Are You Getting the Whole Story?

I’ve been to see a doctor a couple of times recently for two unrelated maladies. I’m ok, no need to worry about me, but the experiences got me thinking about how we communicate information that could perhaps be critically important.

A visit to a physician inevitably entails a series of questions regarding your condition. It usually starts with “why are you here?” or something similar. These questions are asked so that the doctor can extract insight from the patient, possibly revealing information that can help avoid unnecessary tests and procedures, or prompt them, depending on what is revealed.

Regardless, this is one of the most critical stages of the health care process. If the patient can give first-hand information regarding his experiences, it enhances the doctors’ knowledge and provides them with a tool that would otherwise be impossible for them to obtain. If only part of the story get told, or the patient lies because he is afraid or embarrassed about something, the matter becomes far more complicated and treatment failure becomes much more probable.

This is an important idea for marketers to grasp. One of the key elements of a sound marketing initiative, regardless of it’s communications vehicle, is an intimate understanding of what drives its target audience to convert. This understanding is usually gained through all sorts of research tactics, but the ultimate goal in every situation is to know why people will or will not do what your marketing is attempting to get them to do.

The problem is, how do you know that the information you are collecting on and from these people is accurate and depicts the whole story? Unfortunately, short of becoming mindreaders, we can’t with 100 percent certainty.

Our best chance for success is to channel “the doctor.”

What does that mean? Listen really, really well. Use your professional training and formal education, but don’t forget to be human. Learn from each person you meet and bring that knowledge to your analysis of others. Understand your targets better than they understand themselves. Make this a lifelong endeavor.

And finally, always—always—respect them.