Effective Naturally

Great brands enjoy positive reputations.

That word of mouth is based on individual impressions left on those that have some sort of interaction with you either intended or not.

This applies to both your individual brand or that of an organisation.

So if these impressions are shaping your brand, it's important to track down the answer to these questions...

What misconceptions do people have of your brand?
Which touchpoints are driving these misconceptions?

I was reading the Sunday Tasmanian Newspaper on the weekend. The vox pop question was "Is it too expensive for Tasmanians to holiday in their own state?"

A 17year old said "Yes it is. Launceston is the most expensive place to stay"

Really? Regional Launceston more expensive than the capital city Hobart?

A quick look at Wotif.com will show that 4.5 star hotels sit between $160 and $220/night in Hobart and between $110 and $180 in Launceston.

This would make Launceston cheaper than Hobart.

Simply there is a big gap between perception and fact. It's not uncommon and it can severely damage your chances of success.

So how do you fix these impressions so the word on the street is what you want it to be?

1. Assess the Impression
Take a step back from within your brand and think about the times at which the people that hold this impression may have got it. For this girl, she may be checking the cost of accommodation during times when events are on in the city. I remember paying $500 for a standard hotel room in Melbourne during the Commonwealth Games but I know this is out of the ordinary only because I've had enough interactions to see this. For a majority of leisure travellers, they may have seen this one touchpoint in isolation and therefore hold (and share) the impression that the cheapest rooms in Melbourne are $500 a night.

2. Fix the Root Cause
Getting top dollar is actually a hallmark of being a brand people love. It's a good thing. The more people value something the more they'll pay for it and if you're at capacity then that's a good thing. But when price becomes a barrier and you're struggling to fill then it becomes a problem. There are a range of things to lower the number of über high accommodation prices. The first is to lower demand in peak times by making sure that multiple events aren't all attracting audiences at the same time (thus straining hotel capacities - after all you can't be more full than full. It would be better for a hotel to get $150/night year round, than $300 per night for a month per year and be empty for the other 6 months.

3. Create Opportunity
If people wish to visit Launceston for other reasons than a special event, they should come at a time when there are more hotel rooms available. It seems obvious but it's often not obvious to the consumer. This will not only provide them with a cheaper room rate, but also fill beds in off-peak times. Imagine sharing the following message with journalists who write travel tips, placing it on Facebook or running 'infomercials' on TV... "The city is awash with events in February so accommodation can be expensive, but the long days of sunlight, warmer temperatures and iconic swimming spaces like the Cataract Gorge can all be enjoyed in the surrounding months of January and March when accommodation is a bit cheaper." Keeping this message consistent could educate a market on what would be a win-win solution. It's similar to the way in which Woolworths have infomercials about which fruit is in season and what external issues may cause prices to be high or low.

The Lesson: Individual impressions can make a very big difference in the circulation of truth. The vox pop answer mentioned above is proof that perception often becomes reality. I know you're busy but the damage these ill-informed perceptions could be causing you shouldn't be ignored. Take the time to step back then assess, fix and create opportunities. Don't be held back by misconceptions!

Movers & Shakers

You have to hand it to Coles. They seem to be the supermarket that is innovating at everything. In turn is asserting influence and putting them out front as the leaders.

Woolworths almost looks like they're just going to sit there and take whatever is dished out. This week Coles launched their promotion about 'Freshness' which is the one differentiator that Woolworths used as 'The Fresh Food People.' This move by Coles could make the Woolworths long standing slogan irrelevant as Coles also introduce initiatives and behaviours that cement themselves in the minds of consumers as the 'best fresh food option'.

It proves that you can't just rely on your promise, you must infuse it in to your behaviours day in day out.

Quote Of The Week

TouchPoint Awards

The individual impressions that drive perceptions

WooHoo of the Week - Dulux
On several occasions now I've seen stories and conversations about Dulux and their mission to help to paint every surf club in Australia. The unmistakable vision of the Dulux sheepdog and the vision of great Australian beaches overlooked by freshly painted surf clubs conjures up positive feelings of patriotism. Of course having Dulux as the catalyst in making it happen reflects positively on the brand. It's a great social partnership and more brands should be linking themselves to other community initiatives that help them promote the power of what they do and who they are.

BooBoo of the Week - Local metal fabricators
This booboo was written on the Facebook wall recently. The customer was provided a quote to fit a tow bar at $220 complete. Upon picking up his car, he was advised that they weren't confident connecting the wiring to the auto electrics of his BMW so he'd have to take it to an auto electrician. They the proceeded to charge him the full amount anyway despite the full job not being completed. They should have got an auto electrician in prior to him picking the car up, or reduced the bill and apologised for the inconvenience. They did neither.

Thanks to our Facebook fans this week that shared great touchpoints about Gloria Jeans and Braaaap!

WIN tickets to the 'Virgin Secrets' breakfast

Coyote Events is proud to have been commissioned to manage the relaunch series of events for Quamby Estate Golf & Country Club now owned by the two co-founders of one of Australia's favourite brands, Virgin Blue. Join Rob Sherrard and Brett Godfrey as they share their insights in to starting Virgin Blue with just $10m in partnership with Sir Richard Branson. It's a story worthy of a Tom Clancy plot with a twist of comedy involving secret meetings with politicians, false starts, big egos, bigger personalities, culminating in the launch of an entire new concept in air travel that made front banner headlines in 1999 and debuted 3 years later as a $2.5 Billion dollar ASX listed company. You could win 2 seats to the Virgin Secrets breakfast on February 27 at Quamby Estate. To enter, just post on the Effective Naturally wall the industry you'd love to revolutionise and tag the person you'd most trust to do it with. One entry per person and entries must be posted prior to Wednesday February 15, 2012.


Let's catch up again next week when we talk about growing value in your brand.

Cheerio,

Rick Marton Brand & Culture Architect