Making The Mark

It could have happened to any of us.

Any among us could react to a short-term emergency with a long-term mistake. Monday-morning quarterbacking aside, it's easy to make the wrong call when you're in that position. It's easy to grasp for the simplest solution while taking your eye off the long ball.

In the case of Maker's Mark, it was a problem of supply and demand — too little of the former and too much of the latter. The way MM handled that problem shows they forgot, somehow, that the "demand" part of that equation was a complement of the highest order, and an admonition to "don't ever, please" mess with the recipe.

The reduction of Maker's Mark from 90 to 84 proof was an attempt to stretch supply and meet demand. It was not intended to deliver a body blow to an elegant, successful brand. But that's what it did.

Any among us could make that kind of mistake, but not all could recover like Maker's Mark has. They did so by falling back on the most basic tenet of business: listen to your customer. After a week of uproar the company announced their reversal with this tweet:

You spoke. We listened. ow.ly/hN3kC
— Maker's Mark (@MakersMark) February 17, 2013

Did they really save their brand that easily? Listen — they're still Maker's Mark. They're still 90 proof of bourbon perfection. Dipped in wax to seal the magnificence inside.

And that brief run of 84 proof bottles? Collector's items now. Maker's Mark lovers who were just last week cursing the brand now can't buy that stuff fast enough.

The C4:

1. Maker's Mark Manhattan: shake together a shot and a half of MM, a half shot sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters. Chilled glass, cherry garnish, and good, good times.
    
2. Maker's Mark Old Fashioned: mix a part and a half MM with a half part club soda and a teaspoon of sugar. Serve over ice, sip it slow.
    
3. Maker's Mark on the rocks: just like it sounds, but somehow so much better.
    
4. The Maker's Mark takeaway: When the customer speaks, listen.

All About Process #1: Listen Intently

Certainly, you’ve been in a situation where your ability to articulate something important to you, to another person or group, has been put to the test. You want this expressed in such a way that it does justice to or captures the passion behind it, but wonder if those being presented to will “get it.”

Apprehension may then decide to take residence within you, as whatever you are trying to get across may be well laid out in your mind but when it comes time to transform those ideas into words, some of them get lost in translation.

As if the internal struggle of expressing something wasn’t enough, this inevitable question may arise: “Are they even listening to me?” Surely, your audience may be nodding in agreement or seem to be engaged, but a part of you most likely wonders if they really care about what is being said.

You’ve put a lot of time and effort into creating what you want to say, so it would only seem natural that the audience would be actively engaged in what was important to you. However, this assumption can prove to be false more often than not, and not because of malice or disregard for your time, but simply due to a lack of active listening.

This scenario is not solely reserved for an individual, as organizations can be subject to this when dealing with an agency. An organization may be passionate about their identity but enlists an agency’s help to better express it. While the agency likely has the organization’s best interest in mind, they might unknowingly don a set of ego-laced earmuffs that muffle what is being said, so they can present what they’ve already decided was best. They may be aware of the ideas the organization has, but remain steadfast in what their vision is, and instead of listening they only hear enough to seem engaged.

Fortunately, the Caler&Company team lends far more than just an ear — we provide the undivided attention a client deserves. It is not a coincidence that our process of delivering client service begins with the phrase Listen Intently, as this is where we distinguish ourselves by becoming an extension of our clients rather than a separate entity.

We listen first and then act accordingly, harnessing client’s passion as the driving force behind everything we do. Need someone to listen? Contact us today.