Are you ‘bummed out’ because there’s no toilet paper left at the shops?
Let’s get to the bottom’ of the panic for loo paper and how you can use this in your business…
Does it give you the shi#s?
So many folk on social media (the ones who got to the shops too late to fill their trolleys with toilet paper) are calling out those who did with names such as ‘stupid’ ‘greedy’ ‘dumb’.
But hey, we’ve all done it and we’re not all horrible people.
It happens every time… at the first hint of an upcoming possible disaster such as a cyclone, flood, fire, power out or pandemic outbreak everyone rushes to the shops to buy basic staples – bread, milk, loo paper.
Faced with this kind of a calamity we don’t seem to be able to think beyond these basic things.
So what’s going on??
What is the panic about????
Ever heard of a guy called Maslow?
He was a psychologist who studied human behaviour. And his results and conclusions do seem about right.
He found that we humans are motivated to do certain things and act in certain ways depending if our needs are being met or not.
During ‘stable’ times, we focus on our ‘higher-order’ needs for things like personal development, creativity and our need for status, recognition and esteem.
BUT >>> when something like the COVID-19 pandemic comes along and threatens our personal security or our health — our attention shifts back down the pyramid to what Maslow called our deficiency needs – our basic needs of food, water, shelter and of course … TOILET paper!
In other words, our priorities change.
During the 5 years prior to 2020, our top values were squarely in the top 2 sections of the pyramid – in the Self-Actualization and Esteem buckets:
• having a life of excitement, novelties and challenges (Self-Actualization)
• acquiring wealth, status and influence (Esteem)
• maintaining a good public image & being treated with respect (Esteem)
• being successful and admired for your achievements (Esteem)
• being in charge and directing people (Esteem)
BUT now – things have changed….
The values that were at the bottom of the list have risen to the top:
• Helping and caring for friends and families (Love and Belonging)
• Preserving our own safety and the safety of our family (Safety)
• being dependable and trustworthy for family and friends (Love and Belonging)
People are less concerned about growing their income then they are about maintaining their income and providing safety and security for themselves and their family.
What does that mean for your business?
It means that you have to change your approach and shift from selling to serving.
Your messaging can’t be all about you anymore.
Check out the below advert examples.
Both the advert examples are showing how the ‘seller’ has adapted their marketing message to fit with the problems faced by their prospects…and offering them a solution to those problems… taking their products from non-essential to essential and desirable.
Change your marketing messages from touting the features and benefits of your service or product to one of serving and giving back.
Even if you can’t pivot or alter your business model, it’s important to pivot or alter your message so you come across in a more understanding way – acknowledging your prospects problems and addressing them with a solution.
