Results Count ... everything else is conversation.: What are you looking for … the cure or the story?

Defining what good is depends upon the situation and context

Seth Godin is one of the most prolific writers and users of social media on this planet. He also writes very catchy headlines, like this one that caught my eye: "The cure or the story?" Turns out that Godin was able to describe the situational context of consumer experience in a post of just 76 words! "The plumber sells us a cure, politicians try to sell us narratives." Retailers would do well to recognize that on a given day, consumers are sometimes looking for a plumber, other times looking for a consultant, and sometimes just looking.

Why this matters: Marketers and retailers have spent a lot of time trying to segment different types of consumers who buy products. Few seem to recognize the power and potential of personalizing service based upon what consumers are solving for in the context of their personal situation.

Seth Godin and Purple Cows

Image Credit: SethGodin.com

I discovered Seth Godin about 10 years ago. In 2007, I wrote a blog about Seth Godin's book "Purple Cow". It is a great example of Godin's uncanny ability to capture "life's truths" and write about them in ways that make them easy to understand. The premise of the book's title is that after you have seen a number of cows, they become boring and unremarkable. To truly stand out it and grab your attention would take something remarkable like a purple cow.

Beyond recommending Godin's books on how to be remarkable and get noticed, I would highly recommend that you explore one of Godin's blogs or follow him on social media. I happen to catch one of Godin's latest posts on a Facebook feed, but can find him most everywhere, including his own blog sites: sethgodin.com or sethgodin.typepad.com

The cure or the story?

One of the things I admire most about Seth Godin is his ability to distill key concepts and principles down into simple language. Godin is able to write far more concisely than I ever will! So, he has proven to be a source of good ideas that are "intuitive" without all of the business jargon.

A good example of Godin's genius is in a recent post with the simple headline of "The cure or the Story?" Godin uses just 76 words to describe two fundamentally different situations of what we, as consumers, are solving for, and what "professionals" are providing:

The plumber, the roofer and the electrician sell us a cure. They come to our house, fix the problem, and leave.

The consultant, the doctor (often) and the politician sell us the narrative. They don't always change things, but they give us a story, a way to think about what's happening. Often, that story helps us fix our problems on our own.

The best parents, of course, are in the story business. Teachers and bosses, too.

As a retail consultant, I was immediately struck by the irony of consultants being grouped with politicians selling narratives. As a parent, teacher and boss, I was pleased to be included in the group that are in the story business.

Sometimes you just need a plumber!

Image Credit: Gualberto107

What an absolutely great metaphor for those times when we are in a situation when we just need something fixed … and soon! When your laptop battery dies or your car won't start, you are just looking for getting something fixed right now, not a narrative on the latest technology or stories on how to prevent loss of battery life.

There are some good examples of retailers who have adapted to this situational need. Best Buy has survived on the backs of their "digital plumbers" [aka Geek Squad] who will fix things in store, or literally drive to your home to fix or install your gadget.

In far too many retail stores, you are left on your own to navigate the signage to find the whatchamacallit. If you do find an Associate on the floor, they are often insistent on using their product knowledge to give you a narrative on all of the new options available, while you just are worried about leaking pipes or a printer that won't print.

Sometimes you need the narrative and a good story!

Image Credit: Dan; Freedigitalphotos.net

When the sink is overflowing on your floor that is not a time you are in search of a complete story or all of the website landing pages on all of the new sinks and faucets available. But, there are those situations where you are interested in remodeling a room in the house. It is in this situational context where knowledge about new products and options available becomes highly valued. Demos and displays are now relevant and make the story come to life.

Frankly, there are times that we don't exactly know what we want. We truly are just looking. But even in these situations, we are looking for examples and ideas of what is possible. While we might not be choosing a specific item for purchase today, we highly value those retailers with the displays, demos and people who can help us visualize and experience what is possible and relevant for our personal lifestyle.

Bottom Line for Retail: Consumer experience is situational & contextual

If you peruse the headlines in retail today, one buzz phrase which constantly appears is "consumer experience". A dangerous misconception is that all consumers are looking for smiling Associates who engage them with stories and demos on the latest and greatest. Nothing wrong with courteous employees! The key point is that each consumer has their own context when shopping, and it depends upon the situation and what they are solving for.

The fundamental challenge of most bricks and mortar retailers is they are asking the wrong question: "how do I get more consumers in my doors to buy products?"

Successful retailers are turning that question upside down to be consumer centric: "what are consumers looking for?" As Seth Godin points out, what consumers are solving for is situational and may vary by day and by product. To be more successful and profitable, bricks and mortar retailers need to analyze how they can best personalize services to fit the situational needs and context of each consumer at that moment in time.

Well loyal readers, again I failed again to be short and brief like Seth Godin. But to be fair, I did post all of his 76 words … and introduce you to a great resource with a talent for brevity.

To receive more information and sound bites from IMS follow IMS Results Count on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Google+.

Sources: