Thursday, 21 February 2002

Post Purchase Dissonance - I loved this term ever since I first heard it uttered at a sales seminar I attended (by Tom Hopkins I think) and it has been a romantic affair between us (PPD not Tom) from that point in time. My dictionary defines dissonance as "jarring, clashing, discordant". Post Purchase Dissonance is that unpleasant feeling you get when you've just bought something and it's not quite right. It might be that it doesn't do what the sales rep said it would. Or you found out that you paid too much. Or perhaps your friends don't like the colour of it... You feel bad, ashamed, silly, dumb, angry, annoyed, furious, hurt, betrayed etc. As a marketer, you can alleviate post purchase dissonance in three easy steps. sell only good stuff for a fair price be open and honest with your prospects implement a good followup program Sell only good stuff for a fair price Make sure that your product offering offers good "value" for "money" - that it is a fair exchange of value between the purchaser (or their parents, or board etc) and their time or money. Be open and honest with your prospects It's no point telling prospective customers that your widget is capable of delivering 2000 Megawatts of blah if it only generates 1000 MW. Don't overstate capabilities or features or benefits. It is the smart marketer who underrates their product or service and allows the customer to discover for themselves unspoken features or little surprises. The so-called "easter eggs" hidden in software is a nice example. But also the training course that you attend that boasts morning tea - but surprises you with fresh fruit for afternoon tea, or the new vehicle you purchase that you discover a bottle of car wash and a leather chamois in the trunk. I guess the maxim is - don't exaggerate. As a marketing person this is a trifle difficult ;-) but it's worth understating your features - and let the purchasers be surprised to find out how much "hidden value" your product includes. Implement a good follow-up program You can counter any post purchase dissonance that may have crept into your new "customers" mind by asking them how they are liking your product or service? - are they happy? - is there anything not as they expected? - do they have any suggestions for your company? etc. You might also have a direct [e]mail program that continues to feed information, and "get the most out of your blah" tips to new clients. It is a wise marketeer who seeks to hunt out dissatisfaction and either fix the problem or re-frame the concern. Conclusion You can counter post purchase dissonance, which is the "I've made a terrible mistake" feeling that you get after buying something that wasn't quite what you thought it would be, by underselling your product or service, by offering good value and by running a good follow-up program. 10:51:34 AM    Comments ()

New York Times Weighs In - America's most influential newspaper, The New York Times, has accused the Howard Government of using Australia's asylum seeker controversy "blatantly and successfully" as a campaign device in winning last year's federal election. [SMH] 8:36:58 AM    Comments ()

Of Reith - "There was silence for quite a while - it seemed to me he was stunned and surprised," Air Marshal Houston said. 8:31:01 AM    Comments ()

Home to roost - There is an expression that runs "You've made your bed, now lie in it" and there could not be a more appropriate sentiment to offer the Prime Minister than this. From this mornings paper: The credibility of the Prime Minister came under its most serious challenge yesterday when a senior military officer revealed he specifically told the former defence minister, Peter Reith, that an official cable contained no evidence that asylum seekers threw children into the sea. Mr Reith was also told, only hours before he talked to Mr Howard on the issue, that photographs released to the media on October 10 of children in the water were definitely taken during a rescue operation when their vessel was sinking. Either Mr Howard is culpable of the very serious offense of lying to his country, or he is guilty of the equally damming charge of surrounding himself with liars. Which is it Mr Howard? 8:26:30 AM    Comments ()