Marketing Communications Blog

GateKeepers (or Who has the Money?)

I know, I know, it has been a while since I wrote here and I do apologize; but, let's get down to business.

Remember the gatekeepers? The gatekeeper is the one who holds the keys, or, in your case (if you are a marketing individual) the person who holds the money.

For a parent and a child shopping in Toys-R-Us, your market is the child, but your gatekeeper is the parent.

You must always remember that marketing only to the child will not result in increased sales; but, if you market to both the child AND the parent, your sales should increase.

The person that will use the product is the child, but, the parent is the one who purchases the product. Yes, parents do hate it when their children are screaming and clawing and crying for a new toy and many do succumb and purchase the toy, but, others don't.

It is the ones that don't that you must ALWAYS think about - do research, do study groups, do whatever you can to understand what it would take to get the parent, i.e. the gatekeeper, to purchase the product!!!

If you put the price right on the product, the parent knows immediately what the price is and doesn't get frustrated (on top of the screaming child) becuase they don't know the price. Or that it will entertain the child for 10 hours. Or that the child will want to play with other kids with the toy (and keep them away from the TV). Is it mentioned?! Is it pushed on the packaging or advertising?!

If you disregard the gatekeeper (i.e. ignore them), you will lose out on another revenue stream.

Think about it.