The Problem with Unrealistic Expectations
Whenever you produce advertising, entertainment, or media projects, you have to think about audience or customer expectations. I was reminded of that recently when the latest statistics came out about airline versus automobile deaths in America. Far more people die of car crashes every year, but generally, the public is far more terrified of dying in an airplane accident. The expectation of the public totally overwhelms reality. As a result, the government has to take that erroneous public perception into consideration of legislation, rules, and policies for both industries.
If you’re creating a product or delivering a service, it’s critical to understand your audience or customer’s expectations. Remember – even when those expectations may not be grounded in reality, you can’t ignore them. As the saying goes, right or wrong, perception is reality.
You will always fail if you disregard audience, customer, or client’s expectations. That doesn’t mean you can’t deliver BEYOND what they expect. We talk about “exceeding” expectations, but to accomplish that, you have to know those expectations to begin with…
Phil Cooke, PhD. has been called “one of the most innovative communicators of our generation.” As a media producer, writer, speaker, and consultant, his client list includes major film studios and TV networks as well as major Christian organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, and others. He’s also coached and consulted with many of the most influential churches and nonprofit organizations in the world, helping them use media to tell their story. You can hear his podcast here.
