U Marketing U's Law states that Murphy was an optimist!
U Marketing U's Law states that Murphy was an optimist!
I don't mean to sound paranoid, it's just that I'm paranoid. I have seen so many great marketing opportunities go south or sideways, I can't count them. There are so many different ways your best laid marketing plans can go awry.
On Dec 10, 2005, the folks in the tiny Bavarian-themed village of Leavenworth, Washington discovered this in spades. After this communications fiasco, the lead story in the Seattle Times carried the headline: "Leavenworth left out in cold when state cautioned travelers". Just before the major Thanksgiving holiday weekend, the disputed Governor of Washington, Christine Gregoire, warned all travelers to avoid the Cascade Mountains.
Ostensibly this was due to a rock slide and highway repairs on one of the two major routes over the mountains from metro Seattle to this charming town that relies almost totally on tourism. The governor's warning scared away potential travelers on both routes. She neglected to mention that the alternative route was open, dry and clear.
The town was devastated by such bad news and media reports. Those who took the alternative route to Leavenworth had an easy drive and no problems, but most didn't even try. Business were down 40 percent.
One small business operator said: "It killed us. Christmas carries us for the next three to four months. We're so dependent on the pass, it's very scary for us."
Another local business person stated: "We need to do little things, like impeaching the governor for what she said."
The local chamber of commerce immediately rushed into action and spent $15,000 on a print and radio campaign trying to counter the dire predictions of massive traffic jams due to the governor's message about the highway.
Their ads said: "Fire! Rockslide! One week traffic backups! Earthquake! Hurricane! Blizzard! Avalanche! The passes are impassable! The sky is falling! There is no Santa Claus! Don't believe everything you hear. The Bavarian village of Leavenworth is open for business!" This town has just 2,000 residents, but 500 businesses. Each year 1.5 million people visit the tourist town, 100,000 in December alone. This was not good news.
Thankfully the Chamber of Commerce was able to help with messages in some way, but each of those small businesses still had to survive for the rest of the year. Some didn't make it.
When something like this happens, everything goes sideways. This is why it always helps to have a back up to the back up plan. You need to have a "plan B". I like to have even a "plan C" too.
You never know when the environment in which you do business can get all mixed up and the wrong messages can be sent. You may not cause it; you likely won't see it coming. Most often, you are blind-sided.
It can take weeks or months to correct bad impressions or change opinions that are formed on just one exposure to negative announcements. If this Governor had had intelligent aids who knew or at least thought in advance about what effect this strongly worded suggestion might have on those communities on the other side of the mountain range, she would have done things differently.
It can happen to you too. I know it seems like a lot of work. Until it happensand you are faced without a back up plan of action to stem the tide or have to put your own finger in the dyke.
Take the time now. Do some "what if" brainstorming. Come up with some plans to activate just in case those events occur. You will save time, money and likely lessen any potential damage to your business from such occurrences. It's worth the effort. What was that old clich about an ounce of prevention?
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