Last week I got a cavity filled.  Anybody who has ever gotten a cavity filled knows it’s not a particularly enjoyable experience.  As I was sitting in the dentist’s chair, listening to the drilling echo through my head, I couldn’t help but feel a little upset with myself.  I knew my current situation was entirely preventable, and I had no one to blame for it but me.  Every cavity I’ve ever had was due to not flossing enough.  And when I say ‘not enough’ I mean ‘hardly at all’.  I’ve always been a fan of frequent brushing and mouthwashing, but flossing never really sounds like a whole lot of fun. 

What is most aggravating about my recent history of cavities is how my dentist provides me with everything I need to achieve a cavity-free checkup.  He tells me I should floss, he instructs me how to floss (granted, that was many years ago), he occasionally inflicts the actual pain caused by not flossing, and he even sends me home with a few free flosses (floss boxes?). 

Why, I asked myself, is it so hard to do the easy, painless task suggested to me to improve my own health, happiness, and financial standing?  The question got me thinking about human nature and why we are so reluctant to comply with some of the easiest recommendations designed to do nothing but help us.

Being the devoted Balihoo blogger that I am, I naturally found a clever analogy between my flossing dilemma and local store marketing.  (Okay, so it might be a stretch, but work with me on this one). 

Balihoo has spoken with hundreds of companies about the issues they face with their local store marketing.  A common challenge is their local affiliates’ reluctance to embrace corporate-recommended advertising strategies.  The corporate marketing teams strive to arm their affiliates with much of what they need execute successful marketing campaigns at the local level.  Just as my dentist sends me home with floss and clear instructions, these companies make great efforts to educate their affiliates, demonstrate the benefits of advertising, warn them of the consequences of not advertising and even supply them with advertising material.

Why then, do the companies sometimes struggle to produce widespread adoption of their local marketing ideas?  I’d venture to say the answer parallels that of my reluctance to floss.  Despite the companies’ good intentions of delivering the tools and know-how to produce effective local advertising, there is a wide gap between what constitutes a successful national campaign and a successful local campaign.  Just as I am responsible for picking up the floss and actually doing the work myself each day, the local affiliates are still required to take what they are given and act on it. 

So what can the companies to increase adoption?  At Balihoo we challenge ourselves with this question every day.  By working with a wide range of clients, we are constantly learning and improving our methodologies.  The question is not easy to answer, but I’m sure excited to be part of a growing movement to tackle the issue. 

Now if only I could find the secret to getting me to floss…