The word new is a very powerful tool in the marketer’s kit bag. If you didn’t know these already, here’s four reasons why new never gets old.
1. ‘New’ motivates
One of the key steps in many marketing strategies is to motive the target market. Motivate them to contact you or to make a purchase or simply motivate them to think positively about your brand.
So, Apple customers are motivated when they think a new Apple product could be announced. But equally, a target market of hairdressers could be motivated if they hear about a new styling product.
In these cases, the target audiences are motivated through desire. They desire the new product that has been communicated to them.
But, equally, new can motivate through ‘fear’. A web developer might fear falling behind the latest web trends if they ignore what’s new.
Through desire or fear, ‘new’ grabs attention and motivates.
2. ‘New’ is rarely questioned
If you hear a marketing message that claims a product to be better or easier or cheaper (etc) chances are you will seek out more information to find out if the claim of better/easier/cheaper is in fact true. The problem is that some people will automatically assume the claim is exaggerated and so ignore it and move on.
However, we rarely question whether something that’s described as new is in fact new or not. If we’re told that a product is new, for the most part we assume this to be the fact. This means that a potential barrier to your marketing messages (i.e. the target audience dismissing or disbelieving the message) is reduced or removed.
3. ‘New’ infers better (without having to say better)
Most people will assume that a new product is better than the one it replaces. They will often also assume that the new product is likely to be better than the older offerings from the alternative suppliers.
This principle also applies to services. If one supplier is using new techniques, methodologies, practices (etc) the target market will make the assumption that this supplier will, at least in part, offer something better than the competition.
4. ‘New’ instils confidence
This is a subtle benefit, but is still worth noting.
A supplier that regularly communicates what’s new to their customers also sends a message that they at the top of their game. They aren’t one of those suppliers that sits back and offers the same old thing. They show that they are constantly improving. And that helps instil customer confidence.