GETTING THE MESSAGE ACROSS
Marketing
Creating the Environment for Acceptance
Already you are aware of the importance of timing and the necessity to plan. Here is one of the main reasons for stressing this point:
You are in competition with management's time
Whether you are speaking to the CEO, a group of senior executives or frontline staff, you are impacting on their time and this costs money!
The cost could be seen in $$$ terms or in resource management. The type of cost will depend on the perception of the company, its culture and values. Remember, you have the ability to impact on their procedures and processes. The effect of What, When and How you implement your strategies will be influenced by an organizations operational factors. Hence, your strategies need to be feasible and realistic.
This sounds daunting but it needn't be. Really it's just the ability to recognise the windows of opportunity. That is why information gathering is continually stressed throughout this resource. Knowing the right time to approach, introduce ideas and address resistance is critical to how much attention you are given. For marketing or promoting ideas it is necessary to aim for their total attention.
Tailoring the TravelSmart Message
Tailoring your messages to a given audience is just another way of checking that the selected strategy you are delivering fits and suits those who you are talking to. This requires you to identify their needs. Tailoring actively recognizes the target audience in the change process.
If the key messages are tailored we can expect to increase our chances of meeting the needs and wants of that particular audience. In an organization, this may mean the layering of strategies to meet the needs of given groups within the structure of that organization.
For example, consider what be most appropriate for an employer with a competitive sales environment:
| Corporate Interest | Ability to meet targets and deadlines |
|---|---|
|
Value |
Strength, stamina and fitness in the team |
|
Staff Attitude |
Competitive, high achievers |
|
Target Strategy |
Health and Fitness = Walking, Cycling |
|
Promotion |
Corporate Cycling Teams - compete in one off or regular events |
|
Action |
Incentive to train, encourages riding to work, Walking to meetings Competition within organization to take on new mode of transport |
|
Employer Commitment |
Installation of bike racks, facilities to store clothing/showers Provide hats, riding gear with corporate logos |
|
Employer Benefit |
Fitter work force, free promotion of company, corporate identity linked with health and fitness |
|
Desired Result |
Behaviour change on their terms. Company support of alternative travel modes |
If you know their needs you can sell according to what they will like best.
Selling the "Pleasure Stuff"
This term refers to promoting what the people identify as positive, not what you think is good. Less resistance and objection will be raised if you focus on these identified needs.
For each transport mode, identify at least 3 benefits that you could promote. Think of ways to promote them creatively.
Examples
| Public transport |
Time to read, relax or catch up on work No Parking problems Cost Benefits Not stuck in traffic Less need for company parking Walking to the train or bus stop helps you to get fit |
|---|---|
| Walking / Cycling |
More productive due to Increased Health and Fitness Also less absenteeism due to health and fitness Opportunity to socialize and build support networks with other staff Opportunity to promote image of company Simple and easy to introduce |
| Car Pooling |
Less time driving Reduced use of own vehicle Responsibility to be on time Social benefits Less car parking/land can be used for other purposes |
| Telecommuting |
Increased productivity due to reduction in distractions Staff retention and Continuity of skills - maternity leave, carers, part timers, contract staff Reduced office overheads |
Caution:
Tailored communication also looks at making sure the correct key messages are given to appropriate people within any setting.
Example
You may discuss options for a shuttle bus with senior management. This may be a point of ideas generation between you and the parties involved in this discussion. It would be inappropriate to discuss this and raise it during focus meetings with frontline staff. Awareness of your need for confidentiality is important. Ask permission and check with management prior to informing staff of actions.
Clever Negotiating
Is necessary to negotiate for creative ideas to flow. For behaviour change to be accepted it is necessary to minimize the cost of changing from one behaviour to another.
The difference between marketing alternative transport modes and commercial marketing is that we must deal with people's value and belief structures. These two factors are the challenges.
Success will be achieved when greater value can be seen in adopting the new travel mode in preference to remaining with the old mode.
Dealing with Resistance and Objections
- Separate the people from the issue raised
- Acknowledge the concern and its validity to that person
- Focus on their interests rather than the issue
- Generate a variety of possibilities to explore before choosing an option
- Involve different people
- Options must be realistic and achievable
- Check there really is an issue - define the real issue
Qualities of a Good Negotiator
- Ability to think clearly and quickly in stressful situations
- Ability to be practical
- Capacity to concentrate
- Ability to act assertively not emotionally
The idea is not to let issues stand in the way.
Hint: If you are in a group there will be different personalities involved. Use these different personalities and the power of peer group sharing to your advantage. By involving the group, you are asking them to make a commitment to come up with the ideas. This is essential to the ownership of any changes.
The Know it all 'As Eric would know, the main advantage of using public transport is...'"
The Blocker: 'That's a very good point Cathy, what do others in the group think about that... or 'Can any one think of a solution to Cathy's concerns'
Applying your well developed communication skills to your carefully researched strategy plans will ensure that your marketing of appropriate travel modes will be relevant and attractive.
One last hint:
Beware of the 'Try Hard Factor'
Experiences recorded from those already in the field have found their early marketing attempts, no matter how prepared, to be flawed by trying so hard that they experienced a couple of strange phenomena:
Stage fright: Going to such lengths to prepare that they resist acting on those first contacts - missed opportunities
Diving in without preparation only to freeze at the point of contact - lost opportunities
Formal Scripting: Over anticipating and compensating by practicing exactly the order of your delivery. Inflexible.
Recommendation: Chunk your activities. Plan, contact and deliver in small chunks first. This requires trying out each stage and modifying as you go along. It allows you to evaluate your own performance and gain feedback from others.
Evaluation of your own performance is the key to developing any marketing strategy. Hop on and enjoy the journey, experiment with different communication modes to transport you to new opportunities.