Why You Don’t Want Your Marketing to be Noticed

Why You Don’t Want Your Marketing to be Noticed

You spend all that money on marketing because you want people to notice you, right? If you had the choice between knowing that 50% of your target market had seen your ad and 10% had seen it you’d be crazy not to want the higher figure, wouldn’t you? Well, perhaps not. Consider two people. One walks into the room, taps you on the shoulder and says, “Hi. I’m the new accountant and I’m the best accountant you’ve ever met. I do everything better than other accountants. In surveys I came top every time. Nice to meet you.” The second is in the room before you arrive and you don’t really notice him. He’s quietly going about his business. You don’t pay any attention, but there’s a constant stream of people headed his way and they seem happy. You’re vaguely aware that he’s sitting where the accountants sit. When you need […]

Another Blow to Focus Groups and a Tip for Salespeople

Another Blow to Focus Groups and a Tip for Salespeople

I’d love to be able to tell you that I’m going to write this article about focus groups and I don’t care what you think, but that wouldn’t be true. If you think back over the conversations you’ve initiated recently with people – particularly if you were speaking to someone whose opinion you valued, who you thought of as something of an expert on the matter – what was really at the heart of those exchanges? When you choose to talk about your thoughts on your team’s performance last night, the film you’ve seen, or the new coat you’ve purchased, what are you getting out of such an exchange? It’s likely that, neurologically-speaking, what you’re getting – or at least what you’re hoping and expecting to get – is the pleasure of that expert agreeing with you. Recent research has shown that what other people think, particularly people whose opinions […]

Not Getting Shot and the Magician at Nando’s Restaurant: Retail Review

Not Getting Shot and the Magician at Nando’s Restaurant: Retail Review

I’m quite partial to a bit of magic. Quite a lot of the psychologists I know have a passing interest in the subject. I think it’s all part of a fascination with how the mind works: that balance between our willingness to believe the incredible, it only works if you suspend your disbelief, coupled with the side darker side of human nature – our enjoyment and skill at deceiving others. Of course the fun with magic is wondering how it’s done. Even though we know it’s a trick, and even when you know how a trick is done, it’s still entertaining. If you do know what’s happened you get to swap sides as it were and enjoy the experience as the magician would – the pleasure comes from seeing the other people baffled and amazed. I vividly recall watching a magician on a cross-channel ferry; the room shape wasn’t ideal […]

Shuropody (August 2011)

Shuropody (August 2011)

“Yes!” That was my first thought as I watched my golf ball fly towards the 200 yard marker at the driving range; the first successful launch from new Taylormade R9 5 wood. My previous attempts had travelled the kind of distance better measured in inches. My second thought was “Ouch!”  My foot was hurting with the constant pain that I imagine would be the consequence of getting whacked on the heel with a sledgehammer. The pain eased a little in the next few moments, and so with the mindlessness that would delight a regimental sergeant major but cause a physician untold despair, I carried on trying to get the long stick to propel the ball to the end of the driving range. Two days later I was forced to accept I’d done something hurty to my foot; the pain was still present and I needed to do something about it. […]