Yes, it's true...
A recent survey by 5W Public Relations found that “38% of Americans wouldn’t buy Corona under any circumstances now.”
“Among those who said they usually drink Corona, only 4% said they would stop drinking Corona, but 14% said they wouldn’t order Corona in a public venue.” Finally, “16% of beer-drinking Americans were confused about whether Corona beer is related to the coronavirus.”
Pretty amazing, wouldn't you say?
This brings to mind something I always teach in my seminars:
Perception Is Reality!
Whether true or not... whether accurate or not... whether logical or not...
People act based on their view of what reality is, not based on what it factually is.
Based on this survey, we can infer that people are put off by Corona Beer right now because of the word Corona (as in Corona Virus). As we all know, the virus has nothing to do with the beer but, in some peoples' minds, they are somehow related.
The best "perception is reality" example I can think of is how hockey players act (especially during playoffs). They're known to not shave for a certain period of time, not walk over the lines on the ice and have pre-game rituals that must be followed at all costs. They are indeed a superstitious
bunch.
But the superstition had to start somewhere. They perceive that when they act in a certain unusual, repetitive manner, they play better. They win. It's their perception which is their reality. It doesn't make sense, but that doesn't matter. It makes sense to them.
The Opportunity Here...
Whenever possible, give your customer/client/patient the strongest and most convincing impression of your expertise.
Share testimonials that laud your work...
Share any type of publicity or media coverage you receive...
Share articles/blog posts that you write (even better if they're published somewhere)...
Associate yourself with high-profile people or influencers, thereby piggy-backing on their fame (I recently saw people pictured next to Sir Magdi Yacoub and the comments section were filled with oohs! and ahs!)
All these things add to your credibility and perception of expertise. That stuff matters.
If people perceive it, they will believe it.
P.S. The above photo is of the former boxing heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield and me having dinner together (yes, the guy who Mike Tyson bit his ear off). The reason I share this with you is because I was trying to land a major law firm as a client. After I found out that one of the partners was a huge
boxing fan, I used the photo to impress him and establish rapport. The client perceived that I was somehow associated with boxing on a high level. And it worked.
P.P.S. Interestingly, although 38% of Americans won't drink Corona now, according to the beer company, sales are up 5% (as of mid February). I think the sales figures might be a little lower now, now that the hysteria surrounding Corona Virus has really escalated this last month. Will be interesting to
follow.
