Maki, the blogger behind Dosh Dosh, begins a post on selling dreams to your target audience with this quote from William Feather: "The philosophy behind much advertising is based on the old observation that every man is really two men—the man he is and the man he wants to be."

The duality can be observed in the cars we drive. Take the Prius, which isn't simply an economy car; it's also an eco-friendly symbol of social consciousness. At the opposite end of the spectrum, a Hummer is more than a utilitarian SUV; it's for those who dream of weekends spent on rugged off-road trails. Each vehicle not only addresses a customer need—transportation—but reinforces that need by selling an ideal.

"Your aim is to associate your brand with a vision, one that integrates with and enhances each customer's individual life goals," says Maki. "Buyer desires are transient and they can change but ideals do not shift as easily." And he lists five action points for appealing to a customer's aspirations:

• Emphasize your ideals and promises.
• Fulfill them in your actual site, service or product.
• Brand yourself through the right networks and connections.
• Tie your brand to the right images, personalities and events.
• Learn what your audience thinks about you.

"Product or service value is a relative perception," writes Maki. "It can be manipulated and infinitely enhanced by emphasizing the right ideals and promises." And that reminder is a swell bit of Marketing Inspiration.

More Inspiration:
Paul Williams: Why Does Big Mean Bad?
Spike Jones: Good Artists Copy. Great Artists Steal.
Jennifer Jones: Great Learnings from Obama and Clinton

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