Using Wealth Consciousness to Attract Your Ideal Customer

I just came back this weekend from a seminar that focused on wealth consciousness. I define wealth consciousness to be the mindset one has that helps them attract more wealth into their life.

What does this have to do with marketing? Marketing is about creating a relationship with your customer. So, the more you know about your customer the more successful you will be at addressing their wants, needs and desires.

The wealth consciousness seminar looked at the relationship people have with money based on their socioeconomic class.

People in the Lower Class who are Poor tend to work for cash and then spend it on items that eventually wind up being discarded in a landfill. For example, they buy sneakers which wear out and then get thrown in the trash. They also are most likely to work with their hands and be laborers and artisans.

From a marketing perspective they tend not to have a long term view and don't plan for the future. They tend to live paycheck-to-paycheck. So the quality of the product they are purchasing is not as important as the price and the style. They are satisfying immediate needs and urges.

The Middle Class has a tendency to work for cash and then buy liabilities. A liability is something that takes money out of their pocket. For example, they buy a house to live in and have to pay the mortgage. Or, they may buy cars and boats for personal use, all of which create an outflow of cash. A middle class worker is likely to work in a professional job that uses their head (thinking, education, knowledge). Managers and teachers would fall into this category.

The middle class will have a mid-term view on purchases. They will use their disposable income to buy perceived luxuries and toys. They do not expect items to last forever, and they want instant gratification. There is a tendency amongst this group to make purchases to improve their perceived status.

The Upper Class tends to take their cash and buy assets which then generate more cash. Then they take that cash and put it into more assets to generate more cash, and so on. An asset is something that puts money into your pocket. It could be a rental property (as long as the mortgage payment is lower than the rental income). It could be a business. It could be a tool that is used to create more cash. A "tool" like a snow plow could be considered an asset if it is used to create income rather than solely for personal use.

The Upper Class uses their network to generate income. They realize that wealth is created by connecting with people and offering them a service or product of value. They build their income through referrals and connections.

It takes time, patience and persistence to create assets, networks and thus wealth. In most cases, if you are targeting a wealthy customer, then they will be of an older demographic because it takes time to accumulate the wealth. They take a long term view on their purchases and want a quality product that will last for years; a good value. They will pay more to get quality of materials and craftsmanship and are drawn to items that give them years of enjoyment (think durable). They will be drawn to classic style, not too trendy, but it must be of high quality.

When you sit down and think about the ideal customer for your business, try to identify how that customer relates to money and income and how that relates to the product or service you are offering. How does this wealth consciousness change your relationship with your customer? How do you need to position your business so that you are appealing to the wants, needs and desires of your ideal customer? Is your marketing strategy in need of adjustment?