Are you infected by The Make It Pretty Syndrome?

And in the end, just make it pretty!

There is no secret to the universe. To prove my point I will share a story a former (very crazy) creative director told me. He had been out “partying” one night and later had some very psychedelic, vibrant dreams. He awoke in the middle of the night to the realization that he had stumbled upon the Secret of the Universe. Since it was only 3:00 am, he chose to write it down and went back to sleep. In the morning he remembered that he had experienced an epiphany but couldn’t recall what it was. He raced to read what he had written. On his notepad were the words, “The cucumber is in the street.”

Now, I like cucumbers but there really is no secret to the universe. Or at least I haven’t found it yet and time is marching on. That said here is something you can believe–and it's no secret. We can go around and around about marketing, branding, planning, targeting, identifying and strategizing but in the end, there is no single “right” answer, no “secret” bullet, no “magic” formula. It’s all a best guess as to how people – human beings – will respond. And it changes every time.

Great, now what do I do?

As a graphic designer, my go-to solution is, “just make it pretty”! We are visual creatures by nature, and we have evolved to be able to read and process visual cues in nanoseconds. If our eyes are confused our minds will follow.

Body language expert, Patti Wood tells us that humans generate a first impression of each other in less than one second. This first (non-verbal) impression is more powerful than 3 hours of 1-on-1 conversation! Patti can even tell you that the direction someone is pointing his or her toes or how they tilt their head are clues as to how interested they are in what you have to say. All the talk in the world won’t stop that disinterested bloke from bolting.

All the elements of visual communication matter

First impressions count in the visual world too. So many elements come into play, like the theories surrounding the emotions of color. For example, there is scientific proof that orange and turquoise when used in tandem increases one's appetite. When Howard Johnson's was looking for a way to increase their business, they consulted with scientists and psychologists to find out what colors would bring the customers to their restaurants and help to subliminally increase their appetites. They found that orange and turquoise worked best, by a margin of 30%, and that color combo saw a higher food consumption rate than any other color combo. So H.J. changed all of their locations to the orange and turquoise combo. Whoda thunkit?

Red induces anger, nervousness, agitation and lust–not the reactions you are seeking in a restaurant - or a proposal or a marketing piece. Okay, maybe a little lust. Yellow, on the other hand is smack in the middle of the color spectrum and sometimes use for fire engines, school buses, road stripes and McDonalds. It is the color of caution and attention. And we all know that blues and greens are calming and help us concentrate.

Engage their brain

In addition to color, the way you layout a page, the feel and size of the paper, the size of the text, whether you write in prose or bullet points, the length of the line, the depth of the paragraph and the way you use photos, graphics and color will also either engage your reader or subconsciously fog the reader’s brain. Good page layout increases readability, retention and action.

The Make It Pretty Syndrome

But wait; there are some misguided souls who think there is something wrong with a page, an image, a graphic or a webpage being attractive. They call it the Make It Pretty Syndrome and see it as the marketing equivalent of the swine flu. For some reason they view it as being in conflict with the fundamental role of marketing being about the customer and don't see the value of non-verbal communication.

Since marketing is about the customer why would we intentionally make something as important as visual communication boring and non-engaging? Or worse, why would we make it ugly, distasteful or disagreeable? That is unless it’s one of those very strange and disturbing fashion ads. Years ago a Director of Production muttered a universal truth. “Making ugly bigger doesn’t make it better. It just makes a bigger ugly.”

The role of the visual, whether it’s the graphic design, color palette, images or illustrations is to communicate and make it intuitive and usable. You want the viewer to easily absorb your message. So, let’s not get hung up on dpi resolution, color depth, screen widths and font distribution any more than we do paper weight, print screen frequency and dot gain. No excuses. Yes you can accomplish the same goals and objectives on an electronic design as you do on a printed page. You don’t get a hall pass because a webpage is interactive. There is no web design vs print design – just good design. There, I’ve said it.

The point is never to make something ugly, or to make it hard to read, use or understand because of the delivery system. There is no conflict between “make it work” and “make it pretty.”

Try my theory

I was once interviewed by a 7th-grader who was writing an essay on how adults use math in their jobs. As a graphic artist, I actually don’t “use” much math (except on the happy occasion that I get to send an invoice), but I do use software programs that convert math and numbers to charts and graphs that readers can decipher more intuitively. So, we made up a poster board composed of examples of my work to go with her written report. She had the information and the examples to support it.

Then I shared the Not a Secret of the Universe with her. My advice was simply this – just make sure that whatever you turn in looks pretty! She got a 100 on her report – plus an extra 25 bonus points for visual presentation! My theory has been proven!

Just Make It Pretty

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

Susan Heslup is visual communicator with a deep understanding of how design, layout, images and concept can help generate the desired results. She has been the driving force behind the look, feel and personality of projects for major corporations, branding, media and even book design. As a professional and a communicator, she "gets it." Susan is a partner at Think! Consulting Group.

Do Your Proposals Stink or Sell?

What’s Your Sell Ratio?

Very simply, what percentage of your proposals sell? If your sell ratio is below 60% then you have an opportunity. If 4 out of 10 of your proposals get cut in the first round of a RFP you have a bigger opportunity.

A Sea Of “Look Alike” Proposals

What is the point of a proposal or response to a RFP? It’s not to win the job. It’s to give the customer or client the quality information needed to make the best business decision - you. Just for a moment pretend you’re a client sitting through a round of “stand up” presentations or sorting through a stack of proposal documents. What makes the difference between a proposal that stinks and one that sells?

Odds are you haven’t changed your approach to proposals in years or decades. It’s time to overhaul your proposal process and put it in-sync with how your clients buy.

How Clients Buy

It is all about them and not you – they have objectives to be met and results to generate. They have budget parameters that can’t be exceeded. They also have executives, departments, rivalries and egos to handle.

They know their requirements better than you do – they are looking for a working partner.

They want to be able to compare each proposal point-by-point – this is for their convenience even though it may not be the best way.

Creative, logistics and budget are important but they are buying strategy, confidence, chemistry and a relationship – in the end they have to defend that they made the “best decision.

They want to feel that they “own” the solutions – when it’s all over they want to look good. They want to be able to take the credit.

Toss Out The Boilerplate

Throw out your standard proposal format. Rethink and redesign to make your proposals align with the client’s buying process. Make it all about them and not about you. Here’s a suggested outline.

Scope of the Project – what they need in their terms. This isn’t the objectives it is how the client described the project.

Results– forget stating the objectives – clients buy results. Outline the specific results you will generate and the time period. If you can’t present specific results then you simply don’t understand the project or the requirements.

Strategic Approach – the thinking you have used to develop specific solutions. In the end clients hire you to think for them so let them know you understand the situation and are approaching it strategically as well as tactically.

The Solutions – based on the scope of the project and the strategy. You are demonstrating your thinking and ability to deliver specific results. This is more than an explanation of products, services or creative elements. Remember, the client is buying your ability to think and work with them to develop solutions.

The Benefits of the Solutions – clearly defined benefits your solutions deliver. Make a commitment on what they gain. Don’t be vague – promise specific results. They are buying results.

Time Line – demonstrate how you will organize the project and the deliverables. Put this from the client’s perspective.

Working Budget – position these as beginning numbers. Acknowledge that they will change as you work together on the project. Every client looks at the budget first.

The Benefits of Working With You – think of this as “street cred.” The goal is to build confidence, chemistry and a relationship. Avoid giving laundry list of clients and more than three case studies. What do they need to know to make the decision?

Then – STOP!

It’s a proposal and not a contract. You don’t need to sell. If you’ve done your job well in designing the proposal the client has taken the first step in their buying process.

Super Secret Strategy Nobody Uses

The RFP has a deadline of 4:00 Friday afternoon so when does every supplier deliver proposals? 4:00 Friday afternoon! Be early and deliver your proposal at 9:00 Wednesday morning. Here’s why. You look more organized and professional. The clients will read your proposal first – it’s human nature – and give it more thought and consideration. Your proposal becomes the unofficial standard while all the others are just an ominous stack. Being early gives you the edge.

Deodorize Your Proposals

• Be early - the first proposal
  
• Be brief, prepared and professional
• Concentrate on the client and not on your company
• If it's from your perspective - you lose!
• Act like a business
• Take on an attitude of service
• Be focused and cut it to essentials
• Demonstrate your uniqueness and the differences you provide
• Make it easy to buy your proposal and your company
• Be the best decision

Take all the fluff and self-serving verbiage out of the proposal. Make every word speak directly to the client’s need. Sell the experience of working with you. Be interesting, exciting, reassuring and confident.

In the end, become the “best decision.”

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.

Got Marketing? Rock On!!

How Clients View Marketing

Here’s the inside story. It doesn’t matter what you are marketing or what your business might be. It all comes down to these eight questions:

What every client wants to know

1. Will it make me younger?

2. Will it make me thinner?

3. Will it make me richer?

4. Will it help me retire in three years?

5. Will it make me look good to my organization?

6. Will it have actual benefits to my company and me?

7. Will it help my company make more money?

8. Will it be a better choice than other suppliers or products?

If the client or customer can answer, “Yes” to at least three of these questions you can win the business.

So, what are you doing to be different and give your customers compelling reasons to buy from you – now?

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.

What do you really do? Do you know?

Well, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

Tell me, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

'Cause I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)

Roger Daltrey of The Who screamed out the late 70’s classic.

Who, who, who, who?

Let’s play a game. Our readers in Europe, Asia, India and Australia will have to forgive me for using U.S. companies. What business are these companies in?

Toro Lawn Mowers

Gillette Razors

Black & Decker Power Drills

Here are the Answers

Toro isn’t in the lawn mower business they’re in the short grass business.

Gillette isn’t in the razor business they’re in the smooth faces and skin business.

Black & Decker isn’t in the power drill business they’re in the round hole business.

Become a flexible, evolving business

Our business is what we mean to the critical people we rely upon for success, revenue and growth. There is a dangerous tendency to confuse the delivery systems of our businesses with what we really provide.

• Meetings & Events
• Fast Food
• Hospitality
• Advertising & Marketing
• Software Systems
• Building Supplies
• Trade Shows

These are all the delivery systems we use – they aren’t our businesses. What we sell are the specific results we generate that meet a consumer or customer’s need at that time. We don’t define our businesses, our clients do and we have to constantly adapt or they may leave us behind.

You are who they think you are

B.I.G. Corporation buys doodads from you. In a very short time you become known as their doodad supplier. It doesn’t matter if you actually sell far more thingamabobs, dingbats and doohickeys they will only see you as providing doodads. When they don’t need doodads they don’t need you.

Do you showcase all that you do or sell or just what that client wants to buy? It’s more comfortable but your goal should be to earn 100% of a customer’s business that you are qualified and capable of supplying. All they know about you is what you tell them. So, like the U.S. Army says. “Be all that you can be.”

Understand the difference between who you are and who they think you are

In earlier articles we talked about strategy versus tactics and focusing on the customer’s buying process. However to make those work you have to answer these two questions, “Who are you?” now and “Who do you need to become?” if you want to be around and making money three years from now. That’s right, just three years down the road. It all comes down to understanding the difference between who you are and who they think you are.

Three-year survival questions

1. Who buys your products and services today?
2. What are they really buying and what needs do you satisfy?
3. Is the demand for your current services or products increasing or decreasing?
4. Where do you want to take your business in the next 3-5 years?
5. Are the customers/clients/consumers you have today the ones you want and need 3-5 years from now?
6. How are your current customers/clients/consumers changing and will they need what they are really buying from you 3-5 years from now?
7. If your largest customer/client canceled their business forever what would you do?
8. What are the biggest reasons or motivations you have to evolve your business?

This doesn’t replace a flexible, evolving business model, it’s the first step in getting to tomorrow before your customers do.

Getting to tomorrow before your customers do

Okay, let’s take a look what we really do and not the delivery systems of our businesses. Find your real business.

• Meetings & Events – Audience Emotion, Understanding + Action
• Fast Food – Memorable Taste & Speed
• Hospitality – The Best Night’s Sleep You Ever Had Away From Home
• Advertising & Marketing – Grab Attention + Action
• Software Systems – Executive Worry Removal
• Building Supplies – Creating People Places
• Trade Shows – Instant Engagement + Action

The “Ah-Ha” Moment

Instead of responding to an opportunity, anticipate it and be there before your customers do. Don’t focus on discovering the next big thing. Look at who your current customers believe you are and give them more of what satisfies them. Okay, write this down and tape it to your computer so you see it every day.

It's better to develop new ways to satisfy customers who think they're already satisfied ... than to constantly chase the myth of unsatisfied needs.

Forget the delivery systems and concentrate on what will really satisfy customers in the future. Three years from now the only way that any of us will succeed is to get out of the lawn mower business … and into the short grass business.

If you liked this article you might also like:

Do Your Proposals Stink or Sell? Pick One!

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.

Chainsaw Marketing

Is that the sound of a chainsaw?

Implementing marketing tactics can be like handing Jason a chainsaw on Friday the 13th. “Let’s do something even if it’s wrong.” There’s a world of frustration behind those words and a sense that there’s relief in action – any action. That’s tactics talking.

We love tactics

Tactics are simple. Decide what you are going to do and do it. Tactics rock! All you need to do to succeed is to “Just do it.” Don’t think too much, it only gets in the way.

Tactics, without strategy, can result in helter-skelter marketing.

Strategy is tough

Strategy makes us think. Strategy forces us to start with specific results and make decisions. And, to make it scarier, there is responsibility!

"Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat." -Sun Tzu

In our heart of hearts we want to avoid strategy because we’re afraid that it’s not going to work. What’s going to happen if we’re wrong? So we get the planning part over PDQ and focus on the execution. Tactics means being able to say, “Hey, we tried.” Think about it for a moment. How many times have you seen a team spend days and weeks in deep navel contemplation on the details and process – and about 30 minutes on the strategy, justification and deciding how to know what success looks like?

Listen to Mom

My mother told me over and over, “Know what you’re doing before you do it.” So use both strategy and tactics to market, sell and move the business forward. Still don’t kid yourself. What most executives consider “strategy” is really basic management techniques.

Strategy is High-Def

• Your real business
• Your desired results
• Your position in the marketplace
• Your customers and your place in their buying process
• The ways you are different
• The ways you sell those differences

Tactics are a Video Game

• The requirements to make the strategy work
• The knowledge, actions and people the strategy demands
• The process and tools you use to generate the desired results
• The standards you use to measure success

Nothing seems to work right now

Your marketing doesn’t seem to resonate. Clients don’t want to talk with you. You feel like a loser. Gee, sounds like the first verse of a bad country song. Okay, you need to take a cold, cruel look at your strategy. It’s a killer and you have the tactics down. But it’s time to move on. I won’t kid you, switching strategy is difficult and most companies delay it like a root canal. And, just like a root canal, wait until the damage is done and it’s so painful you are forced to deal with it.

Do it because they aren’t

Odds are your competition is facing the same challenges. They’re like a deer in the headlights and afraid to switch strategies. Pounce! Be bold. Reinvent! Switch strategies!

Define specific results – What needs to happen, over what period time, with which group of people and how do you get them to do what you want them to do?

Be aware of failure but don’t plan for it – You want a success strategy and not an exit strategy. What does the strategy need to succeed?

Don’t get hung up on history – Long term is great but short term comes first. Strategize to achieve short-term success, over and over again. Do that and long term will take care of itself.

Pick your targets – Strategy means making decisions and choices and living with them. Be realistic and focus on the resources you have. Before you attempt to breakthrough to a new customer segment get 100% of the available business from your current customers.

Be different – I know it more comfortable being similar to the competition and just trying to keep them from getting the advantage. But no one buys that way. People buy the difference, so be different!

It’s all about how customers want to buy – Customers are not loyal by nature. They’ll walk away for a better solution, value or relationship. Understand why and how they buy and get ahead of their needs. Channels, marketing plans, communication plans, agencies – challenge everything. Just because it worked in the past doesn’t mean it still works.

Make benefits your brand – Unique benefits, competitive advantages, differentiation and real, tangible value impact customers a million times more than a logo, awareness and a snappy brand identity. Answer the question, “Why should I do business with you – now?” Come up with a different answer for every customer.

Be fearless and switch strategy

Develop the strategy and tactics and then make it happen. Avoid making strategy so deliberate, structured and regimented that the opportunities are lost. Focus on the short term and get started. We have a saying, "Whose solution is the customer using while they are waiting for yours?"

Remember everyone is interested in something new, different, exciting and valuable. Be the first one to offers all those things. Strategy is the WD40 of business. It makes any tactic more efficient and effective. It takes much of the pressure out of execution. And it helps you cut to the chase on marketing and generating business and revenue.

Like Jason With A Chainsaw

If you liked this article you might also enjoy:

You Can Increase Marketing Revenue Response - Break The Secret Customer Code

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Please Subscribe! There's a new article every week and we are determined to give you valuable information you can use to be successful and make more money. So, go to the Be The First To Know box and just fill it in.

Andy Johnston is an multi-faceted communication professional with deep experience from strategic planning, to messaging, to marketing, to media, to events, to training, to creative direction … and there are several other ”to’s.” Andy is known for his energy, creativity and his unique ability to discover the key results that must be generated – and then to develop ingenious ways to engage and motivate audiences. Positive business results are the objective. He believes that one of the most important results is an enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Andy is a principal partner at Think! Consulting Group and The Idea Group.