Perception Management?: I want to talk to you all about diarrhea!

I want to talk to you about #diarrhea! Did I really just say that??

People always ask me to define what the heck Perception Management is. This article hopefully brings new light to help people understand some of the principles of #perceptionmanagement and why it really works!

The simplest (and shortest) definition of Perception Management is:

Perception Management is the art and science of understanding how a person or product or service is perceived and “interrupting” this perception and replacing it with how you want it to be perceived.

This concept is farily easy to understand, but it does require important steps in each area to achieve your desired outcomes. 

Let's review an amazing case-study that illustrates the Principles of Perception Management really well. It discusses how a declining brand “relaunched” itself into a very crowded market and carved out an incredible niche.

THE CHALLENGE: 

??In the late 1990s, A liquid product that was originally developed to help with gas and bloating and to calm one’s stomach, received a new indication for the treatment of diarrhea??????. 

??They wanted to launch into this very crowded and very mature market.

THE RESULTS:

??Achieved over $150 million in sales first 12 months post-launch for the new indication ??Their product became a literal household name for the treatment of diarrhea

THE ACTIONS TAKEN:

???♂????♀? Held focus groups on how to get people comfortable about discussing diarrhea

???? Launched a whole campaign around openly discussing diarrhea and losing the embarassing stigma

???? Developed a disruptive (explosive - pardon the pun) TV commercial that started out with an ordinary looking mother who says:

“I want to take a minute and talk to you about diarrhea”

???? Released this commercial during the week leading up to the Superbowl that year. --- (thankfully NOT during the game)

Remember: There was no social media, no use of videos, no blogging. All they had was Print Ads, Billboards and that powerful TV commercial - all implementing the Principles of #PerceptionManagement that interrupted an entire market and how people thought about treating diarrhea. Additionally, sales reps talked candidly with Primary Care Physicians and provided patient education materials for the doctors to use with patients.

This case-study highlights the incredible power of Perception Management and when used effectively, how it can completely change the way people think and feel about a product or service or even a person (and in this case, not only a product, but also an embarrassing subject)!

The company successfully #interrupted the perception that people should not ever discuss diarrhea. It’s too gross, too private, or simply too embarrassing. The campaign brought to light the true fact that we ALL at one time or another suffer with diarrhea and we ALL can relate to how it makes us feel! 

They interrupted the thought process by simply disrupting us with one #inyourface opening line: “I want to take a minute and talk to you about diarrhea.” 

By blasting this commerical in primetime, it caught millions of people off-guard. The message was so compelling, people were riveted to want to learn more and understand why and how anyone would even THINK it is ok to discuss this topic, let alone make a commercial about it. 

Then, after the successful interruption, they positioned their product (and if you haven’t guess by now, it was Pepto Bismol) and how it was soothing and takes the embarrassment out of having diarrhea because it works quickly and so well.

There are literally 1000s of examples of the principles of Perception Management in action! When you change perceptions, you change what’s possible. 

It is a distinctive approach to business and marketing strategy in any market and for any product or service (or even for your own personal brand)!

If you have a product or service (or yourself) that you believe can and should be doing better in the market, if you want to learn how Perception Management can help change the whole dynamic of your positioning, reach out to me directly. Let's get started!

www.perceptionmanagement.org

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