Business owners have always been frustrated with potential clients. Why can't they just see, or hear our advertisement, pick up the phone, call us, and order?
Oh if it were so simple!
When we conduct focus groups, they tell us that 'yes!' we will definitely be interested in this service, want to buy this product; yet in reality, once the launch happens, we feel as if we are pushing rope, trying to effect action.
To be clear: this is not a post about anti-vaxxers nor is it a post about vaccines. This is a sales and marketing post, but I do want you to see, that whenever something is new - service, product, or vaccine in this case, we will always have early adopters, and those of us that need more information, before we make a decision.
We no longer live in a time where people follow expert advice blindly. The democratisation of information allows individuals to take personal responsibility for their lives, including their health. Each individual decides what feels safe, and what they can absolutely live with.
In fact, we have encouraged this. We ask people to compare two products, read labels, examine ingredients, mull over specs, compare apples to apples etc, and be generally diligent. Our potential buyers' hesitancy and by extension, vaccine hesitancy is par for the course. It is however not the end of the world.
One of the greatest risks to the long-term success of any product or service is overpromising the benefits while understating uncertainty. When we are making our product or service recommendations, we need to offer clear information about why we are different, what are our strengths and what are our limitations. The reality is we all have limitations. Similarly those who recommend vaccines - whether against covid19 or other vaccine-preventable diseases - must offer clear information about the differences among vaccines, including their varied strengths and limitations.
This is an important step in empowering consumers and reducing hesitancy especially in the case of the covid19 vaccine, where our lives might literally depend on it.
So what does it look like to be a buyer or sceptic?*
1. I'm feeling insecure. I'm not sure I know how to detect which of the finalists is the genius, and which is just good. I've exhausted my abilities to make technical distinctions.
2. I'm feeling threatened. This is my area of responsibility, and even though intellectually I know I need outside expertise, emotionally it's not comfortable to put my affairs in the hands of others.
3. I'm taking a personal risk. By putting my affairs in the hands of someone else, I risk losing control.
4. I'm impatient. I didn't call in someone at the first sign of symptoms (or opportunity). I've been thinking about this for a while.
5. I'm worried. By the very fact of suggesting improvements or changes, these people going to be implying that I haven't been doing it right up till now. Are these people going to be on my side?
6. I'm expos
