Yawning is infectious !

Epidemics are by their nature contagious. If I say epidemic to you you’ll probably think of a cold of flu epidemic, as that’s what the media uses most often. But epidemics don’t have to be biological. We can epidemics of crime or fashion, or hope – witness the inauguration of President Obama.

Lets consider yawning for instance. Yawning is a contagious act, just because you’ve read the word yawning three times now, you’re probably thinking about yawning, or actually yawning. I’m yawning myself here writing this. If you’re reading this where other people can see you yawning you’ve probably started a mini yawning epidemic of your very own.

Yawning is incredibly contagious, just by writing the word yawn, you’re likely to Yawn. Just as an aside to the yawn epidemic as some of you yawned did it cross your mind that you might be tired? So consider that yawns are emotionally contagious too, simply by writing the word yawn I can create a feeling in your mind.

Isn’t that interesting, what does that mean for retailers ? – Well, it goes some way to explain the resurgence of products with union jack flags on them for instance, and they’re really coming into fashion now, at a time when supporting team GB is really rather vital.

It explains the national indulgence with things vintage and shall we say “pre-loved” and the green effect – all side factors of a recession economy.

But the real value in the great yawn debate is the realisation that big changes can follow small events. We seem hard wired to think that the link between cause and effect must be massive. We are trained to think that if we want to communicate that we love someone for instance we must speak passionately, if we are angry we should communicate this loudly (Eastenders anyone? Could anyone be in any doubt someone is angry on that TV programme?)

But sometimes big changes follow from small events, and they can happen very quickly… There is a tipping point for virus’s, ideas and even for recessions – have you noticed the more balanced news reporting (locally at least) on the recession recently? There comes a point where everyone is literally sick of the bad news and journalists start casting around for good news stories to tip the balance from going too far in the wrong direction.

So what should you do about the yawn factor? Simple, anything you can that’s going to increase your chances of things tipping in your direction….. get yourself in the paper, write a blog, re-do your window, freshen up your approach, get a haircut , anything that makes you feel good, so you radiate this positive approach, because small things can create big changes, talk to your neighbouring shops, create a trade association, get on the council so you can vote against increasing car parking charges…. ! Whatever it takes !

If you’re in any doubt about the power you have, consider the yawn factor, and when you’re sat in that local council meeting just turn to your neighbour and yawn, and once you realise the power of this, you’ll have to take the superhero charter, and promise to only use your power for good, because yawning is the small stuff, there’s lots of big stuff you can do too…!

Remember the power of the yawn !