Walking the marketing talk: where customer perceptions clash with your reality
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This document discusses the relationship between marketing and event management. It argues that marketing does not stop at the ticket sale, and that delivering an exceptional event experience is critical to meet customer expectations set by initial marketing promises. Specifically, it notes that the goals of marketing, sales, operations, and accounting can conflict if not properly coordinated. It emphasizes that event managers must focus on delivering an outstanding experience across the "7 Ps" of marketing - product, price, place, promotion, people, process, and physical environment. The success of an event ultimately depends on seamlessly integrating these elements to provide customers with the experience promised by earlier marketing.
Walking the marketing talk: where customer perceptions clash with your reality
- 1. Marketing & Events Management: P’s from the same pod The marketing doesn’t stop at the ticket sale © Geoff Meston 2013
- 2. WHAT IS AN EVENT? a thing that happens or takes place, especially one of importance a planned public or social occasion or activity http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/event © Geoff Meston 2013
- 3. What is marketing? You CREATING 1. Wants! 2. Promises! 3. Expectations! 4. Assumptions 5. Dreams! © Geoff Meston 2013
- 4. What is Events Management? You Delivering 1. Wants? 2. Promises? 3. Expectations? 4. Dreams? Snapshots from hell © Geoff Meston 2013
- 5. The Credibility Gap © Geoff Meston 2013
- 6. Talk to the hand* Marketing Sales Operations (F&B) The Accountant Have conflicting Priorities Needs Agendas Language Time lines *Talk to the hand: Arnold Schwarzenegger -Terminator 2 What causes the credibility gap? © Geoff Meston 2013
- 7. Why is this so? Lost in translation Marketing Sales Operations (F&B) The Accountant Often Fail to communicate Have different perceptions of success & failure Measure things differently Operate silos Assume Think they are the critical path through the business Have the wrong people running them Different world views © Geoff Meston 2013
- 8. What about me?????……the modern customer! (with lots of CHOICE) www.heraldsun.com.au© Geoff Meston 2013
- 9. The common misconception: what about what the customer wants? © Geoff Meston 2013
- 10. Traditional 4 Ps Product based marketing Product Place Price Promotion © Geoff Meston 2013
- 11. Adding the “Service Ps” People Physical Process © Geoff Meston 2013
- 12. The Mechanics of the 7 Ps Product Price Place Promotion People Process Physical Menus Packages Quality Services Availability Image Variety Flexibility Strategy Discount Payment period Credit terms Payment methods Deposits Location Transport Access Size Flexibility Adverts Personal selling Sales promos PR Corp ID Channels (eg social media) Attributes Standards Can they deliver as promised? Are you treating it as a „core‟ service? Timely Repeatable Design Decoration Acoustics AV Flexibility Where does the marketing stop and the “Event” start? © Geoff Meston 2013
- 13. Time The 7 Ps Gantt chart Product Price Place Promotion People Process Physical 1) Marketing the event: Creating 2) Selling the event: Promises, building the Perception, & Commitment Day of Event 3) The expectation and assumptions are set At the Event 4) Delivering & Confirming Static DynamicDynamic Credibility Gap People Process Physical © Geoff Meston 2013
- 14. Minimising the Credibility Gap 1. Acknowledge: Your competition are specialists – if you can‟t do better don‟t enter. 2. Treat as “core” NOT a “secondary” service 3. Never embellish the brochure 4. Specialise with people: one size does not fit all 5. Construct an event flowchart with milestones and support checklists from go to woe for every event 6. Agree on interdepartmental KPIs © Geoff Meston 2013 www.takeheeddesign.com
- 15. 3P Dynamics Physical People Process © Geoff Meston 2013 Dynamic forces acting on your 3 P‟s Eg.,Breakdowns Acts of God Sickness Lack of planning Poor training Accidents
- 16. Physical © Geoff Meston 2013 www.onestylishbride.com V Visual A Audio T Touch T Taste S Smell
- 17. PROCESS Make it a “core” service…the customer thinks it is “Blueprint” it for repeatability Build in flexibility Define some KEY phrases for staff Measurable Make your business “ Easy to do business with” Get feedback © Geoff Meston 2013
- 18. People / Culture To suit the occasion, it‟s easier to customise down than smarten up © Geoff Meston 2013 To get buy in: 1. Management LBX 2. Specialist staff 3. Train silver service 4. Codify standards 5. Set KPIs 6. Menu tasting each event 7. Differentiate by uniform 8. Rigid compliance
- 19. Summary: On the day of the event Customers Don‟t give a damn about: • your processes • how hard you tried • how good the last event was • what your brochure looks like You Must remember • the Customer‟s VATTS are your Grail • You have one shot to make the 3 Ps work • you are „marketing‟ to every person in the event crowd • You must never promise what you can‟t deliver © Geoff Meston 2013
- 20. © Geoff Meston 2013 Meeting the expectation
Editor's Notes
- #4: Creating a perception or an expectationEvents management: Delivering that expectation or perception
- #6: Creating a perception or an expectationEvents management: Delivering that expectation or perception
- #9: Educated (by media +)Knows their rights: and expects themLots of choiceIs mobileHomogenious goods and products (or minimally differentiated)Lives in a world of remoteness; chaosLooking for MORE than the productLooking for difference between vendorsCompanies need to provide MORE than the product to differentiateIs time poorWants to be looked afterCan broadcast their disappointment to massive audiences
- #11: Traditionally: Push marketingCokeSelling: ImageSelling: The feelingSelling: RealityEverywhere: physical presence; advertising, promotingNo “public” customer service required ie arms length via an intermediaryPrice: always competitivePacked neatly in a can or a bottleThey have a product and create a demand (Push marketing)Public gets bad service? Blame the shop they bought it fromWYSIWYG
- #19: The “environment” or atmosphere in which the service is delivered2. Buildings3. Furnishings/décor4. Layout5. Goods associated with the service e.g. carrier bags, tickets, brochuresExternal / internalSame as brochureCleanlinessStyleLightsAcousticsSmellAVDecorationEmployee appearanceFlexible
- #20: Process is) . . . The actual procedures, mechanisms, and flow of activities by which the service is delivered – this service delivery and operating systems. Zeithaml et al (2008). http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-services-marketing-mix.html#1. The manner in which the service is delivered2. Degree of customer contact3. Quality control standards4. Quality assurance5. Payment methods(degree of convenience)6. Queuing systems for customers7. Waiting times
- #21: The attitudes of staff2. Training of staff3. Internal relations4. The observable behavior of staff5. The level of service-mindedness in the organization6. The consistency of appearance of staff7. The accessibility of people8. Customer-customer contactsMGT LBX: leading by example