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The best tactic in the world won’t work if you don’t understand the CRITICAL BEHAVIOR!

Like the people on the island in this Brand Fable, you may start out trying to solve the Rat Problem, and end up with a big Mongoose Problem on your hands. If you don’t have a firm grasp of the brand behavior, allocation of resources will likely create more problems than they solve.

         For ex.

A manufacturing client wanted Terra Firma to re-do their web site.

Their target audience was the design engineer who specs these particular types of products. “We need to put our product in front of them so they can choose it,” was the logic. Seems logical enough.

Two problems with this logic:

1. Lack of differentiation: A quick review of the competitors revealed that their web sites ALL show pictures of products with a price next to them. So the fastest way to blend in with their competitors would be to create a web site with pictures of products and prices next to them. Not good.
2. Wrong target: A study of the BEHAVIOR of their target customers revealed that the design engineers are not the ones who visit the sites of manufacturers, at least initially. Who visits the web sites? Purchasing Agents. Purchasing Agents don’t care about the same things that Design Engineers care about. They care about credibility – are you real? Can you deliver? Am I going to get fired for recommending you?

If we had created the web site targeting Design Engineers instead of Purchasing Agents, we would’ve not solved the Rat Problem – differentiation in a competitive market – and we would’ve created a Mongoose Problem – an ineffective web site that would’ve wasted valuable time, energy, budget, and angst.

         So how do you gain the critical understanding of the behavior so that your strategies and tactics are aligned?

5 Keys to Understanding the Critical Behaviors:

1. Identify THE Critical Decision-Making Moment, then work backwards…and forwards!
2. Now that you know each of the steps, analyze the Emotions involved in the Selling Situation…the REAL selling situation.
3. If “It’s the Way It’s Always Been Done,” it’s probably wrong.
4. Beware of “Best Practices”
5. There is NO Magic Bullet

If you need assistance gaining an understanding of the Critical Behaviors, the Critical Moments or the Strategies & Tactics appropriate for your selling situation, contact us at info@terrafirmamarketinginc.com or 804.833.9150.

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