Have you ever walked into a board meeting and tried to hide the fact that you were really nervous about your presentation? I expect something similar has happened to most of us. Maybe it wasn’t a board room. Maybe you were called in to the CEO’s office to “discuss something” or give your thoughts on a specific situation. If you can relate to this feeling, you know how being around people with power can influence your thoughts, actions and behaviors. According to Sally Hogshead, when we talk to a powerful person, our boundaries are lowered, which in turn makes us more resistant and skeptical. However, people in this situation, are more open to suggestion and more easily persuaded. Now, think about how that same concept can be applied to your brand and marketing.
Remember the commercial campaigns Never Let Them See You Sweat, promoting Dry Idea. To jog your memory, here is an old video clip of the Dry Idea campaign with Dan Reeves (Sorry about the poor resolution):
According to Sally Hogshead, you can infuse power into your brand by incorporating a few techniques.
3 Tips to Create Brand Power:
- Control the environment – Define a new set of rules on your terms
- Establish a ranking system – Take the alpha stance
- Reward and punish – Seek respect above affection
Control the Environment
Landmark Forum, often accused of brainwashing or of being a cult, uses their controlled environment to limit distractions and lower participant resistance. Amelia Hill published an article in The Observer, “I thought I’d be brainwashed. But how wrong could I be…” that provides her experience. She also quotes another attendee, Doug Tucker, who shared his experience at the same event. This is what he said:
“This course has transformed me. And the funny thing is, I didn’t know I even had it in me to transform,’ he smiled. The Landmark Forum is not magic. It is not scary or insidious. It is, in fact, simple common sense delivered in an environment of startling intensity.
It is this intensity that makes the difference. While any one of us might well have already been told the same home truths by friends and family, we were too distracted by life and too wrapped up in our own defense mechanisms to listen.
Landmark takes you away from life. The three days create a bubble of possibility in which we were able to try on new opinions and experiment with fresh behaviours.”
If you love Sushi, think about how this concept is applied at Sasabune (http://www.trustmesushi.com) in Los Angeles. Susabune controls their restaurant environment by limiting menu to “real sushi” instead of Americanized sushi. And if a customer walks in expecting to get a California Roll, they won’t find one at Susabune. Oh, and try the special. Every day it is the same, TRUST ME. Each chef’s make a big power play by asking, no demanding that their patrons trust them. They yell at those making poor requests and even kick out budget-conscious, newbies.
Establish a Ranking System
Ranking systems fascinate us because they establish the group’s “celebrities,” or alpha members. Much like Susabune positioned their sushi at the highest level of sushi quality ranks. We see this all the time in social media, corporations, schools…everywhere. So, why not your brand?
Rewards and Punish
Suze Orman has established best practices for managing debt and finances. Her audience has heard her preach the same information over and over again. Yet, for some reason, audience members still stand up to confess their mistakes. They know, yet still, they open the door for Suze’s wrath. Powerful leaders establish the rules and enforce them with strength. No special treatment. If you break the rules, you face the consequences. In fact, many leaders leverage the rewards by withholding praise.
Have any additional tips to create brand power? I’d love to hear them.
-Kim
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