Been doing alot of thinking - some things have become very clear - it seems to me that the days when people respected large institutions because of their name and brand are nearly over. The days when these brands demanded respect just because they were who they were is over.
These brands need to change their behaviours - they now need people to love and respect them. To do this their language has to change, their behaviours have to change and in some cases their soul!
Some organisations have achieved this - in Satchi and Satchi (Marketing gurus) language they have become LOVEMARKS. ( not the thing you get behind the bike shed).
I think of the company Apple - an organisation I respect and I love their products. I think of any the great doctors i know who i respect for their knowledge and love them for their caring and concern.
Look at what M&S did to turn themselves around - gone is the rigid WE ARE M&S - in came the soft and personal YOUR M&S.
Moving from irreplacable to irresistable
from informing to engaging
from dictating to involving
from attention to attraction.
from marketing at to connecting with.
Such obvious stuff - so much more human and personal - and of course it feels right.
The corporate way of dealing with stuff is over. People don't want it. They will vote with their feet and walk towards organisations and people who show love and respect. They will walk towards companies they can love and respect.
I suppose this might be scary stuff for the old order - who demand and expect respect because of their position. How will they learn to move from irreplaceable to irresistable?
Well - help is at hand - talking to a small group the other day - we came up with a simple thought.
Think back to when you were trying to chat up your partner - did you hand them your CV and demand that they read it? Of course not. Or did you tell stories - share your hopes - and above all listen to their stories and hopes. Yup - this is how. Remember how you chatted up a partner or made forever friends - the human bit - the telling of stories - the listening to others stories - the sharing. The building blocks of Love and Respect.