"Quand le produit et le marketing font bien leur travail, on pourrait penser que le produit se vend presque tout seul."

When you think about it, the heart of the quote is pretty straightforward. If you’ve got a great product and your marketing is spot-on, it feels like the product is just flying off the shelves by itself. It’s almost as if the product has a life of its own, and people can’t wait to grab it. But, of course, there's a lot of work behind the scenes.

Historically, this kind of thinking has been around for ages, especially when you consider the huge successes of iconic products. Take Apple's iPhone for instance. When it was launched in 2007, it wasn't the first smartphone around, but the way it was designed and marketed made it feel revolutionary. People lined up for hours, sometimes days, just to get their hands on it. The product was so well-designed and the marketing so compelling that it seemed to sell itself.

Let’s look at a practical example. Imagine you’ve created a new type of reusable water bottle. It’s not just any bottle, though. This one keeps your drink at the perfect temperature all day, is made from sustainable materials, and even has a built-in filter for when you're on the go. Sounds great, right? But here's the kicker – if you just put it on a shelf, it’s not going to magically disappear into shoppers’ carts.

Now, think about how you’d market this bottle. You'd start by highlighting its unique features in a way that resonates with your audience. Maybe you make a video showing someone using the bottle throughout their busy day – from the morning workout to the office, and then on a weekend hike. You'd probably get influencers to rave about it on social media. Your website might feature glowing testimonials and comparisons showing how much better your bottle is compared to the competition. All these efforts combined make people feel like they need this bottle – like it’s a no-brainer.

So, how do you apply this wisdom in your own work or business? First, make sure your product is genuinely awesome. If it’s not something you’d use and love yourself, go back to the drawing board. After that, really understand who your customers are and what they care about. Speak their language. Show them how your product fits seamlessly into their lives and solves their problems. Don’t just tell them it’s great – show them.

Let’s say you’re an artisan baker who just opened a bakery in town. Your bread is out of this world, but no one knows about it yet. Instead of just waiting for word-of-mouth, you might start by giving out free samples at the local farmer’s market. You could partner with a popular local cafe to feature your bread in their sandwiches. Maybe you host a baking workshop where people can come in, learn, and taste. Over time, as people experience and fall in love with your bread, they'll start coming to your bakery. They’ll tell their friends. They'll post about it on social media. Soon enough, it feels like your bread is “selling itself”.

In essence, when product and marketing are both top-notch, it creates a kind of magic. People connect with what you’re offering on a deeper level, and that’s when it starts to feel effortless. But behind the scenes? There’s a lot of hard work, creativity, and passion making it all happen.