Andrew Mackie, business catalyst

More harm than good

Today I received a handwritten note from a local real estate agent informing me that she has 'a genuine buyer looking for a property in this vicinity'. I was impressed by the time and attention she had given me until I realised that it was a photocopy, made on coloured paper to appear genuine. I don't like being taken for a ride - even one that lasts only a few seconds - and most definitely will not be trusting her with the sale of my house.

On the weekend I needed to use a service station restroom but didn’t need fuel. As I was deciding what unnecessary item I would buy from the service station store in reciprocation, I encountered a sign sternly informing me that toilets were for customer use only. As I don’t pay for the use of toilets, I felt relieved of the need to reciprocate and left without buying anything at all.

Last week I visited a tea shop. Below every display of teapots and other expensive items were signs informing me that if I broke anything I must pay for it. I had assumed that this was the case before I read the sign - now I felt accused of being both careless and unwilling to take responsibility for my actions. Instead of freely touching and interacting with the beautiful teapots - a commitment/consistency step toward purchase - I stood at the same respectful distance I would give priceless Ming Dynasty china in a museum.

More harm than good.

What's in it for me?

In the battle for Australian ice cream cone supremacy, Nestle and Streets are currently going head to head with expensive TVC campaigns, promoting their Drumstick and Cornetto respectively. Here are their commercials:

Watching the ads, it seems that Streets have a better handle on the 'what's in it for me?' factor - their tagline of 'no boring bits' is a compelling difference between their cone and the competition. The axe-weilding maniac clearly demonstrates the difference - we don't need to believe Streets, we can see the difference.

Nestle, by comparison, appear to be taking a social proof / nostalgia line, that Drumsticks have been part of the Australian summer experience since 1963. This might encourage us to get to the corner store to buy an ice cream, but standing at the fridge which ice cream will we choose? Maybe the one with 'no boring bits' rather than the one that was first made in '63.

Ensure your products have a compelling advantage over the competition (one that consumers will find compelling, not you) and in every instance of your customer-facing material, ensure that it passes the 'what's in it for me?' test - clearly communicate that compelling advantage. If you don't, you're wasting your precious cash, your time and another opportunity to turn consumers into customers.

Storytelling

Storytelling is a method of creating an emotional connection between you and consumers, one that bypasses the filters that protect them from the noise and clutter of modern life. It works because it replicates how friends communicate - through stories rather than the transfer of facts and figures.

Consider Honda, who wanted to convey their commitment to and success in achieving their impossible dreams. They could have tried listing their achievements or spouting figures but they created this masterpiece instead:

You’ve just willingly participated in a Honda history lesson, spanning 50 years and highlighting 12 of their most significant vehicles and motor sport achievements. Honda paid you to educate yourself about their passion & products by offering Andy Williams’ compelling narrative (the song), the filmic visuals of stunning Kiwi scenery and allowing you to vicariously enjoy the character's Honda-derived pleasure. 

Here's the current Australian campaign for Nestle Diet yogurt:

Nestle have reinforced their ‘No unexpected calories’ tagline for Diet yogurt by using the familiar metaphors of a courier & female friends conversing, playfully but directly attacking other ‘light’ snacks, reminding women of their thighs and showing Kate’s confidence & blissful ignorance in eating Diet yogurt. You were paid to educate yourself on Diet yogurt with humour that’s still funny after multiple viewings.

Renault have a different take on vehicle safety:

You’ve just been shown multiple full frontal, offset frontal and side impact collisions for eight models in their range and seen each of the passenger safety cells remain intact. Normal crash testing images are of manikins hitting concrete barriers in strangely painted cars and are as interesting as watching paint dry. By using the metaphor of a ballet, simple but beautiful visuals, playful music and a large dose of the unexpected (how many car ads have you seen where the cars are crashed?) you were pleased to educate yourself that Renault have the safest car range ever, with 8 models achieving a 5 star NCAP rating.

Then there’s Jim Beam (small town nostalgia), Apple (versus PC), Mainland cheese (farmers who take life at a gentle pace), Bud Light (male rituals) … the list goes on and on.

Of course, you don’t need to invest in an expensive television commercial to tell stories. Where possible you should tell your story - one that is truthful to you & your products and is meaningful to your target audience – consistently in every customer-facing interaction. 

Presentation Zen

You can't change the world if you can't communicate your vision for change. Pay attention to Garr Reynold's advice on the Presentation Zen blog and you'll learn how to create simple, powerful presentations.

The first post of Garr's that I saw was Gates, Jobs, & the Zen aesthetic and from there I was hooked. I expect you will be too.

Tearing up your speech

Yesterday Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave a simple and powerful speech, apologising unconditionally for the role of parliaments and governments in creating the Stolen Generation. He deservedly received a standing ovation from the parliament and assembled visitors. Listening to him I felt proud to be Australian and came to a new appreciation for the plight of the Stolen Generation.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson then spoke at considerable length & without clarity or conviction, giving a conditional and cringeworthy apology that detracted from Prime Minister Rudd's. Some members of the audience turned their back on him and an ABC poll last night indicated that 74% of 1108 respondents believe he botched the reply, myself included.

For Australians this was a significant day which I hope marks a new chapter in reconciliation and improved conditions for indigenous Australians.

For anyone who makes presentations or pitches, there's a smaller lesson taught by Brendan Nelson - clear communication requires clarity of purpose, knowledge of your audience (the Australian public, not the back bench) and significant preparation. And should you suddenly find that the speech you're about to give is no longer appropriate or applicable, tear it up and speak briefly from the heart.