Introduction

What is your product? The word “product” covers a lot more than the obvious tangible, physical articles available for sale. A product can be a service, like dry-cleaning or management consulting. A product can also be a concept you would like and audience to believe. You might be selling support for a person, place, event, organisation or idea.

The “product” will most likely be a combination of tangible items, services and beliefs. That is why the word “offering” is so appropriate. What you offer customers will almost certainly contain elements of each. A haircut is a product, but it results from the service of cutting hair. A political candidate is, in many ways, a product, promising to function in a way that solves problems for you if you elect the candidate to office. Non-profit agencies sell feelings, asking up to support activities that make us feel good about doing good. Each of these examples represent a discreet “offering” someone is asking an audience to buy or buy into.