Sweet Tips and Musings

A Grain of Truth-in-Advertising

183:817449838 (Lena Heidel) — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 17:01:42 GMT

How To Overcome Consumer Skepticism of Advertising

More people believe in conspiracy theories than in advertising .

Only 4% of people believe the advertising that they see, but anywhere from 25% to 100% of people (depending on the study) believe in 1 or more conspiracy theories.

What does that say about us marketers?!?!? We've got work to do to build trust with our customers.

There are many reasons why people believe in conspiracy theories. One that stands out to me is that there is always a grain of truth in the story . A grain of truth provides just enough reason for people that want to believe in the story. Same thing can be said about advertising claims.

Why Consumers Don’t Trust Marketers

I know how data can be manipulated so that it tells a convincing story. Despite insider knowledge, I fall for just about any skincare product that claims to reduce wrinkles.

Why am I so gullible?

There's that grain of truth ... a piece of data that supports the performance benefits that I desperately want to believe are true.

A satirical example:

80% of women saw a noticeable reduction in facial wrinkles.*

* Based on focus group of 5 women that are spouses of the company’s executives;

agreed to participate in study after receiving free product and a $500 check.

Your results may vary.

Few people notice the tiny footnote (buried in the product literature insert) that explains the data used to back up the performance claim. Or, the disclaimer that 'your results may vary'. And what the heck does ‘noticeable’ mean? How do you measure that?

Most companies don’t go to the extreme of the example listed above (it is written tongue-in-cheek). But it is based on a grain of truth.

Overcoming Consumer Skepticism

Some marketers will stretch their claims as far as legally possible, out of pressure to drive sales results. And there are manufacturers that creatively interpret performance data or use very limited studies to generate it.

This is why only 4% of consumers trust the advertising that they see . They feel the manipulation. They understand the underlying reasons why manufacturers make such claims. They have been burned before when they use a product and their results varied.

But consumers are willing to give a product a try. At least once.

The moment of truth comes not with the initial sale, but with the percentage of repeat purchases. This should be the metric that all marketers chase for a successful launch.

Claims are critical to a brand’s story. They must be developed with upmost integrity due to liability and false advertising laws that are in place (for good reason).

More importantly, claims must be developed in service to the customer. They make the decision process easier, instilling confidence that you are making the right choice. Performance claims must reflect the actual experience you can achieve in the real world.

A Disciplined Approach to Writing Claims

Strong performance claims can be developed through a disciplined strategic process that addresses critical questions:

What are the customer needs that this product fulfills?
Which benefit areas within those needs can the brand own in a unique way?
Do customers really care about those benefit areas?
Are you trying to convince customers to change habits, or switch brands for an existing habit?
What proof points do you need to change the customer’s behavior or decision?
How can you substantiate the proof points?

The answers to these questions will provide a framework for writing strong claims. It defines what really matters to the consumer in making their decision, what barriers do they need to overcome to make a choice and how does your solution uniquely solve their problem or need.

Using a claims development strategy that is customer-centric and backed by substantial performance results will build trust with your customer. It will help you overcome the skepticism that your customers already have.

A grain of truth may work for conspiracy theorists, but not for marketers. Align your claims with the real experience that your customers will enjoy with your brand.

The Power of Words

183:817449838 (Lena Heidel) — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 19:09:09 GMT

How a few, simple words made an impact ... 20 years later.

Social media posts, news reports and articles can create a firestorm of emotional responses. Words will make or break people’s spirits, reputations and careers. Words create impact, no matter how casual or formal the media channel is. And it only takes a few, simple words to make a powerful impact.

After I left my home state of Kansas to chase my career, my mother wrote and mailed to me a very simple note. Nothing special. It says, “Happy Birthday” and “I love you.” Parents write these notes to their children all the time.

This note was the only one that my mother wrote to me. I was in my late 20’s. The effort that it took for her to write this note is overwhelming to me, to this day.

My mother could not read or write.

She had to ask a very trusted friend to help her. Mom dictated, her friend wrote out the words and then Mom re-wrote them. Copying a note by hand is easy for most people, but my Mom’s brain circuits were mangled. Intellectual disabilities made it impossible for her to achieve reading and writing skills above the 1st grade level.

She carefully copied the note. I can see where she erased and re-wrote the words to get them right. It must have taken her hours to finish it. I kept that note for over 20 years in my fireproof safe. I had forgotten all about it until I was sorting through documents a few months after my Mom’s death last year.

I had to make some hard decisions about end-of-life quality and care for my mother. I can’t imagine trusting someone else as much as she trusted me with those types of decisions. She never questioned them and hid the emotional anguish that she must have been going through. And I suffered with the anxiety and guilt of making those decisions, questioning if I had made the right ones or not.

The note that was intended to wish me a happy birthday over 20 years ago pulled me out of my depressive state. It reminded me of my mother’s love and kindness. She deserved to be bitter for all that life had thrown at her: disabilities, obesity, illiteracy, poverty and abuse. Instead, she faced every day with gratitude, cheerfulness and determination. And she loved me no matter what choices I had made.

My mother’s note shows how the simplest of words can make a powerful impact.

Never underestimate the power of your words. Choose them well.

Freelancing, Zip Lining and Other Risky Behaviors

183:817449838 (Lena Heidel) — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 13:36:25 GMT

Freelancing, Zip Lining and Other Risky Behaviors

By Lena Heidel [Published on LinkedIn 5-August-2020]

After months of agonizing debate with myself, I left Corporate America and launched a marketing consulting business.

No more subsidized health insurance, profit sharing, 401K or guaranteed income. Also, no more endless and pointless meetings, commute, office politics and 360 performance reviews.

I have had all the feels the past 6 months. From tremendous excitement to fear and panic attacks. Then layer on top a global pandemic and economic upheaval, and emotions are stretched and snapped like rubber bands on a daily basis.

The emotional roller coaster of freelancing reminds me of my one-and-only zip lining experience in the rain forests of Costa Rica. A zip lining adventure (like freelancing) sounded like a great idea, was highly recommended and everyone seemed to be doing it. The brochure featured spectacular views that can only be seen while zipping down the side of a ‘small’ mountain. It will be fun, they said.

I have a fear of heights, by the way. I convinced myself that it couldn’t be that high off the ground. It will be perfectly safe. And I’ll have fabulous pics to post on social media!

W hile ascending the mountain in a tram, and seeing the forest canopy

miles below me, I start to panic. I imagine every disastrous thing that could possibly happen. Cable breaks and I fall to my death. Search & Rescue can’t find my broken body because the crocodiles have gotten to it first. Or worse, I puke all over myself and have to wear my vomit for the rest of the tour. Ewww.

I planned my exit strategy. I can feign an illness, call a taxi when we reach the top of the mountain and return to the hotel. I will be humiliated and out $100, but I’ll be safely at the pool bar with margarita in hand.

P ride got the best of me (as usual) and I continued onward. At the top of the mountain, our guides showed us the ropes (sorry, couldn’t help myself). We are putting on our safety gear, s**t is getting real now, and my pulse is well over 200bmp.

T he tour guide asked which one of us wanted to go first. A woman stepped forward, trembling harder than I am and with a shaky voice said, “I am scared to death. Let me go first.”

T he woman gets clipped onto the cable; takes a

running leap off the platform; zooms across, screaming at the top of her lungs. She reaches the next platform and makes a perfect landing. She is now laughing and with shear joy yells back to us, “It is wonderful! It is like flying! Come on!”

S he had faith in the tour guides and took the leap. Despite her own fears, she showed us the way with humility and courage. Leadership, at its very best.

W e all quickly followed our fearless leader across the rain forest abyss (full of snakes, crocodiles and spiders as big as your head). And she was right. The views were amazing; flying thru the air like Super Girl is beyond any amusement park ride. It was empowering.

I was so close to missing this experience. Thankfully, my ego and a courageous (though scared) tourist led me off the platform of security.

F reelancing feels a lot like zip lining across a mile-long and -deep jungle full of hangry crocodiles. There are the obvious risks when you don’t have the safety net of a corporate payroll under you. It is also lonely, emotionally draining and an exhaustive test of your intestinal fortitude.

E very day I fight the urge to give up and return to a corporate safety net. But a job in Corporate America is not the safest (or most satisfying) of havens, as millions of people are finding out right now.

N o matter what I am doing to earn a living, what risky tours I undertake during vacation, or bad food and drink that I ingest … some day, I will die. I can possibly prolong my life by avoiding all of these risky behaviors but then where are the thrills, the views and the empowerment if you stay on the ground? How do you discover what you are truly capable of unless you take a running leap off the platform?

Y es, you can get hurt badly. But that will happen if you remain on the ground and watch the rest of the world trample over you to get to the zip line tram.

S o go do the zip line tour. Hang out with the crocs (from a distance) in a gorgeous rain forest. Follow your passion, monetize it and get your life back. Find your tribe of cheerleaders, coaches and fearless leaders that can make the journey less scary. Don’t go it alone.

I may fail, figuratively wear vomit for a while, but I’d rather be humiliated for a short time than forever live with regret for not trying.

I Didn’t Care About Ageism, Until It Happened to Me

Mon, 04 May 2020 19:05:29 GMT

Ageism is probably the most common type of discrimination in the workplace, yet few corporations address it in formal training. Educate yourself on what ageism is, how to recognize it and advocate for yourself and others to prevent it from happening.

I applied for a scholarship that was offered by an employee resource group at my company, to pay for an expensive but highly credentialed leadership program. I was excited about the opportunity to develop my leadership skills and (hopefully) improve my chances for promotion.

A few days later, I received the rejection email: “Thank you for your entry. We are offering the leadership training scholarship to someone that has less experience than you. They need it more.”

I was angry. Too much experience usually means that you are “too old” for consideration. It was my first encounter with ageism and it was demoralizing.

What is Ageism?

The World Health Organization defines ageism as “the stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination against people on the basis of their age.” Unfortunately, it happens more often than people realize. In a survey conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), approximately 65% of American workers that are aged 45 and older have seen or experienced age discrimination. In the UK, almost 75% of workers believe that age discrimination is common and most significantly felt by the youngest and oldest age groups.

Despite its frequency, ageism is the most “normalized” of any discrimination and is far less likely to be reported. Why is ageism accepted in society and workplaces today?

Stereotyping Leads to Discrimination

Like most discrimination, ageism starts with stereotyping and it happens across all age groups. Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) are thought to be materialistic and time constrained. Millennials (1981-1996) are socially conscious but narcissistic.

Generational stereotyping is also applied to job performance. It’s assumed that Baby Boomers are too old to use technology. And, Millennials and Generation Z are too young to be team leaders.

While it is true that each generation has different experiences that shape their views of life and work, research shows that age is not a good indicator for behavior or attitudes:

Stereotype True or False?

Older people are more satisfied with their jobs.

False. Age and tenure at a company could better predict employee satisfaction.

Older people are more committed to their jobs.

False. Better indicators are perceived competence, how challenging the job is, and how communicative supervisors are.

Older people are less likely to leave the company.

False. Other factors, like job satisfaction and organizational commitment, tend to be better predictors than age.

Jennifer Deal, a senior research scientist at the Center for Creative Leadership, found that workers of all ages value similar things in the workplace:

Receiving feedback from good managers.
Disliking change, unless it benefits them directly.
Importance of family.
Respect at work.
Continuous learning.

Lack of Training in the Workplace

It is difficult to recognize discrimination of any type without proper training. Despite laws in the UK and other countries that make age discrimination illegal, very few companies include it as part of their standard anti-discrimination training.

“The vast majority of employers who offer any sort of diversity and inclusion training do not cover age,” says Laurie McCann, a senior attorney at AARP. “This goes right back to how age discrimination is viewed as the second-class civil right; it’s overlooked.”

Johnny C. Taylor Jr., CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, says the benefits for providing anti-ageism training go beyond litigation avoidance. “If we’re trying to create a culture where everyone brings their best self to work, and organizations benefit from all of those best selves, then you don’t want any form of discrimination or harassment to be tolerated in the workforce,” he says.

A business case can easily be made for addressing age discrimination in a company’s training program. Besides the very real costs of not adhering to regulations and litigation, there are soft costs to age discrimination:

Demotivated employees, which impacts productivity and service levels.

Loss of talent and institutional knowledge, when experienced workers leave.

How to Dismantle Ageism

Research conducted by the SHRM Foundation shows that HR programs designed to improve age diversity and reduce age discrimination can improve overall organizational performance. The Foundation has developed a list of best practices, based on studying several companies that are successfully creating intergenerational workforces:

Apprenticeships available to employees of all ages.
“Returnship” program for employees re-entering the workforce.
Cross-generational mentoring program.
Education about generational stereotyping and how it’s misguided.
Recruitment across all age groups.
There is additional information about ageism and how to address it on the WHO website.

Until it happened to me, I was not empathetic of ageism. I remained silent for some time and then realized that I was adding to the problem. Now, I am educating myself on this insidious discrimination and sharing my story. Let’s call out all discriminatory behavior, arm people with the right tools to overcome it and create amazing workplaces for workers of all ages.