People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it – Simon Sinek

I came across this quote by Simon Sinek, a British-born American author and inspirational speaker. 

People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it

– Simon Sinek

Traditionally, businesses and marketers have focused on promoting their products or services based on their features, quality, or competitive advantages. However, this statement suggests that the underlying motivation, values, and beliefs behind what a company or individual does are often more influential in attracting and engaging customers.

In my opinion, this statement is neither right nor wrong, or both right and wrong. The background of Simon does not necessarily show that he has experience in business, but rather in inspiring people. Inspiring people, is often telling them what they want to hear, or what they unconsciously believe is the right thing.

As i said, this statement can be very wrong, especially if we are talking about consumer goods. Consumers follow price and quality as main criteria, the why, comes last. If you are not living in a rich western country, the why is not even part of the decision making.

This statement can also be right in multiple fields, like art, fashion, or even some higher end consumer goods.

The statement does resonate with the current tendency of activism, but when it comes to the pocket, other criteria often win.

If this quote however was addressed to entrepreneurs and startups, then i would totally agree that early adopters usually join for the vision even when the product is far from perfect. Or even support you for what you stand for.