What is the 'three-quarter inch holes' marketing concept and how does it apply to selling art?

There’s a classic marketing case study about a drill bit company that was selling three-quarter inch drill bits. A marketer told them: you’re not selling drill bits, you’re selling three-quarter inch holes. The lesson is to understand what customers are actually buying and communicate that clearly. For art, you’re not just selling a canvas or print—you’re selling the finished piece hanging beautifully on their wall, or the perfect gift that will blow away the recipient. Help customers visualize the end result, not just the product itself. This is why features like augmented reality that let customers see art on their actual walls are so effective—they’re visualizing the hole, not the drill.

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Asked by general teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2018-09-25