There’s a restaurant I happen to love that I think
made a
big mistake early on. I’ll call it "Only Omelets." Although I now
regularly eat lunch there, I never would have tried Only Omelets if a
friend hadn’t recommended it. Even then, I put up some resistance. I
don’t like
omelets for lunch. "Oh, they have plenty of other things to choose
from,"
he assured me. Then why is it called Only Omelets?
They’ve had some trouble getting a good lunch crowd, and
it’s no wonder. How will other lunchtime wanderers know that Only Omelets
dishes up choices that you’d never associate with eggs and cheese? Just imagine
the obstacles they could have busted simply by changing the name early on.
Human beings are funny creatures. It doesn’t matter how
smart, experienced or successful we are in life, we all resist change. I see it
all the time in working with my clients. Many have marketing or branding that
just isn’t working, but they can’t seem to bring themselves to change course. We
try to point out the weak spots and suggest new strategies, but, like a toddler
clinging to a well-worn security blanket, they hold on tight.
"It just needs a little tweaking," they say. Although
they’ve tweaked it three times prior with no success.
"We’ve got so much invested in this campaign already,"
they say. But what’s the point in pouring more money into something
that is clearly not working?
"People identify me with this logo…tagline…graphic style…whatever,"
they say. No they don’t. You said yourself that your marketing’s not
working. So either they don’t associate you with your stuff or it’s not
persuading them to come to you. Either way, it’s bad for business.
Change is hard, no doubt. And it’s even harder when you have a lot
invested in your marketing. It may help to consider this: one
definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and
expecting a different result. You know in your gut – and in your bottom
line – if your marketing’s not working. Make the changes you need to
make to speak to your customers in ways they will hear and understand.
Anything else would be crazy.