The Gorilla Story

This TGIF Marketing Moment I’m going to share a story with you about negotiating and clear communications.

A zoo had among its animals a female gorilla, whose mood was becoming increasingly difficult. The vet concluded that she was on heat and that a mate should be found. The vet contacted some other nearby zoos to find a partner for the broody female, but to no avail. The female gorilla’s behavior continued to worsen, but the vet noticed that she grew calmer, and strangely responsive, whenever a particularly well-built and none-too-handsome keeper entered the enclosure. Being an unprincipled and adventurous fellow, the vet put an outrageous proposition to the keeper: For a fee of five hundred dollars would the keeper consider spending a little ‘quality time’ with the gorilla, purely in the interests of research of course?….

The keeper, also an unprincipled and adventurous fellow, pondered the suggestion, and after a few minutes agreed to the offer, subject to three conditions. The vet, intrigued, listened to the keeper’s demands:

“First,” the keeper said, “No kissing.”

“Fine,” said the vet.

“Second, no-one must ever know – if this gets out I’ll kill you.”

“You have my word,” said the vet, “And your final condition?”

“It’s just,” said the keeper a little awkwardly, “Can I have a couple of weeks to raise the five hundred bucks?”

The moral of the story is that communication is key in business.  What we want and what we get are often two different things.  But who is to blame when we don’t get what we want?   And who is to blame when our Marketing efforts aren’t paying off?   Or should I say… What is to blame.  Communication is to blame 80% of the time.

Marketing is about asking what people want and clearly communication how you are the obvious choice, regardless of price.

Have a great weekend!

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1. The Butterfly Story