The B.S.-Free Zone

Take the four risks to the bank!
By Barry Callen

Last month, I mentioned that all human behavior can be reduced to a teeter-totter of fear and desire. Our job as marketers is to add to the desire and take away the fear. Then the teeter-totter tips and the consumer acts.

There are an infinity of desires: greed, lust, safety, control, love, beauty, youth, the seven deadly sins, Maslow's hierarchy, etc. The names of our many desires tend to find their way into the names of perfumes, songs, and movies. But there are only four types of fears. Because humans are more likely to take action to avoid a loss than to acquire a gain, the wise marketer knows which fear matters to his/her consumer, and how to reduce that fear.

There are four types of fears: 1) a physical loss — money, health, safety, time, energy, property, etc.; 2) a loss of self-image — "I'm not that kind of person"; 3) a loss of social perception — "If other people knew, I'd be embarrassed"; and 4) a loss of perception of reality — "I thought the world worked like this, but it works like that."

Every time a customer makes a decision to think about, inquire about, or purchase your product, they take one or more of these risks. While all risks may be present, typically, one of these risks is the dominant fear that keeps most potential customers from trying your product or service. Research can help identify which risk is the most important one for you to deal with.

For example, when I suddenly had two newborns to ferry about, I really struggled with the purchase of a new Oldsmobile minivan with a remotely operated door. First, there was the fact that a van was more expensive than a car (physical loss). Second, I shallowly worried that I was no longer a hip young edgy advertising creative; I had become a fuddy-duddy old suburban dad (self-image loss).

Third, my hip, young, edgy, creative colleagues mocked me for my newfound uncool domesticity, as they drove their Mini Coopers off to their bars and bistros (social loss). At least I didn't have to worry about the minivan challenging my perception of reality ("Wait a minute, cars can fly!?!")

Sometimes there is a small zone of opportunity between two opposing fears.

The next time you're at West Towne Mall surrounded by suburban middle-aged moms purchasing shoes or clothing for themselves, it might interest you to know that many are subconsciously worried about looking like they are "letting myself go and giving up" and also worried about looking like "I'm trying too hard to be someone I'm not."

As I learned in numerous research studies, there is a tiny zone called "effortless style" that is the emotional holy grail for fashion products.

Here is a good general principle: Never, never, never, ever challenge your customer's perception of reality. Never ask them to take that risk. Great marketers follow the path of least resistance, the same way water winds its way around obstacles as it heads downhill.

A sure sign that you are risking your customer's perception of reality is your use of the word "should." "Well, goshdarnit, people should know that our mousetrap is better, they should see the difference, and they should care more about mousetraps!"

The power of marketing lies in your complete acceptance of your target market's actual perceptions, even if you disagree with them. You have nothing to fear but ignoring your target market's fear itself.

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