Marketing 108

A short-ish post…

I am currently studying marketing for my MBA, and made a connection with Krishna Consciousness, and the clearest marketing strategy I have ever come across, explained by Srila Prabhupada -‘Be impressive, not repressive’. Its genius, and demonstrates a perfect understanding of theory underpinning marketing.

Marketing is based on three concepts – needs, wants and demands. Needs are basic and tied to human nature, e.g. food, shelter etc. Wants are desires for specific products, perceived to fill a particular need, e.g. I need to eat, but I want to eat chill-paneer! Demands are wants supported by the ability and willingness to acquire, e.g. I want a Porsche, but I can afford a Honda.

Srila Prabhupada’s statement -‘Be impressive, not repressive’ perfectly explains the only successful marketing strategy for spirituality. How….?

Firstly, what is the need that spirituality aims to address? Self-actualisation – the ability to understand who we are and to be free from material limitations. For a spiritual organisation to be repressive is at direct odds with the basic need that spirituality aims to meet – freedom.

Secondly, the only way to communicate (or impress upon) people the value of spirituality is through its own example – the production of happy complete people. Coming in to contact with genuinely spiritual people, is worth more than any preaching program, book bashing or course. By their own example, spiritually enlightened people make the case for Krishna consciousness.

If you can be impressive and not repressive, then the demand will overflow…and the beauty of spirituality is that it is available to everyone, not constrained by supply and demand limitations of material offerings.