even if they did, they ignore your advertising messages anyway.

So how do you succeed?

People in business need to accept that marketing is not about anticipating or meeting customer needs anymore. Meeting needs is the romantic view - not the pragmatic view. Marketing today is about beating your competitor. Plain and simple. Repeat it over and over.

If you have an existing product, and you have a competitor, marketing is about beating that competitor and taking from them the ultimate prize - market share. And where there is little or no discernible difference or the consumer doesn't really care about the choice of brand or product, the mechanism used is often price.

If you don't have an existing product - but are in the process of developing a product - you need to develop a product that is genuinely different enough that it creates its own product category. And, since it is so new and no-one else is doing it, you'll have a better chance

rands and/or product variations in any given product category.

Common sense tells us that consumers really don't need in excess of 30 different brands and/or product variations of toothpaste.

And despite large advertising budgets, many of these products have no real discernable difference in the eyes of the consumer.

In addition, most marketers (and consumers) agree that consumers are bombarded with advertising messages wherever they turn.

So much so, in fact, that it all becomes noise and the consumer learns to ignore it. They simply shut down.

How many of us walk out of the room when the ads come on TV? Can you recall the last 10 advertising messages you heard? Just as you probably can't recall them, someone else can't recall your messages either.

So here is the dilemma for modern marketers.

1. There are already more products available than the consumer wants or needs.

2. And the consumer has less time available to research products for themselves and, even if they did, they ignore your advertising messages anyway.

So how do you succeed?

People in business need to accept that marketing is not about anticipating or meeting customer needs anymore. Meeting needs is the romantic view - not the pragmatic view. Marketing today is about beating your competitor. Plain and simple. Repeat it over and over.

If you have an existing product, and you have a competitor, marketing is about beating that competitor and taking from them the ultimate prize - market share. And where there is little or no discernible difference or the consumer doesn't really care about the choice of brand or product, the mechanism used is often price.

If you don't have an existing product - but are in the process of developing a product - you need to develop a product that is genuinely different enough that it creates its own product category. And, since it is so new and no-one else is doing it, you'll have a better chanc

ll becomes noise and the consumer learns to ignore it. They simply shut down.

How many of us walk out of the room when the ads come on TV? Can you recall the last 10 advertising messages you heard? Just as you probably can't recall them, someone else can't recall your messages either.

So here is the dilemma for modern marketers.

1. There are already more products available than the consumer wants or needs.

2. And the consumer has less time available to research products for themselves and, even if they did, they ignore your advertising messages anyway.

So how do you succeed?

People in business need to accept that marketing is not about anticipating or meeting customer needs anymore. Meeting needs is the romantic view - not the pragmatic view. Marketing today is about beating your competitor. Plain and simple. Repeat it over and over.

If you have an existing product, and you have a competitor, marketing is about beating that competitor and taking from them the ultimate prize - market share. And where there is little or no discernible difference or the consumer doesn't really care about the choice of brand or product, the mechanism used is often price.

If you don't have an existing product - but are in the process of developing a product - you need to develop a product that is genuinely different enough that it creates its own product category. And, since it is so new and no-one else is doing it, you'll have a better chanc

s for themselves and, even if they did, they ignore your advertising messages anyway.

So how do you succeed?

People in business need to accept that marketing is not about anticipating or meeting customer needs anymore. Meeting needs is the romantic view - not the pragmatic view. Marketing today is about beating your competitor. Plain and simple. Repeat it over and over.

If you have an existing product, and you have a competitor, marketing is about beating that competitor and taking from them the ultimate prize - market share. And where there is little or no discernible difference or the consumer doesn't really care about the choice of brand or product, the mechanism used is often price.

If you don't have an existing product - but are in the process of developing a product - you need to develop a product that is genuinely different enough that it creates its own product category. And, since it is so new and no-one else is doing it, you'll have a better chanc

taking from them the ultimate prize - market share. And where there is little or no discernible difference or the consumer doesn't really care about the choice of brand or product, the mechanism used is often price.

If you don't have an existing product - but are in the process of developing a product - you need to develop a product that is genuinely different enough that it creates its own product category. And, since it is so new and no-one else is doing it, you'll have a better chance at publicity to launch it. Apple's i-Pod is a classic example of this strategy.