A new restaurant has opened in my area. There has been a lot of hype about it – a long lead up, a great location and owners who are renowned at doing this kind of thing well. It also filled a gap – a cool, loungy, cosmopolitan place where we could nip out with friends for a relaxed but great experience.

It is, so far, bitterly disappointing. Bah-bow.

The location and design of the restaurant are spot on but the food and service are terrible.   The earlier chatter of excitement has now turned into rantings of sadness. I have been there 3 times and the experience has not improved at all.

So why am I and all the locals still persevering?

There is an iconic Australian retailer that has suffered the same problem. It’s not new and it has had a great history of success but over the last 10 years it has been hit and miss. When you talk to their most habitual customers they keep walking in, keep looking, keep trying to buy something.

Some brands have customers like this that keep giving them a go. But why?

It really comes down to hope.

We really want these brands to do well. They have something that ties us to them, something quite emotional. We can see their potential and they fill a gap, deliver a need. As marketers, our job is to find out what our customers hope for from our brands so we can satisfy that need.

Here are two great ways for you to find out what that is:

1. Get your customers to write you a ‘break up’ letter. This will show you what your customers had hoped for in their relationship and where you let them down. You will be very surprised at the amount of emotion that pours from your most loving supporters.

2. Ask your customers to write you a job description. Anchored in something more functional, you will quickly see what they expect from your brand and its experience and how you can ‘get that job done’ (think Clayton Christensen).

I barrack for Richmond – an Aussie Rules footy team that hasn’t won a premiership since 1980.  I really do understand hope. Do they understand my needs?

Written by Pip.