Perspectives Blog

Tourism Tasmania's New Ad - The Full Story

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

A quick post from me regarding Tourism Tasmania's new brand positioning: Go Behind the Scenery.

I had best firstly declare that I am a Director of Tourism Northern Tasmania which is one of the four regional tourism organisations given the task of engaging stakeholders within our region to clearly represent our regional brand that fits in to the new statewide Tasmanian branding (so there isn't any clutter or competing messages). Effective Naturally or Tourism Northern Tasmania didn't take part in the development of this brand campaign but do know it intimately enough to make informed comment.

I've seen every man and his dog give their opinion on the ad with mostly positive comments. But then there were some "It doesn't show my region enough", or "It's politically motivated so the Greens can make the state one big national park." or "It's a ploy to put more gays in the state" (luckily this came from a Brisbane person!) - Oh dear!

So I wanted to set the record straight and offer a sign of support for the work done by the Tourism Tasmania team:

this brand positioning was not developed lightly and had over 18 months of research put in to it so that our positioning is not just good but different (something that is rarely captured by people marketing any product).
it's been built alongside a structure including the regional tourism organisations so that we have locals on the ground developing the industry to a consistent standard that encourages visitors to sing our praises with a common voice.
the ad is emotive and intrigues people to find out more. Might I have done a couple of things differently? Maybe...I might have got the fortune teller to give a cheeky wink...and I can understand when people think it feels a little 'circus' heavy but overall this fits events like Junction Arts Festival very well which is a fast-growing Northern based hero event. On first glance it might not look like Northern Tasmania, but it does feel like Northern Tasmania. So I think the mix and feel combines the best of all the regions.
the TVC is one part of the overall brand campaign that includes large format wraps for lifts in interstate office buildings and print media.
it's honest and plays on the point that as a state we often contradict ourselves which allows a visitor to undertake a journey of discovery where they make their own opinion.
the roll-out for this brand positioning is expected to take place over a 3-5 year period. It's not a short here today-gone tomorrow campaign, it's something that we can become famous for in the long term because remember a brand isn't built overnight!

This is the biggest and most comprehensive grasp of brand that I've seen by a Tourism body in a very long time because they've built a structure (through the RTO's) that will give the brand every chance to thrive because the delivery can match the promise.

I'm glad though that the majority of comments have been very positive...this way operators can think about how they can become part of the story behind the scenery and create a truly amazing experience for the visitor.

Finally, for those who'd like to know more, I've taken the liberty of including the following video that provides explanation.

Cheerio!
Rick

Perspective 101: Focused Steps | Tell A Story

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Happy New Year,

I've got a question for you…

Are the next 12 months all part of a journey toward something exciting, or will it be better described as a tornado you just jump into and see where it spits you out?

Did you know that the world's most recognisable tourism brand, 100% Pure New Zealand, copped a lot of flack in its home country? People weren't convinced. Even 3 years in, people still wanted to get rid of it, but through consistency it started to gain traction. The lesson here is that it takes time and conviction to build a brand. You'll probably get bored of it much earlier than your market will. It evolves but it doesn't change. It's not 10 disjointed stories, it's one story with chapters that take you on a journey and sweep up others along the way...

Refine Your Brand

When's the last time you read a book by shuffling chapters? Start at Chapter 10, next to 3, then have a crack at 12…what a useless way that would be to read a book! Great brands have a story. They have a starting point and a clear idea of where they want to be. In between those two points will be a series of chapters and new characters will be introduced along the way. There will be highs and lows in the story, but in all, it's one big story. That's where many organisations go wrong. They chop and change 'advertising campaigns' with no strategy. It's essential that each campaign you create gets you one step closer toward success.

A brand is built one step at a time, make sure not only that all the steps are in the right direction, but that you actually know where each of the steps are leading to.

Engage Your Team

A brand you build without engaging the team will just end up as an empty promise. Each step of the journey you'll engage the team. No author introduces characters to a story without purpose. Characters without purpose will just confuse the story. The characters in your story will include suppliers, staff and anyone who needs to represent the brand. It's not just important to get good people, but it's important to get the right people.

Next step is to make sure every one knows the value they add to the story so they can get on with their role. Hiring people and suppliers that fit your brand story is critical. Then provide suppliers with a clear brief and employees with a clear position description and scope of what they have ownership of. This is how you assemble a team and it's this team that will help you move forward on each chapter.

Delight Your Customer

No book will get published if it's as boring as bats&#*! Give the experience some life. Add some highs and let there be times to reflect and put the story together. Be a story that's hard to resist finding out what the next chapter's about. Most importantly know who the story is being written for. EL James knew the target market for 50 Shades of Grey and it's very different to those reading JK Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Know who your story best relates to then ensure those people are delighted to a point they have no choice but to read till the end!

Accelerate Your Reputation

Speaking of books, Facebook is in real need of pleasing shareholders. If you have a Facebook business page you might find the need to be 'promoting posts'. It's important you choose when to do this wisely, not only because it costs money but because not everything should be promoted.

For example, I noticed one or two businesses posted information about the donation they provided to the Tasmanian Bushfire Appeal. Appearing to 'self-promote' your kindness is one thing, but it looks even worse when you hit that button and spend money to promote it.

Woo Hoo of the Week

Bakers Dozen

A brand is made up of many touch points, but single ones can be very powerful. During the recent hot weather a staff member from Bakers Dozen in Launceston was seen taking a bowl of water out to a dog tied up at the front of the shopping centre.

It's a small gesture, but it's authentic and anyone that has respect for animals would respect that action and so too the brand.

Boo Boo of the Week

Boeing

There used to be an old saying amongst airline pilots "If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going". Boeing were known to set the standard for quality.

Other makers were compared to them and this saying became more prominent when there were troubles with Airbus engines on Qantas A380's and the Air France problem on A320's.

But the integrity of this brand has taken a hit this week with the grounding of all new 787 Dreamliners in service due to battery faults. One airline executive was quoted as saying they're like a cheap Chinese import. Not a good look for a quality brand or US manufacturing.

As for us, we're about to start the next chapter in our story. In March we'll move into our new building that we've purchased just across the road from the City Park and Albert Hall in Launceston's CBD.

We'll be creating an enjoyable and vibrant space to work and also some space for our clients to relax as we collaborate on some big ideas during our coaching and facilitation sessions.

As for you, with some real strategy and focused steps in the right direction, just imagine where you could be this time next year!

Let's make 2013 the year that changes everything.

Cheerio,

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Topical Pondering - The Tragic Royal Prank

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 15:22:00 GMT

Every action has a consequence.

An apparently 'light-hearted' prank phone call has caused a tragic consequence. It's a prank that's about as funny as yelling out 'bomb' in an airport.

Mel Greig and Michael Christian of 2day FM didn't intend for this to happen. But it did.

The outcome has been tragic human loss and pain for the loved ones of Jacintha Saldahna. 2day FM has suffered brand damage and a huge loss in advertising revenue as a result of pulling all ads off air. It will also weigh heavily on the minds of these presenters for the rest of their lives (although their careers may weirdly so, benefit from this).

The CEO of 2day FM said that whilst this is a tragedy, these outcomes were not foreseeable. Maybe not suicide (suicide is not a simple scenario), but there would most surely be pain.

People who drink drive, never intend to kill someone. But we know that there are risks associated with that behaviour.

In this particular situation there is world wide condemnation on one side, and others saying it was just a prank on the other…

I feel something important has been missed:

This was more than a prank. A prank usually ends up in people, including the person who was pranked, having a laugh at the situation. Who out of this scenario would be laughing? This laughter and entertainment could only come at someone else's expense.

This phone call asked for people to a) risk their career by sharing private information and b) to make public the private medical conditions of a human being who is entitled to her privacy.

Up until the news of Mrs Saldanha's passing, the Royal Family acted with dignity about the 'prank' to keep the situation light out of respect for the embarrassment nurses would be feeling. The CEO of the hospital, whilst reviewing phone protocols said "I think this whole thing is pretty deplorable, our nurses are caring, professional people trained to look after patients, not to cope with journalistic trickery of this sort." Both of these parties handled it the right way.

But let's get back to the many points at which 2DayFM could have avoided this outcome.

1. They could have decided that the idea was dumb.

2. The phone call was pre-recorded, so they had a chance to decide then "what are the effects of airing this?"

3. The lawyers and producers who gave it the all clear could have advised that this might have consequences.

4. After it aired and the feedback was negative, the announcers and station could have stopped gloating about it and promoting it.

5. They apologised, but then the station continued to promote it and replay it.

6. Even after the death was announced, someone in programming should have remembered to move all reference to it, even if that meant sending someone in to the station to change the scheduling of promo spots when the station was apparently running on autopilot. the outcome of this was that a lady's voice who had since died was still playing as a promotion.

Station management had the chance to ask themselves "are we risking this nurses career and would we want our medical conditions shared with the world?" At each step they decided that publicity was more important.

This is why there's a difference between a prank and blatant disregard for others. The stupidity has gone to the core of the entire station, not just the two presenters.

Amongst this, and remembering I write about brand, there was a smart strategic move made by management that will likely minimise the damage to advertising revenues in the medium term.

2day FM pulled all advertising before any more advertisers felt they had to distance themselves after Telstra and Coles pulled their schedules. This was a smart strategic move because it saved the domino effect of falling advertisers that was allegedly about to continue with Woolworths and Optus. By proactively removing all advertising, this saved their clients being put in the tough position of publicly distancing themselves from the station, which makes it easier for them to return when things 'blow over'. Assuming it does.

I find it hard not to be angry, but blame won't help the situation. We cannot cause further pain to the presenters who are no doubt, as any human would be, crushed by the ramifications of their actions. I hope the many people responsible look at every step of this tragedy and dig deep in to their hearts.

Rather than anger, I have a fear.

As a human race have we forgotten about respect for each other?

This tragic story gives all of us something to ponder and a lesson that none of us should ever forget...

Every action we take has an effect on someone or something. Brands (especially consumer brands) need to take responsibility for their actions and act with a moral conscience. As individuals we must ask ourselves at that moment we go to do something "would I want this done to me and what are the potential outcomes?"

If there is anything positive to come from Mrs Saldanha's passing, it's the opportunity to remind ourselves that thoughtlessness and disregard for consequences often leaves pain for the victims and the instigators.

Perspective 100: New Look | Accelerate | Red Cross

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:00:00 GMT

Hi there!

Welcome to Perspectives 100. We have given the email version of this blog a brand new look and you can check it out here. Our focus to bring you leading insights to build a loved brand is the same, but after seeing survey results we wanted to enhance a few things in our delivery.

The email now has 4 areas which are the stages in building a brand people love - Refine, Engage & Delight. The fourth element, Accelerate your reputation comes only after you've secured the first three foundations.

Perspectives will now be released monthly, but if you wish to enjoy insights more frequently then we have different streams of information on our Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter pages.

So let's get to some insights...

Refine Your Brand

Some businesses close down and some just move to a bigger and better premises. It's important that as a business moves, they keep the market informed of where they're going and have a strategy that ensures everyone maintains the faith in the viability of the business.

This strategy may even start with communications some 4-months prior to the move. By keeping people informed it allows you to pull down your old signage as soon as you've left with possibly one temporary piece of signage that says "We've moved to a better place" or similar. Leaving the old signage up without any large and clear explanation as to where you've gone may provide the impression that you've closed down.

Engage Your Team

Having an effective business requires an effective team. To be effective your people need to know not just where the business is going, but how they fit in to the picture. A clear Position Description is essential and this should be updated 6 months in to the role and then every 12 months after in individual staff reviews.

An engaged team of individuals will give you an innovative organisation that stays at the front of the curve. It is essential that every business leader invests this time in their staff, and please do it in time that you're paying them for. Don't expect them to be reviewed in their own time. This is an investment in the productivity of your business.

Delight Your Customer

With Christmas on it's way, customers will likely be tired and irritable. The traffic is worse, the checkout queues are longer and frustration can loom when they can't find what they're looking for. This provides your business with a real opportunity to stand out with a positive experience. Take the time to explain to your team (and lead by example) the importance of not just servicing your customers but truly serving your customers.

There is a difference between servicing and serving. Serving comes with a dose of authenticity, customer focus and showing appreciation for their patronage. Even a jar of lollies on the counter could make all the difference.

Accelerate Your Reputation

Yelp! Are you on it yet? Yelp is a directory, review platform and offers a website and mobile application. If you're an iPhone user who has ever asked Siri to find you a cafe in Australia, she'd say "Sorry this service is not available outside of the U.S." That's because she references Yelp in the United States to source that information.

In Australia, Sensis (Yellow Pages) provides listing to Yelp, so they already have a strong base of basic listings. But if you're not in the Yellow Pages you can still go on Yelp and claim your business. In fact you should claim your business anyway. This way you can update information, share staff profiles, offer check-in deals and stay on top of reviews which of course you can reply to in a sincere and balanced manner.

Woo Hoo of the Week

Australian Red Cross

After our team last week went to donate blood (as a team building event), Nick found himself a little faint! What first looked like a shifty way to get more lollies ended up being more like a state of emergency. They immediately had nurses tending to him and making sure he was feeling ok. They reclined his chair, got out a fan, gave him fluid and salty food.... he actually thought the lunch was pretty cool! The real WooHoo though was not for the care from the Blood Bank on the day, but for the text message they sent to check he was ok a week later. It really showed they care about their customers and it turned what could have been a negative experience for some into a reassuring show of support.

Boo Boo of the Week

Banjo's Bakery

Another one from Nick! Last week he was organising a trip away for friends and needed 100 bread rolls. He went to Banjo's at 9am to make his purchase and rather than his large order being welcomed, the staff got annoyed that he was purchasing all their stock for the day. Hang on....isn't selling your stock a good thing? Sure he could have placed an order but he needed it there and then. In addition, the baker was still out the back to produce more! He found himself apologising for buying their product and it will take a lot to now change his opinion on this store.

That's about all from us. Enjoy the silly season and feel free to give us any feedback on the new format.

Cheerio,

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 99: Relevance | AAMI | Rich Dad

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:00:00 GMT

A big g'day to you all!

I just got back from sunny Queensland Health Retreat where I was learning about proactive health (cause and effect sort of stuff) and took the time to really think about "responsibility".

I was in the gym and saw a cartoon on the wall with a trainer asking a chubby guy, "If you can't find time to exercise an hour a day, how will you find time to be dead 24 hours a day? "

It dawned on me that many brand owners (either career driven individuals, sportspeople or business owners) don't take responsibility for their own futures by preparing for risks today.

Over the last week, despite being cut off by most technology, I still caught wind of stories including the closure of Chickenfeed stores and issues with parent company Retail Adventures. What shocked me (maybe shock isn't the right word) were the number of people banging on about how this is just another example of the economic downturn.

This is the same economy in which stores such as The Reject Shop and Shiploads (Chickenfeed's two competitors in Tasmania) are looking to open more stores. If it's the same economy and same trading conditions but one can't stay afloat, then it must be safe to say the issue lies in the business not everything around it.

For many business owners or professionals the critical period is already here, faster than ever industries are becoming irrelevant. They must choose if it will be a crisis to whinge over or a challenge to overcome. Let's look at some scenarios and forgive me if it looks like I'm being a little 'too' blunt.

- If your competitors have the 'next big thing' and your customers love it…whose problem is that? It would be you that failed to get your own 'Next big thing'.

- If your sales drop so you've discounted your products to a point you no longer make money…whose problem is that? It would be you that failed to provide enough value so you could maintain a fair price.

- If internet shopping starts stealing your customers and you struggle to survive…whose problem is that? It would be you that failed to come up with an experience or element to your product that the internet couldn't match, or that failed to take the opportunity to sell your unique product to the world also.

- If you're a sportsperson who loses an endorsement because you drive your car like a maniac….whose problem is that? It would be you for driving the car without respect for the safety of others.

- If one of your largest clients has gone broke and left you in a huge financial mess…whose fault is it? It would be you that put all your eggs in one basket.

I know the plight of forestry suppliers and many in agricultural businesses that have hit hard times and they find themselves in circumstances which are not caused by them. They, like all of us at some point in our lives, will have to ask themselves "Can we hold on to this and put the building block in to succeed, or should we start to diversify now whilst we are still strong enough to do so?"

Just last week the CEO of Vodafone Australia admitted they totally underestimated the load on their network that would be needed to satisfy the appetite for smartphone usage amongst their customers. A couple of years ago a large exodus began because their network was hopeless. With all credit to the CEO, this week he came out and admitted they know it's not up to scratch and will have to spend the next couple of years healing. It's a great example of why honesty is the best policy because people can connect with that.

The buck stops with the individual. The reputation and ultimate success of our own brands rely on each of us. Consumers very rarely look positively at a 'bail-out' by someone else but instead respect strength and an enduring spirit. Blaming others for shortcomings is simply a waste of time.

The Point:
Next time you or a friend find yourselves apportioning blame to others, take a moment to think what could have been done in the past to avoid this situation now. In this rapidly changing world choices need to be made for those in many industries. It's always important to remember, you got yourself here, now it's you who has the power to choose the next step toward success.

Quote of the Week

"Someone is enjoying shade today, because someone planted a tree a long time ago." Warren Buffett, Billionaire.

Touchpoint Awards

WooHoo of the Week: AAMI

Surely you've heard about Rhonda and Ketut. They're the stars of the latest campaign for AAMI Insurance created by Creative Agency Badjar Ogilvy. What started off as just a TV ad has now become a household name and is in no small part due to some very smart actions to bring Rhonda and Ketut in to general conversation. They teed up a range of integrated promotions with Nova (home of Hughesy and Kate) in Melbourne who feature or refer to Ketut on a daily basis. The genius is that it's spawned more promotions created by the general public with a Facebook page getting 52,000 likes in just 48 hours! It celebrates the deliberately written tag lines such as "You have beautiful brake foot Rhonda." These strategies mean real word of mouth and AAMI is again claiming part of Australian minds. See the sexual tension here.

BooBoo of the Week: Robert Kiyosaki

The author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad is an exceptional speaker. I was mesmerised last year seeing him talk about wealth creation, in particular the reasons why wealth isn't about greed, it's about a mindset that can be shared with many. This week it's been reported that his company Rich Global LCC has filed for bankruptcy after a court judgment ordered him to pay $24m to a previous colleague. The first Booboo is that having your brand built as a nice guy that knows about wealth is certainly damaged if you have bankruptcy beside your name in a headline. But…he has been smart and closed the business that signed the original deal meaning it's hard to trace those funds.

For someone that appeals very much to a Mum and Dad audience, it's the screwing over of little guys and using companies to avoid your personal responsibilities that will likely leave a bad taste in people's mouths. I often advocate that brands are trusted and without it you have very little value. Smart business move, but not the type of thing Oprah would have wanted to be promoting. See more about the story here.

This has been a bumper issue! We're very excited to see one of our clients last week start demolishing the neighbours building (it's ok they own it), so they can expand capacity by another 50%. It's always good to know there are still plenty of success stories around.

Let's hope you're one of them.

Cheerio,

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 98: Recruitment | Autobarn | Billabong

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Well g'day there!

Let me just point out that I'm not an HR professional but I do deal with the symptoms of HR.

What do I mean by this?

As you already know, brand is not just what you promise in your advertising but also the way you deliver the experience. For this reason your people are pivotal to driving the brand.

When I walk into any business, I look to see what fits the brand and what doesn't - this includes it's people. If it's a client I'm working with I'll seek to find out the reasons why people seem disengaged. I've worked in scores of businesses where I could easily see the person who sticks out and doesn't want to be there or simply doesn't fit.

A person with multiple face piercings might have lots of skills but is more suited to a vibrant edgy type of company than they would be as the concierge at Qantas Lounge. Someone who is too uptight doesn't fit well with a company that's meant to be young, free and on the edge. It sounds simple, yet staff are still being sourced based on their skills with 'brand fit' well down the tree.

For some staff, it just takes a bit of collaboration to help them find their groove. For others they just won't ever fit. They don't think the same, they don't share the same values or present themselves in a way that fits the brand. Because of this disconnect, they will rarely feel purpose in what they do nor be passionately engaged in their role.

One such incident that I'm aware of nearly meant a new employee who ended up becoming a superstar for their company never made the shortlist by the outsourced HR company. Those presented as finalists for the vacant position had skills but didn't fit well to the brand. Other than for a twist of fate, this superstar would never have been found.

So how do we stop this before it happens?

1. Human resources and employment agencies should consider more than just skills as a qualifier. Many don't, so ensure they are proactively interested in your company's values, the 'bigger picture' purpose of the role and the personality of your brand. If they aren't proactive in asking this, they probably don't understand it.

2. The brand foundations should be clearly conveyed in the position vacant ad and articulated to ensure you get interest from the people who relate to what you do.

3. Ensure your HR department or HR company is fully aware of the attitude you seek to fit your brand.

4. During the interview process ask how much the candidate knows about your company, this will show their natural level of interest.

5. Ensure the criteria includes skills, strengths and personality traits. Maybe even ask them what kind of car they drive.

6. The ad must be written in such a way that it's a promotion for your brand as well. There are some things that should be kept private like 'be a persuasive seller'. If the customer wouldn't like it, then don't put it in there!

The Point:

It takes more than just qualifications to find a good employee. Hiring the right attitude will mean they'll be keen to learn any skills they don't already have because they’re passionately engaged in adding value to your organisation. If you don't get this right it doesn't matter how well you promote the brand, your team will never naturally deliver it.

Winners are Grinners

We are delighted to have last week been awarded the Toyota Community Award in the Australia Business Arts Foundation state awards. This is in recognition of our partnership with Junction Arts Festival to build an event that impacts on the social fabric of the broader community and impacts the economy whilst also allowing us to show good practice (for which we also received awards) in the development of activating brands within interactive events. We will now be acknowledged and be in the running for the national award in front of 1000 high profile business guests in Victoria in October.

Touchpoint Awards

WooHoo of the Week - Autobarn Launceston

This actually happened to me a while back. I needed to put the roof racks from my old car on to another car. I couldn't find the special key that you need to screw them on to the car. After calling one place that had me on hold, I then went into another auto retailer that is known for their cheap prices and having no luck finding service, I went down to Autobarn as my last resort. The only reason they were last resort was because they probably don't advertise quite as much as the others. But what they did have was a proactive set of people in their parts department who were also able to find me one of the 'end caps' for one the roof bars too. The things were less than a few bucks and out I went. Because of that one time when they solved my problems, they will automatically be my first stop when next I need something. The amount of advertising the other guys do is now irrelevant.

BooBoo of the Week - Billabong

Other than the terrible performance by Billabong, this company seems to have lost it's heart and soul. It was once the grass roots surf brand, now it's a goliath that seems to have forgotten where it came from and why customers loved it. So as part of their recovery they have their new CEO Laura Inman who looks to be lovely. She knows that 52% of their workforce are women and can relate to that. The problem is that she's never surfed. That was pretty easy to tell as she made her press announcements finely groomed and wearing pearls. Quite simply, that individual impression did nothing to say "we're bringing the heart and soul of surfing back to Billabong", it just looked like more corporate speak. This of course is just a single impression and doesn't really have a bearing on whether or not Ms Inman will be successful in the turnaround (I hope she is), but to get the integrity back, they'll need to infuse the 'life is better with a surfboard' culture in to everything they do. Every impression counts.

Thanks for taking the time to read. There are a lot of good potential employees out there right now, so if you are looking to boost, I hope the tips work well for you.

Cheerio!

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 97: Accelerate | The Running Company | Taxis

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Hey there brand builders!

There's something you'll notice in the upcoming 100th Perspectives - it's the addition of a new category to our process of:

Refine your Brand
Engage your Team, and
Delight the Customer

Those three categories are essential to creating a brand people love. They are the foundations upon which you build your reputation.

But from there is where the magic happens.

It's time to Accelerate the Brand.

We've long been advocates of telling business to stop wasting advertising dollars until they can be sure the word on the street is what they want it to be. The reason is clear: advertising and social media accelerates word of mouth - good or bad.

If it accelerates bad word of mouth then you'll accelerate your demise. We don't want that!

The Point: If your complete marketing plan exists only of advertising mediums such as traditional and social media then ask yourself, have you put the effort in to refining, engaging and delighting. If you can't be 100% confident it may be worthwhile holding back on your advertising until you know your brand is worth accelerating.

Part of the Community

Junction Arts Festival is underway in Launceston, Tasmania. Junction is a festival that is unique in the world, punches well above it's weight, is inclusive, it leaves a legacy by reactivating unused spaces of the city and builds the community by nurturing creativity and fresh ideas.

In line with 'love' being so important in brand building, we've supported a specific project from the UK called The Loveliness Principle.

We hope you enjoy it!

Congratulations - The Running Company

As the sponsor of the Launceston Central City Service Excellence Awards, we were delighted to sponsor and present the Business Excellence Award to Mike Spray of The Running Company in front of more than 400 people at last week's dinner. Mike's business is simple, it's unique and it connects with people in such a way that he becomes a highly important part of their running experience. He uses social media and doesn't compete on price, in fact there are no price tags in his store at all. He's built enough trust in his business where price becomes a secondary consideration. That's what makes a brand people love! Congratulations also to the other finalists and winners across the other categories.

Touchpoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - Allbooks4Less South Wharf

I lose myself in that store sometimes! After collecting a very heavy pile of books I took them to the counter and the staff happily counted them and then asked if I was going to be doing more shopping in the complex. After saying yes they offered to store my bags so I could collect them on the way out. Easy process, great help. It doesn't take much to win customers over!

BooBoo of the Week - The Smoking Taxi Driver

So there are things we all do that will probably annoy people. But I have to be honest and say that if I had the choice to get in a taxi where the driver is just standing beside his car having a smoke, or a taxi driver that wasn't smoking I'd choose the non-smoker, especially if I have a long trip ahead. Regardless of whether his cab smelled like flowers or not, I'd still perceive the cab to smell of smoke. A small touchpoint but it's enough to lose a fare.

Hopefully your brands are tracking well and you're building the love! If you have any questions or touch points that you'd like to put forward for a WooHoo or BooBoo, then please send them in by reply email.

Cheerio y'all!

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 96: Group Buying | Pura Milk | Media Companies

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

Hello again!

Have you subscribed to group buying sites like Scoopon, Groupon, Cudo, Living Social or the other myriad of group buying sites?

For a buyer, these things are often too good to refuse as an impulse buy.

For a business, this is brand suicide if not handled properly (and most often it isn't handled properly).

Just last week Kallie in our office noticed a 5 star hotel in Phuket advertise on one of these sites despite being part of a highly regarded luxury hotel chain.

So what's the problem?

1. Consistent Conditioning

Consistency is a cornerstone of a great brand because we condition the market to have a common expectation. That means the collective word on the street is also consistent.

So what happens when part of the market is expecting the hotel to be worth $500 a night and another part of their market expects it to be worth much less? You end up with confusion about what the brand stands for and this directly affects the integrity of the brand. Shar VanBoskirk who authored a report for the worldwide market analyst company Forrester writes "Consumers will grow so conditioned to micro-impulse offers that they'll lose practice at considered decisions - in all walks of life, not just when buying spa treatments." Sounds good on the surface, but what it means is that the market becomes much harder to build value for.

2. You're still Competing on Price

I'll keep saying it till I'm blue in the face, but if price is the only thing you have to compete on then get ready for a slippery slide down! To lower the price, you eat in to margin. Something has to give and it'll usually be the quality of your product, service or the experience.

Most hotels use dynamic pricing (i.e. changes depending on demand) but going too far out of the 'price band' like these sites encourage, is dangerous territory. It's the easy cop out when a smart marketer would instead ensure the brand is creating a strong fan base that sees the value in a fair price, not just cutting price and lowering their standard to fit.

Like all discounting, the problem here is if you change the perception of value by lowering the price, it makes it very hard for you to get the perceived value back up again even when consumers do have more money to spend.

3. Upsetting the Loyal followers

Why would anyone pay $500 a night at a hotel which has just offered 5 nights in a coupon for the same price?

As a loyal customer I would feel pretty ripped off if I was talking to a fellow hotel guest and found that they got 5 nights for the same price I have paid for one night, especially if I'm a loyal customer who comes regularly!

4. Lack of Loyalty

The buyers you attract are likely to be people who value your product as a bargain because it falls outside of their usual purchasing budget. So you may have attracted new customers, but you're going to have to show them something pretty special if you want them to return at a higher price than what the coupon was for.

5. Saturation

The more businesses that do coupons, the bigger you have to discount to stand out. Eeek! I can't tell one Phuket hotel from another with so many emails landing in my inbox daily. Consumers eventually become so overwhelmed with clutter that they switch off anyway. In fact, Lightspeed Research found that 59% of people registered on these sites have never made a purchase. That means you're now lowering the value of your brand across a huge audience that aren't even likely to buy anyway. Chances are many of those non-coupon buying subscribers may be your existing clients who used to be happy to pay your fair price!

6. Damage the Brand

Ever heard the saying that you're judged by the company you keep?

Well without appearing snobby, loved brands are usually loved by a particular audience. It's those fans that create the sense of 'personality' to a brand. Think Collingwood Football Club for AFL fans or the fact that we stereotype Volvo drivers. So what happens when you start playing with these coupons to attract new people? They're likely not the type of people your loyal fan base actually like hanging out with. Your fans no longer have a common interest because even though the product is the same, they see it from very different perspectives.

7. You don't meet expectations

This is less about the participation and more about the integrity of sites and businesses making the offer. Some sites sell too may offers for the businesses to be able to service them. I personally bought one and thought the voucher would come to me in an email. In actual fact it expected me to login to the site a few days later to manually retrieve the coupon for the offer. Like many people I forgot, so when the voucher expired so did my money. Obviously this is not the way to leave a good taste in the mouth of potential fans.

8. You'll go down when the boom ends

Ok sounds a bit dramatic. But according to Hitwise, some group buying sites are down 50% on traffic from the year before. Forrester predict that group buying sites will be gone by 2016. These sites have certainly boomed in past years, but it can't go on forever. The sad part here is when this boom busts, you're left with a brand that is worth less than it was before you took part.

The Point: If you're going to do something crazy and flog off a product line as a loss leader, then let it be that way. Frame it as a rare sale, a bulk buy of the week or even a temporary loss of sanity. But whatever you do, don't put your product on to one of these sites that instantly attract the minority of buyers that are price vultures, and put off the buyers who are likely to purchase at a fair price.

We have a Winner!

Thanks so much to everyone who completed our Survey to help us create a more exciting Perspectives for Edition 100 and beyond. There were so many entries, so with eyes shut and a finger pointed, Kallie has hit a name on the list and we congratulate Shayne Wicks at Country Club Tasmania on winning his new Effective Naturally iPod!

As a consolation prize to the two people either side of Shayne on the list, we’ll send you a copy of the book of your choice from our Online Store. So, Genevieve Youngman of Roberts Real Estate and Garry Conroy-Cooper of LINC Tasmania, jump on our online store and make your selection. Congratulations everyone and thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

TouchPoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - Pura Milk

Have you heard the hullaballoo about Pura's new Permeate Free milk? They tell us not all milk is equal. It's a smart move because it makes us assume that other milk does have permeate. Permeate is more than we'll cover here but is essentially seen as a waste product. It became a bigger additive as the supermarkets started their price wars. But for the other brands of milk that aren't from Woolworths or Coles you might find they are also Permeate Free anyway. In my home state of Tasmania, Betta Milk is Pura's biggest competitor. They've been proudly permeate free for over a decade. So why does Pura deserve the WooHoo? Because differentiating from some made us think they were differentiating from all. I have to say, whilst I usually buy Betta Milk, I picked up Pura last week just because I wasn't sure about it's Permeate status. Even funnier is that at the time, I didn't even know what permeate was!

BooBoo of the Week - WIN TV, Channel 7 and Fairfax

We know that with recent moves in the media toward so many redundancies, a lot of journos are fighting harder than ever to get the best story or the best shot. But what it means is some are pushing the boundaries on what is deemed as respectful. All three of these companies were mentioned on this week's edition of Mediawatch on ABC. As a young girl was killed all three of these media outlets crossed the line by running stories and photos before the family even had time to tell anyone. When the mother of the girl eventually wrote about her disgust on the Channel 7 Facebook page they broke the golden rule of social media and took down the post. From there it just got worse… See the details here.

In the last week we launched a new Mexican Cafe brand where "Every day is a Fiesta!". We took the unusual tact of keeping the name secret and simply dropping hints around town only revealing the name as the curtain dropped and the Mayor cut the ribbon. The cafe started a roaring trade the very next day. Whilst there are still a few things yet to be implemented within the extremely short turnaround, we're delighted to be working with a team that are just as serious about creating a great brand as we are. So next time you're in Launceston, Tasmania and after some lunch, drop in to Holy Guacamole!

You may have noticed that I haven't written for a couple of weeks. Our team is growing and we currently have a wait list for new clients. In short I simply haven't had time to write something I think would be worth reading. We're back on track now though, so I hope you continue to enjoy the read.

Gracias Amigos!

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 95: The Tower | Shannons Club | Realtors

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 01:41:00 GMT

There's a hot topic going on in my town right now about a $40m development by a local developer who is well respected and should be for much of what he has achieved. Sounds great right?

Well for a person as energetic and progressive as me, many people wonder why I'm not all for it. Surprise surprise it's because of BRAND!

Remember brand is the stand out feature of the new economy on which the world is now operating. Like it or not, the world has changed and brand is a critical inclusion for every decision.

While half the town was getting excited about 'yay for development and more jobs', I couldn't help but think - but what next?

So how does this topic impact on your brand?

What makes a great brand successful is having a strong vision that is unique, consistent and relevant. You then need a focused strategy to reach that vision, while keeping the brand refined, your team engaged, and the end user (customers) delighted both today and in the future.

Every action which happens within that brand, should assist it to gain momentum and assert its competitive advantage. Even a city needs a competitive advantage to attract residents, business investment and tourism.

So whether you've been offered a tower, an exciting piece of media coverage, a special deal for advertising or any initiative whatsoever, all of the following points should be considered. It's about working out which opportunity is right for your specific brand.

- Will there be enough customers to warrant the investment?
- What is the benefit in 5 years from now, when you ignore the hype of today?
- Is there another way the desired outcome for today can be met without bastardising the future?
- In 10 years from now will you still be happy that the decision was made?
- In which way does today's decision advance you to the next stage of success, or is it just a band-aid for now?
- Does it have a positive or negative ripple effect and will resources be shortened in other areas to cater for this opportunity?
- Could the resources be better utilised to enhance the brand in other ways?
- Does your new opportunity detract from what makes the brand outstanding?
- Does the new opportunity help the brand attract new followers?
- Could this look like you're selling the soul of the brand for a short term monetary reward?

Of course the hard thing here is not getting caught up in the hype of short term rewards. That's why it's always good to have a strategy and someone with a level head to make sure the above questions are asked.

In regards to the tower, many people have told me it's at least got people excited about something. True. But sadly it's wasted energy, resources and excitement if it isn't accompanied by a common direction.

The Point: Investment in any brand (whether it be a country, city, business or individual) should always be checked and aligned against the vision of the brand as a consistent reference point. Without this focus, the brand will never be consistent enough to gain momentum or assert itself with a competitive advantage. That means ineffective use of resources and a likelihood of going around in circles.

To see how the Tower opportunity specifically stacks up against this criteria click here

TouchPoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - Shannons Club

Ever wanted to watch a video of what someone's exhaust tone sounds like on their Holden Statesman? Maybe not. You're probably not the type of car fanatic that would be insuring your car with Shannons. This insurer covers special vehicles so they've created an online space called Shannons Club where enthusiasts can find other people with like minds from abroad. It's a great example of a brand being the conduit to conversation which in turn builds rapport with their audience and positions them as the experts in their field.

BooBoo of the Week - Realtors that don't close bins

What the? If you know the purpose of your organisation then you do whatever you need to do to reach the final outcome for a customer. Right? Without this dedication to the purpose, your service will hold little value. So while property searching I'm amazed at how many times I see photos of homes with little things that could have been fixed to make the photo look better. One was a kitchen that was average but the first thing I noticed in the foreground was a bin with it's lid open. Yuck! As soon as I see that I look at the name of the realtor and add them to the list of realtors i'll never use. I want someone focused on selling my property that will notice all the little things to get the best result and not be too lazy just to shut the lid of the bin, or tuck it back in its spot.

We've been up to a whole lot of stuff in the past weeks - Get Effective workshops in Tasmania, Brand Discovery programs for a range of businesses and organisations, presenting at schools, keynote speaking at a range of industry events, as well as starting long term partnerships with more Tasmanian businesses that are striving to become brands people love! We've just launched a new Brand Consulting product for those who just need to tap into our ideas for the short term. Phew, it's been busy and we're loving it.

Holy! We're also really excited to announce we've been working with a client to build a new brand from scratch! It's a new cafe in Launceston and it opens at the end of the month. We'll keep you posted and share with you some of the special touch points once they're revealed.

That's all from me.

On behalf of Adam, Nick and Kallie at Effective Naturally - have a hugely effective week!

Cheerio,

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Brandlove Bite

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 01:40:00 GMT

A Tower of Confusion

The city I live in is magic. It has many endearing qualities. It boasts mostly well maintained heritage sites and has great views across the valley and to the Cataract Gorge....one of the regions most iconic features. The tower will sit nearly three times higher than the current tallest building in the city and it will block views of the Gorge from other areas. But then at 20 stories high, it's not tall enough to attract anyone here. In fact, Tasmania's most popular attraction MONA has actually been built in to the ground!

Goes to show it's not about how big you are, it's how you use it!

So the tower negatively impacts on something that is unique, it stands out but doesn't enhance the brand values, it's not tall enough to attract anyone here to see it and we can't be sure it will actually be occupied after its construction is complete. In contrast, there are some sites across the city where the heritage has not been well maintained. How about targeting the investment in fixing these and sympathetically developing these sites so it does enhance the brand?

The answer I keep getting is that 'Development is essential for economic growth'. I agree. But it should always fit within what makes the city special. A city with a unique flavour becomes famous. One that tries to be everything to everyone with an inconsistent approach to planning will soon find itself as 'just another town'. There should be a strong vision to which all development contributes. I actually don't mind the look of the tower (although a colleague called it an old style toaster), but it simply isn't special. It has no purpose other than for people to occupy it and to have a viewing platform on top.

So based on the questions used to determine a 'good opportunity' for your specific brand in the original article (click here), let's take a look at this particular development. For the purposes of these questions, the 'brand' refers to the City of Launceston, Tasmania.

Will there be enough customers to warrant the investment?

The old adage 'build it and they will come' is not a reliable assumption toward development. There are plenty of buildings that have low tenancy rates both residential and commercial. There are many businesses so excited by their own idea that they think it'll be so compelling that people will just flock to it. In a city where apartment hotels such as the Sebel have many apartments on the market and at bargain prices, you'd have to wonder where the demand is to make use of this building. It's also important to know that what someone might want today is not necessarily what they'll want by the time you've built it. Steve Jobs used this mantra because if he asked people what they wanted, then the iPad would likely never have been built.

What is the benefit of your action in 5 years from now, when you ignore the hype of today?

The benefit and hype of today has been focused around creating jobs in the building industry. Is this tower the only way to do that? Surely not. There are many other areas of the city that need improvement and could be more accessible for purchasers to make use of them. These could include countless buildings that are historically iconic but mostly empty. These would have a higher tenancy rate, focus more residential living in the CBD, thus providing more vibe while maintaining the unique look and feel of heritage buildings that visitors love about the city. The outcome of building this tower on the outskirts will possibly compete for tenants and move even more from the heart of the city.

Is there another way the desired outcome of today can be met without bastardising the future?

Yes. There are plenty of other things we can do to create jobs which span further than the building industry alone. Considering this opportunity calls for government and private sector investment, there could be other ways in which these bodies could invest in industries that actually create jobs in export markets. With assets such as the NBN and our ability to generate clean energy a company such as Google could see great value in hosting more of their servers here. It's feasible and good for their corporate responsibility to the environment. Start with Google then see how that endorsement attracts many more.

Google currently uses nearly three times* as much electricity to power its server farms than the total output of the Trevallyn Power Station which powers most of the region. Google are also looking to increase their amount of power consumption which comes from renewable energy, which according to The Financial Times* was at 25% in 2011. Plenty of room to grow!

Launceston as a region is missing out terribly on conference visitors. According to Roy Morgan Research* we gained just 4,400 conference visitors in the last 12 months compared to Hobart at nearly 28,000. Hobart may have this due to their huge range of quality conference venues of which Launceston is limited. This is a lucrative market, but this tower does not address that opportunity either.

In 10 years from now will you still be happy that the decision was made?

The argument has been made that many other places have 20 story buildings such as the Gold Coast. In contrast though, many other cities such as Paris have height restrictions. Think of how the buildings on the Gold Coast look....great from the waterfront, but the street behind them is often dark. Then you've got the 10-20 year old buildings that look tired. How good will this building look in 10 years from now? Is it a timeless design? In 10 years when the short term effect of the construction has worn off, will we be happy that we've traded off the natural beauty of the valley for something that now dominates the city from every angle?

In which way does today's decision advance you to the next stage of success or is it just a patch for now?

Every decision we make today will have a consequence tomorrow. It should get you closer to a bigger picture of success. But once the tower is built, then what? Have we now miraculously created a huge spike in population? I doubt it. Will we have increased our influx of tourists? I doubt that too, especially as the views of the city will be dominated by a crane or two for a couple of years. The problem is that we don't actually know what the city wants to be. Because of its lack of cohesive vision, there's no specific way to gauge if this is a good opportunity for now. If we want to be the next cool-climate Gold Coast then it's probably worth it. But with the amount of vacant buildings and developers going bust on the Gold Coast, I wouldn't think it's something we should be aspiring to.

Does it have a positive or negative ripple effect and will resources be shortened in other areas to cater for this opportunity?

It is likely this project would have a positive ripple (or flow on) effect financially. That's a tick! On the side of the brand though, it's ripple effect may not be so valuable. Considering the brand of Coca-Cola is worth more than the tangible assets itself, it's important that the 'brand' of Launceston is taken in to consideration as an asset worth building.

Could the resources be better utilised to enhance the brand in other ways?

People are attracted to live in regions that offer a quality lifestyle. Whilst I'm the first to admit the region needs some clarifying of what the brand actually is, I do know that heritage plays a big part in the atmosphere of the city. It's one of the things that makes the city special, so further investment in the items that exemplify and enhance the brand could certainly deliver a return. By enhancing the liveability of the city, you'll be contributing to more people choosing to live and invest here. Festivals such as Junction that re-activate unused parts of the city and use the arts to attract national investment in the region, special lighting to illuminate the beautiful architecture in the city so it stands proud day and night, or mobile technology that allows visitors to experience the city in ways that other regions haven't yet thought of - these are examples of what can be done to enhance the brand.

Does your new opportunity detract from what makes the brand outstanding?

Great brands consistently show examples of what makes them unique. This tower does not do that. It clutters the charm of the heritage and natural beauty that tourism visitors rate as their highest reason for visiting Tasmania. Also gaining popularity is visiting museums (and I'm guessing one in particular may stand out) but hope more will see the value in travelling North to two great museums that Launceston has in heritage buildings. So if the brand speaks 'heritage', a tower so modern and obtrusive will impact negatively on it's ability to attract attention as something special.

Does the new opportunity help the brand attract new followers?

I'm in disbelief that people have actually bragged that this 20 story tower will attract visitors. I think those people need to get out more! The Eureka Tower in Melbourne has a platform at 88 stories high. Makes ours look tiny in comparison. It's just a building, it's no MONA. An investment of this size should be focused on offering a compelling reason for people to live, invest or visit this city.

Could this look like you're selling the soul of the brand for a short term monetary reward?

Definitely. This region needs to think of innovative ways to get people to engage with the things that make our region amazing. There is a heart and soul that stands out from the rest of the world. What we need to do is remove the clutter so the amazing can shine through. The great developments of Seaport and The Charles took ugly parts of the city and turned them in to attractions. The tower is something that is being built from scratch and serves no other purpose than to stimulate a short term financial boost and create jobs for the life of the project. It will confuse the perception in people's minds about what we as a community value in our brand, and through that lack of clarity in highlighting what makes our region special, we inhibit our ability to attract more people to make our region part of their special story.

In closing

I'm always excited by development but we need focused development that gets us to where we, as a community, want to be in the future. The tower is certainly a sign of vision, but the vision needs to be further down the track then the next 2-3 years. Time rolls around too quickly. We must be planning what we expect the City of Launceston to look like in 10-20 years, then nurture the brand and competitive advantage to make cohesive decisions on all the opportunities that arise along the way.

Not every good idea is a good idea for your brand. The successful brands are those that align all their choices to what makes their brand special and what gets them the bigger reward in years to come.

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

References:
1. Tourism Tasmanian Visitor Survey (details here)
2. Financial Times (details here)
3. Trevallyn Power Station Wikipedia (details here)

Perspective 94: Changing Times | Reliquaire | Furniture

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:00:00 GMT

There's a lot of people calling for change lately. Have you noticed it?

Just watch shows like Q&A, or the news to see rallies calling for change in the economy....but they all have two things in common;

1. they want the change to be done by someone else and,

2. many want things to be 'like they were'. Hmmmm….is that not ironic? That's not change at all!

Meanwhile there is a good stack of people who are not being negative, they're just going about their evolutionary ways, adapting to the changing world and enjoying the wins.

Others talk down the economy and whinge about the problems, but not enough are seeing that they need to adapt to the new economy. I'll just repeat that.... we all have to adapt to the new economy. There are great new opportunities to be had, when you stop looking for the old ones.

So which of the two business types do you fit in to?

Business Type 1: Those who recognise the world has changed and we are now in a new economy, where the consumer is in control. People who admit this are adapting as best they can to stay relevant. There are still many challenges but they are having a fair crack at staying current, learning new things and seizing opportunities (like understanding the value of brand to carry you through).

Business Type 2: Those who keep doing what they've always done and still expect it to work. You'll be able to know these people because they will be saying about how tough the conditions are and calling for the government to do more to help them. Yet ask them any of the new questions like "why should I buy from you rather than your competitor on the internet?" and they may struggle to answer. The problem here is that the world will soon move on without them and they'll be left standing there with their typewriter wondering "what the hell just happened?"

The Point: Next time you hear someone say 'times are tough', 'we need a change of government' or 'the good old days will come back in the cycle' take the chance to ask them this…"What if the old days never come back? How can you deliver something to the world that they will value today?"

TouchPoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - Reliquaire
This is a store in Latrobe, Tasmania. But it's not just any store. It's a treasure trove of interconnecting rooms with the weird and the wonderful. From a Star Wars zone complete with the theme music, to a fairy room, historic hardware, books, games, perfumes and outdoor furniture. There's even a science and education area where you can purchase a fluffy toy of your favourite disease! Odd. But it doesn't stop there. All the staff are wearing Mickey Mouse ears and tailcoats. It's a real 'experience' and judging by the amount of people in store on a Sunday, it's a very popular one with hundreds of great touch points. The best way to know they deserve the WooHoo of the Week is that when I mentioned it on Facebook people from all over the state started singing it's praises.

BooBoo of the Week - Fantastic Furniture
In stark contrast to the above, I mention to someone that I'm annoyed with Fantastic Furniture and they too chime in with their story. Now I'm sure there would be plenty of great stories (well maybe), but for me it's simply that I ordered furniture that I had to make a quick decision on because they said they'd run out of stock (I'm so gullible sometimes!). I needed two desks that would match. One was in stock but the other was a couple weeks away, three at max. After waiting three, Nick (our brand accelerator) called and was told that I'll get an SMS when it's in. We'd still have to pick it up from the warehouse though or wait extra days for it to be available to pick up from store. It's now been six weeks since the order was made and the deposit taken. I could always cancel it, but am locked in because I already have the matching desk that I was waiting for. Now every time I see the sign I just get annoyed and we've decided that we'll now call the store 'Furniture' because there's nothing Fantastic about it. Happy customers are all about being realistic with the expectations. I was prepared for a three week delay, but six was not what I accepted.

But anyway, if some missing furniture is all I have to complain about then life must be pretty good right?!

Our survey is closing THIS FRIDAY! Get your chance to win the iPod here!

There are some great news stories going on out there…please join with us in nurturing those that seem stuck in the old days and show them what might just be possible.

Cheerio,

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 93: Airbus | Newspapers | Bike Stores

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:00:00 GMT

What happens when people no longer see value in something? They stop using it.

To combat this, most business people would just lower prices but that's silly. For starters, according to a worldwide study carried out in 2011, only 9% of consumers buy on price alone and this number is getting lower as years go by. Secondly, just because it's half the price doesn't mean I will go out of my way to get it.

Example 1
How many of us buy a paper these days? No one in our office does on a regular basis. Just yesterday Fairfax advised a major shakeup with 1900 job losses across it's newspaper division (mostly metro) and will now try and focus on it's digital assets.

Newspapers don't sell papers, they communicate information we as readers want or need. When a better, more convenient option comes along then they needed to ensure it's delivered to the people in the way the potential reader wants. Regional Fairfax publications have done a great job with its digital assets...most of us in the office do have our local newspaper app and comment on their social media.

So in short, values come from the focus on the bigger picture of why you do what you do. The way in which it's delivered is simply the vehicle. In this case, paper is lowing relevance and therefore value. News Limited have just announced their cuts today from 19 newsrooms down to 5!

Example 2
Yesterday a great business operator shared an article that said cycling shops are feeling the brunt of online. A few weeks ago I heard a bridal store owner tell her story at a luncheon of how brides try on dresses in her boutique then buy them online for 10% of the price. For both of these stores it comes down to understanding the pain points for the consumer.

Your competitor may be able to beat your price, what can't they beat?
What could make them regret their online purchase?
How can you save them from that pain?

Once you know the answers, this becomes part of your 'promise' in your brand foundations. For the bike store, the pain point has to be fitting. An incorrectly fitted bike will mean you're probably going to hurt too much to ride it. So make sure the message is continually reinforced in promise and behaviour that correct fitting makes or breaks the ride. It's not about the bike, it's about the enjoyment of the ride.

When it comes to bridal boutique, online can't sell the fairytale. Any local bridal technique must not only realise it is catering for the most important day of the brides life, but the journey towards that most amazing day should start in that bridal boutique.

There should be champagne, music and the excitement of trying things on. It shouldn't feel like a chore, it should feel like something amazing!

If the bride then has this experience and still goes to buy online, make sure you've already taken the chance to sell forward value. These could include: a refit the day before in case she ate a few extra cupcakes, or sharing other complementary businesses in the same bridal industry (that meet your standards), so she feels like she has a 'team' of great people around her. Solve problems before she's noticed they're there! A boutique can build exclusivity and that is something people value, especially on the most important day of their life.

It might also include checking Google Analytics to see which brands brides are searching for and therefore valuing most. Then order stock accordingly.

The Point: Focus on the benefit you sell rather than the thing you sell. Deliver this benefit in a way people value and for that, you'll always be worth a fair price.

Next week I'll write on 'when to withhold value'.

TouchPoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - Airbus
These guys have understood the 'pain point' that exists for their customer (being the airlines). The most contentious issue for airlines at the moment is charging extra for 'obese passengers'. The number one complaint of all passengers is being sat next to an obese passenger. Airlines are dancing around the fine line of discrimination but it's impacting on their delivery of customer delight.

Airbus have advised airlines they will now make a different size of seat, just 5cm larger and in the aisle for more convenience (albeit with the occasional whack of a trolley). They have also advised the accountants in the airlines about how much money they can make by making that seat cost just a $10 premium. Airbus has come up with multiple solutions and because of that, it displays compelling value.

CLICK HERE to see the full story.

BooBoo of the Week - A Local Hardware Store
We won't name this place but I will say it isn't Bunnings or a small private operator. The touch points are not ones that really exist in the customer experience, but with interactions in the corporate side of the business. They haven't been a team player or showed common courtesies.

Just days ago their name was raised in a neutral manner and it quickly turned in to everyone sharing their negative story. All of those compounded until none of us wanted to support the store anymore. One story for each of us was annoying, although it wouldn't necessarily stop us shopping there, but several examples combined to show 'we just don't like them much' and for that we don't think they deserve our support. With our hardware order about to go in this week, let's just say that one conversation has hurt their bottom line.

It's your last chance to share your compelling value with us and hear the 'value challenge' on our website. If your compelling value is great we'll share it with our readers, if not, that's ok, we'll keep it secret.

CLICK HERE to see the Operation: Value video.

I'm off now to get ready for a booked up Get Effective workshop. How invigorating to share these insights and help people build their brands!

Cheerio!

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 92: Operation Value | ANZ | Melbourne Water

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 06:14:00 GMT

We are in the midst of Operation Value.

So we have a challenge, check out the video and if you know anyone else that is in business but not doing as well as they could be i.e. having a lot of sales, then feel free to pass it on.

Launceston & Hobart Get Effective Workshops

If you want to turn your business from good to great whilst saving time and money, then you're just the right person to attend the Get Effective workshops.

Great reviews from the North-west workshop but remember these only happen once a year!

CLICK HERE to book now for Launceston and Hobart

TouchPoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - ANZ

S is for Super you can See. The problem with most super accounts is that you really have no idea how much money you actually have (or have lost).

ANZ have made their super product just as easy to check as your every day bank account on the smartphone apps.

A great example of how a business understands a simple thing we rarely see little value in (because we never look at it) and brings Super to the front of mind every time you look at your other bank accounts.

BooBoo of the Week - Melbourne Water

This is more of a major ^$%* up than just a booboo. In fact a commercial operation would struggle to get away with it but because it's a government enterprise it seems like it might just slide. Read more on the story here about Melbourne Water and how they overcharged customers but now say it will take them 5 years to get paid back. That's not the worst bit, the refund will be offset against future price rises!

It's all a matter of trust and doing what is right. Most people don't mind paying more, but they want to know they have a reason for doing so. Paying more and getting nothing back is a little like…hmmm…robbery!

In closing...

Next week we'll have a very important 'extra story' on how Apple is stepping away from Google and how that will critically affect your business!

But for now have a great weekend and deliver value in all that you do.

Cheerio,

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perpsective 91: Value | Habitat | Harris Scarfe | Save a Mainlander

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 05:45:00 GMT

This month we're rolling with Operation: Value. First, lets just clarify something…

Value and cheap prices are not the same thing.

I went to buy a frypan on Sunday. I noticed Harris Scarfe had a sale (as usual) and the frypan was half price. I'd be stupid not to buy it right? So I went to the first counter where three people stood in line but because one person had a query on a price, I was left waiting and decided to go to the checkout on the other side of the store.

Surprise! The customer service at this counter was also slow that it took just under 15 minutes waiting in line at the checkout because prices weren't scanning for the lady in front buying individual forks!

So I ended up saving $25 and got more than 15 minutes of frustration as a bonus. Hmmmm….not so cool!

Next I went to Habitat and purchased some canisters at full price. The service was bubbly, direct and warm. I feel much happier with my purchase at full price because there were no hurdles. It offered me better value because I got what I want.

From a sellers perspective, Habitat was also better off because they made a better margin on me as a customer. Harris Scarfe cut out a heap of their margin yet I'm not likely to want to relive the experience. 'Brands people love' build value and communicate that value in their promise and their delivery. For this reason consumers generally pay a price premium on items that have clear value and are happy to do so.

The point...If you find that you're having to cut price more often, then maybe you've lost the ability to communicate value that sets you apart from other alternatives. It's about a fair price that represents value rather than a cheap price just to try and compete.

As we write about these topics throughout June please take the opportunity to share this info with friends and colleagues. Many businesses are becoming price focused in these tough economic times and for many this is spelling the end. Cutting prices is a downward spiral so this month we hope to turn that around for a few businesses at least.

Get Effective Tasmania

Many businesses are complaining about tough economic times. Out of challenges come opportunities. If you know anyone in business, make sure you let them know about this powerful workshop.

We only do these workshops once a year and the Launceston one has had to be moved to a bigger room as the first round of tickets sold out!

"Rick's energy is infectious, his approach engaging and his message, priceless." Daniel McWilliams (Natural Infusion).

Click here to book now!

Our Survey

You could win an Apple iPod and help to shape the next generation of Perspectives!

The results so far have been extremely helpful and we've started implementing the things you've shared.

Jump on and get yourself an entry before it closes on June 28 - Click Here

TouchPoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - Red Jelly / Save a Mainlander

I strongly believe Tasmania has undersold itself across recent years. It rarely shared what made it truly unique. Last week I was so excited to see the 'Save a Mainlander' campaign as created by Tasmanian firm Red Jelly.

Many 'mainlanders' have never heard themselves called a mainlander. It's a great play on something that is unique. It's playful and it highlights our assets but in a uniquely Tasmanian way. It is also multifaceted as it seeks to engage Tasmanians in the promotional journey by asking them to be a part of the campaign and 'Save a Mainlander.' It's a form of crowd sourcing by using the crowd to amplify the effects of a simple media campaign.

You can see it and share your thoughts on the campaign on our Facebook page.

BooBoo of the Week - Harris Scarfe

For the reasons above! Just because your item is cheap doesn't mean your service should be challenging. Any business or organisation that wants to build strong relationships with their team and customers need to do so by removing barriers. Standing in line for that long and me contemplating walking out, is not a way to build customer loyalty.

In closing....

I'd best sign off and keep working on next week's workshops. This month we'll also be removing a well known sign from the front of Halleys Lighting and Design in Devonport. You can see the before and after shots at their Facebook page.

Have a great week go-getters!

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

Perspective 90: Survey | Honda Marriage | Commonwealth Bank | LinkedIn

Tue, 29 May 2012 06:11:00 GMT

As our team at Effective Naturally grows, we're committed to sharing information that our readers care about.

In 10 weeks from now we'll share the 100th Perspectives!

It's a great chance to launch a new format, so we'd love you to have your say to ensure you're delighted when it arrives to your inbox.

In case you need your arm twisted a little more, we're also offering a little treat from one of the most loved brands in the world….

It's an Apple iPod!

Complete the survey here.

Thanks.

Quote of the Week

TouchPoint Awards

The individual moments that leave impressions that matter

WooHoo of the Week - Honda's Marriage Proposal

This is a smart move with over 5 million hits in a matter of days....now that's "viral". There are unconfirmed reports this was actually paid for by Honda. Regardless of whether it is or not, the YouTube link makes the Honda CRV central to one of the most aspirational and exciting times of a family's life. Check it out on our YouTube channel.

BooBoo of the Week - Business cards

I was recently handed a business card by a person that paints houses. The business card is always a first impression but this one was printed on a home computer. The problem with this is that I would potentially be trusting these people with my home - my biggest asset (next to my reputation). Now there is no doubt these people are genuine about what they do and their professionalism when painting a property, but the card tells me they aren't serious enough even to get 500 cards for $49 or whatever the cheap deals for a decent card are. So it's a BooBoo simply because that first impression didn't install enough confidence in me in such a way that I'd offer them the job if and when the time arose. When it comes to first impressions, don't let something like a dodgy business card let you down.

Discussion Point on LinkedIn - Commbank

There's been a bit of chatter on social media over this ad. Toni Collette is reading a poem about the word 'can't'. It draws you in, sucks you in even, then ruins the moment with a big Commonwealth Bank logo at the end.

The positives were glowing up until the point that the logo went up. Why? Credibility. It's simply a bridge too far. We talk about structural integrity of a brand but if stretched too far, the integrity collapses. Some people love it, some people hate it. It seems like it's kick starting a campaign around Commbank Can. You can see it here.

When comparing this to the Honda marriage proposal...is one too blatant and the other more covert? Or is one just simply not effective? One has had 7,000 hits, the other 5 million (at time of sending this out).

Have your say at our LinkedIn discussion

in closing...
We're right in the middle of 5 Days of Innovation and congratulations to John Harris who picked up the tickets to 'The Great Debate'.

Of course you can also now book for the Get Effective Workshops happening right around the state which could help you gain a great insight in to supercharging your brand.

That's all from me for now. Have an effective week.

Cheerio,

Rick Marton | Brand & Culture Architect

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