A Few Strong Words…

In Part I of The Art of Perception series, we talked about how perception can affect our buying habits. As experienced consumers, we have opened and entered many doors in our lives, some good and some bad. Now we can usually tell where a door is going to lead before we get to it.

On the other side of the equation, as marketers we can try to understand what the characteristics of that “ideal” door is, and then design our door to match.

In this installment, we talk about why perception is so important. If our customers get to the door and hear hooves on the other side, they’ll expect horses. Usually it is vital that when they walk through that door, we show them horses.

Why Give Them Horses?

Let’s back up a step. As we know, the most effective marketing is targeted marketing. The better we can identify our “best” customers (repeat customers with the highest sales, etc.) and create marketing that speaks directly to their wants, the more likely we are to make that sale.

In terms of perception, this means setting up a buying environment that will make people comfortable. For example, if you are going to buy a Ferrari, you’d expect the showroom to have marble floors, perhaps a fountain in the showroom, and fine leather furniture.

But what if this wasn’t the case? What if there were plain concrete floors, wood panelling, and florescent lighting throughout? You would likely get nervous. Alarm bells would go off. You would probably wonder if this “dealership” was actually a chop shop.

Now this doesn’t just hold true for high-end items. Think of McDonald’s. Their key to business success has been consistency. Go to any McDonald’s in the world and order a Big Mac, and you’ll get exactly the Big Mac you were expecting.

What Are We Trying to Convey When We Give Them Horses?

In simple terms, giving them horses nurtures the same thing whether you are selling Ferraris or Big Macs.

Trust.

Customers who want to see horses are expecting reliability and consistency. There are two reasons for this.

First, this helps the type of buyers who don’t want to think too much about their buying decision. They are relying on some other aspect of your business (your brand, your presentation, your professionalism, etc.) to help guide their decision. For example, people in a hurry don’t want to make a huge dinner choice, so they go for a Big Mac, knowing that it will be a safe and reliable choice. Other examples include:

• Any type of franchise operation
• Everyday items like dish soap, toothpaste, razor blades, etc.
• Branded clothing like Nike runners, North Face winter wear, and Joe Boxer boxers

Secondly, this covers buyers who are carefully scrutinizing their purchases. Someone buying a Ferrari wants to feel like those hundreds of thousands of dollars are well spent. Buying it from a trailer office just won’t convey that trust. Other examples include:

• Financial services like banks, investment consultants, etc.
• Jewellry stores and other luxury item shops
• Country clubs and similar social clubs
• Real estate agents

Nurturing Trust

Perception plays a large part in conveying that trust. That’s why banks are solid, conservative structures with vaults and bars and secret rooms. We want to protect our money in a fortress, so they give us a fortress.

It’s also why McDonald’s puts such an emphasis on cleanliness. Seeing a spotless restaurant conveys the perception that the food you are about to eat is good too. (Okay, you know what I mean…)

So how do we as marketers convey that trust by creating perceptions?

We’ll look at that next Monday.

Until then, join the discussion! How does perception affect your buying (or selling) habits? Share your experiences!

~Graham

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