One thing that seems to stick out at me in the business world is how they are oh-so-willing to create a straw man of any sort to blame for slumping sales. Sales are slow? Must mean that we’re not building good displays! Or they attribute characteristics to people that may or may not exist, but state these as fact and look to exploit them. We need signs that show how much they’re saving off of MSRP, cuz people love to save!

Yes, people love to save, but they love to save real money, not fake money. I don’t doubt that some people are going to look at a sign saying that this bag of cookies has $5 written on it but wow, we’re saving you so much money because we’re only selling it for $3! Well yeah maybe a few poor schlocks are going to fall for that, but mostly? Well, the people with the money, the people you should be chasing for sales, are smart enough to say “yeah but those cookies are only worth $2; they’re crappy.”

The issue is that these things used to work. Advertising is fairly new, the way we do it. When these tactics first started to appear in the 50’s and 60’s, they worked well, and they worked well through the 80’s. But something happened in the 90’s that the business world is still trying to ignore; it’s the elephant in the room, and they keep falling back onto old habits instead of dealing with the reality of today:

The reality is that I am the consumer now. And I’ve seen this mess of advertising, and I don’t buy the hype. Since all I’ve ever known is to see products completely over-hyped at every turn, I’ve tuned that out. I’m oblivious to it. Not only that, but more typically, I am turned off by it. I have swam in the sea of advertising-speak since my birth. I am numb to it, and quite frankly, tired of it. I don’t want to hear marketing-talk, I want to hear about the product, honestly, and what it can do for me. When I read the box, I want to know where it came from, who built it, and what I’m paying for. Made in China? Hey that’s not an automatic disqualifier, guys. I might still buy your product. But at what cost is the question…

There’s a matter of psychology at work to know your business and your customers and be a success. But you have to learn about your customers, not make blanket statements about them. And if you want to be more than head-above-water, the best way to create success is to see not just where your customers are now, but where they’re going, and more importantly, why. It’s not the signs guys, it’s the value system behind it.



Home Late, honey? Surprise!
Aw, isn’t The Girl sweet? I had to stay late at work last night (floor guys came by to wax/polish), and when I got home, she was in bed asleep. But on the counter… was carrot cake! Hey, those of you who know me know that I’m a fool for a good carrot cake. And hers in the best, because she makes it from scratch – even the frosting! – and it’s all organic.

Strange thing is, I love carrot cake, I love the frosting, but I can’t stand cream cheese. Weird, huh?

Oh well. Cake was still excellent. But again... Don't tell her any of this. It'll just go to her head. :-)

Tags: women