7. Immerse in the lives of consumers
How do consumers experience my brand & category?
Let your employees ‘connect’ with consumers by having them
step into your consumers’ shoes and share their observations.
KICK-OFF &
CALL TO ACTION
OBSERVE &
EXPERIENCE
FEEDBACK
ACTIONS &
OPPORTUNITIES
Consumer connect program
@tomderuyck
Gut-feeling has to do with relying more on gut reactions, but equally with feeling as such. At PrimaDonna lingerie, specialized in luxury lingerie at larger cup sizes from C to J, they took the concept of feeling literally. The company decided to get all of its male employees to know what it's like to haul around an extra 6.6 pounds on their chest. Labeled as the International E-Cup Day for Men, the idea of literally feeling what it is like to have E-cup-size breasts during a full day is very impactful. For example, as the boobs get heavy after a while, they leave painful shoulder marks, causing one wearer to rest them on a table - something I've seen large-breasted women actually do. It is a great example of stepping into the shoes of your customer, directly experiencing their pains and gains and learning from it.
Task-based program to
create buy-in for consumer centered thinking
feed business planning & strategy
Let the consumer take an active place in day to day decision making
Ever heard of Gemba? It is a Japanese term originating from the Total Quality Management era and is a synonym for ‘the real place’. By going to where the real action is taking place, whether it is a crime scene, a supermarket or a living room, managers can sharpen their senses and enhance their creative potential, stimulating their consumer brain. To research our consumers effectively and achieve true empathy into their lives we should look at the world like a ‘traveler’. Think about how you behave differently on a holiday. You’re on high alert, look for details. You may notice things that even regular citizens do not see.
Create a positive vicious circle of open discovery: the more people (want to) know and discover, the more they realize what they don’t know. Think of the immense amount of time aircraft pilots spend in simulation environments, getting prepared for emergency situations they will hopefully never have to encounter in reality. Organizations should develop a similar simulation, moving from a ‘crisis-prone’ to a ‘crisis-prepared’ context by immersing themselves in less than comfortable business contexts and surrounding themselves with people thinking differently or being more critical than they are.