All You Need Is A Good Idea!

How do you prove how good you are?

In Central Park in New York, in the hills of Montmartre in the City of Light, at State fairs and street fairs, you can always count on seeing the caricaturists. Seated at an easel with a pad, colored chalk and charcoal, they each have the same displays as lures. One grouping is caricatures of celebrities, amazing in their professionalism and artistic merit. The other display is of previous customers, which, of course, we have no way of judging in terms of accuracy.

But when you think about it, which writing this blog insists I do, you also have no way of knowing if the artist actually drew the caricatures of the celebrities they are displaying. For all we know, there is one central outlet that sells these handmade, charcoal celebrity caricatures, three for ten dollars.

The only ways you can actually tell if the artist has any talent is either to watch as they draw the person sitting before them, or plop yourself down and hope.

Which brings us to you and your creative pitch. Unless you are willing to do some spec work, which is a different blog topic, how do you convince a prospect that just because they like the body of work you are showing to them, that you will be able to accomplish that same magic for them? Heck, how can you actually prove that you created the work you are presenting, as opposed to having just been in proximity when the campaign was created?

Cynical? Perhaps. But not from your prospect’s point of view. They know in advance, for example, how much a label maker costs, and how effective it will be. Your real value…not so much.

I guess your “proof” could be your reputation, your references, even your enthusiasm during the pitch. To be honest, there never is a guarantee that you will come up with that good idea for them. The client may keep tweaking the strategy, making good creative solutions that much more difficult. Or simply ask for more versions, and more and more. The category may be one you are not comfortable with. You may simply just come up empty.

I guess it is like selecting a new doctor, or auto mechanic. You often base your choice on word of mouth, referrals, plus hopefulness. The good thing is that usually, amazingly, it does indeed all work out.

If you have any hints to overcome this possibly overstated problem, please comment below.

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WHAT ARE YOU REALLY SELLING?

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is it the product you sell that makes customers come to you? Or are they buying from you for a reason you may not even be aware of?

Started thinking about this after attending Julie Cottineau’s terrific Brandtwist webinar.

Her coffee story is the one that sticks in my mind. Evidently, in blind taste tests, it is not Starbucks coffee that is the flavor winner. It is not Dunkin Donuts, nor Peets. The winner is…McDonalds coffee.

But the reason Starbucks gets the business is they have done a terrific job of branding themselves. And they deliver on their brand promise with all their many service touches. Like free refills, free coffee on your birthday, free food after your twelfth purchase.

But most important is their great service; friendly servers who quickly get to know your name and beverage preferences. All in an environment that encourages hanging around.

In short, it is the Starbucks  “experience” that makes the difference, not the quality of their coffee. Which is why people meet their friends and colleagues there, rather than McDonalds. The coffee is almost incidental to the experience.

So if you think you are selling massages, or printing, or pillows, then think again. Because 140,000 other folk are selling basically the same thing.

And no, you really can’t do it on price. Besides making yourself a commodity, someone else will always be cheaper. Not necessarily better, but less expensive.

And aside from dollar stores, cheap is not an “experience.”

So, what kind of experience can you provide that will make you the more desirable option? Service? Atmosphere? Environment? Partnering? Return policy?

After all, there are lots of marketing blogs. But somehow, I got you to come to experience mine.

Got the idea?

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That was (not) easy.

For the most part, Staples does a really good job with its programs. Free next day delivery with only a $50.00 minimum. Or free shipping with no minimum, if you order online. Plus 5% back in rewards. Plus lots of great “buy this item and get back the entire price in Staples rewards.”

So when they mess up, it is so out of character it bears mentioning. As you can see from the coupon above, the deal was a free pack of markers. And yes, it does indeed point out that it is valid only while supplies last. But it is still very disappointing when you go to three different Staples locations, some more than once, only to be told, “Sorry we have none left. And we don’t do rain checks for the weekly deals.”

Each of the salespeople I spoke to did suggest that if I had come in a day before there were plenty of the markers. Or if I could return in a few days, they were expecting a big shipment. Which I did, and no, they still didn’t have any.

Now, I am not suggesting any skullduggery. Nor am I suggesting that anyone who actually uses a word like “skullduggery” deserves free anythings. But I am suggesting that a cynical New Yorker would have serious questions about this offer. After all, what is to prevent Staples from offering a free computer, and then saying sorry, we just ran out, and there are no rain checks. Well, there are laws about this type of thing, but I’m just saying…

In the spirit of trying to be helpful, maybe Staples should rethink their free offers if they get slammed and run out so often. Perhaps they should simply have more of the items on hand. Perhaps they should offer rain checks, even if good for only a limited time. Maybe instead of free, they should charge a dollar; still a good deal for the customer and this would reduce their exposure and allow them to increase the inventory on hand.

I am sure Staples can think of many more ways to make promotions like this be more effective and not exasperate their customers. But what about you? Do you do a good job of honoring your offers, or do you take sanctuary behind the small print? The point, after all, is to have satisfied, happy customers. Which you will not get if they feel the slightest bit mistreated, fairly or not.

Got the idea?

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What did you call me?

Describing a product with a different, unexpected name often causes people to look at a taken-for-granted product in a new way. The new name (or new description) can take them into a different, unexpected direction. As can providing a new, unexpected use.

This is especially true if the product is old and familiar. Some products already capitalize on providing a wide variety of uses. WD40, (This link lists over 2,000 uses ) and Arm & Hammer baking soda come to mind as offering more ways to use the product than you would think possible. (Here are some uses they suggest.) It was certainly a stroke of marketing smarts to convince people to keep an open box of baking soda in the refrigerator, as an additional reason to purchase a box.

My all time favorite in the “extended use” category was not created by a brand. Actually, I have no idea who came up with the notion. But someone took a look at Cheerios cereal and decided to promote them as, “Doughnut seeds.” This is thinking so far out of the (cereal) box as to be worthy of a marketing genius grant.

I used to see the doughnut seeds being sold, mostly at street fairs and farmers’ markets, and each time I saw them I found myself giving the smile that says, “Good idea.” And then sellers started improving on the original concept, using frosted cheerios to indicate they were seeds for glazed doughnuts or Fruit Loops, which promised to grow into various flavored doughnuts.

Can you think of a new, unexpected use for your product? Massage therapy for pets? Wireless printers that are also Internet radios? Calling your paper shredder a “Confetti maker”? A microwave/cooler combo?

Got the idea?

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Do You See The Logic?

A quiz can indeed help get readers involved in an ad. But, without overstating it, this particular one has to be one of the silliest ideas I have seen in quite a while.

Cottonelle is actually asking you to compare what you clean your car with to what your clean your bottom with. And they suggest that if you use cloth and water to clean your car, you should therefore use their moist wipes on your butt.

Now forget for the moment that they are featuring a prominent visual of their toilet paper in the ad, which I guess we are supposed to ignore, since they are not suggesting that you should clean your car with tissue paper.

And also forget that the choices they list for cleaning your car include a bowling ball. Because I am sure the creators of this ad are still giggling over how funny that thought is.

And perhaps forget that people often use sponges to clean their car, rather than using a cloth. Though some do use steel wool pads on the car’s tires, if Cottonelle would like to apply that analogy.

The main question is why they felt the necessity of any comparison between cleaning your body and cleaning a car. I don’t see the logic, or the humor. Feel free, of course, to disagree. But if you create an ad with a quiz in it, perhaps make sure that the answers to your test are actually relevant to your product. And in good taste. And, if you use humor, well, make it actually funny.

Got the idea?

FRESHLY MINTED

I really like a headline that take a common phrase and gives it a slight twist; an eye-catching, ear-catching difference. Years ago, when I was working on LifeSavers, the art director and I came up with the idea of calling LifeSavers “The U. S. Mint,” based on their popularity. The account guy we presented the thought to came up with the idea of asking us to leave his office.

So I wonder if that unresolved hostility is part of the reason I like the bus shelter ad above. The ad, for Trident gum, takes a common idiom, “Mint Condition,” and gives it a nice twist. As Wikipedia puts it, “Originally, the phrase comes from the way collectors describe the condition of coins. As the name given to a coin factory is a "mint", then mint condition is the condition a coin is in when it leaves the mint. Over time, the term "mint" began to be used to describe many different items having excellent, like-new quality.”

If you can’t read the entire ad above (based not on your literacy but on my poor picture taking), it says: “Mint Condition. The most delicious of all the conditions.” Sure, a little generic (any minty item could use the claim), but preemptive and clever and, well, a good idea.

Isn’t there a cliché or familiar phrase you could twist, alter, adapt, change, or tweak to get a nice notion you might own? Bet you a mint condition penny there is!

Do the tough stuff first?

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is probably human nature to do the easy stuff first when faced with a bunch of tasks. You get an immediate feeling of accomplishment as you quickly check items from your to-do list. And it’s not as if you are actually stalling; these undemanding things do have to get done, sooner or later. You just happened to choose “sooner.”

Of course, in the back of your mind, there is that nagging thought that you really have to get to the big thing, be it the concept, the visual, or the headline. And the longer you put it off, the less time you will actually have to solve the big problem. Sure, you may be saying that while you are performing the mundane tasks, you are actually allowing your subconscious to do its creative thing. And you may be correct. Then again…

Do the easy stuff first?

It is probably human nature to do the hard stuff first when faced with a bunch of tasks. You get an immediate feeling of accomplishment when you tackle the toughest job first. That is probably when you are at your freshest; no fatigue, no time pressure. And it’s not as if you are actually stalling; the undemanding things do have to get done, sooner or later. You just happened to choose “later.”

Of course, in the back of your mind, there is that nagging thought that you really have to get to the smaller things, be it filling in the time sheet, selecting the font, or simply resizing the logo. And the longer you put it off, the less time you will actually have to get the job done. Sure, you may be saying that while you are focusing on the harder tasks, you are actually allowing your subconscious to figure out the easy stuff. And you may be correct. Then again…

It is probably human nature for you to prefer doing one or the other. Just as some people are always early and some are always late (Bonnie, you reading this?). Some weigh themselves once a week, some every day. No right way, no wrong.

But my thought for you is to change things up and see where a slight discomfort from your routine ends up taking you. That is, if you usually jump right in with the simple tasks, try doing the “impossible” early on.

Or if you thrive on the challenge of solving the main problem first, slow down and try doing the easy parts first. Either way, getting out of your usual comfort zone might lead you to some unexpected solutions.

Got the idea?

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And then the client said…

If you’ve ever worked in the creative department of an ad agency, these posters of the worst client comments will sound as if they were recorded in your office.

We’ve all been there. I remember one art director, upon hearing a ridiculous client request, just waved a small white flag.

“They’re going to win." he said.  They got us on a technicality…they’re the client.”

Enjoy these, with the relief that comes from knowing that they weren’t talking about your efforts.

Or were they?

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Have a Sense of Humor, but Know Your Audience

The beginning of the end of the day.

Cliche (Photo credit: Tom Newby Photography)

“I would be lying if I said It never enters my mind,“ she said, “but at the end of the day, no one can be me.”

“It’s good to have great chairs. But at the end of the day, nobody comes back to sit in a great chair.”

The  two quotes  above are from two different recent publications.  But at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter where they came from. I am certain that I could easily have found many more. Because, at the end of the day, it is easy to spot clichés being born. And like most clichés, they have the ability to weaken otherwise interesting ideas.

However, the thought that no one else can be me is a good one. Putting it in a marketing context, it is saying, “Hey, what I sell may be considered a commodity. But it is what I personally bring to the party that makes my product stand out from the competition.”

And so too is the thought that yes, attention to detail is vital, but it is not the reason customers return. Yes, a great chair can make a visit to a restaurant more comfortable, but it is what is put on the plate that makes the sale. Good thoughts indeed, but diluted by introducing them with a hackneyed phrase.

Yes, I know, to be fair, I should point out the benefits of predictable phrases—immediate communication, instant comprehension, comforting familiarity. But, this may be more valid in copy for news journals and editorials than for advertising. And, at the end of the day, it is indeed my blog, and I feel no need to spend a lot of time on opposing viewpoints.

At the end of the day, there is no doubt that fresh language is preferable. And next we will work on eliminating “Bring to the party.”

Got the idea?

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LET ’EM EAT LICORICE

As Jerry Garcia famously said, “Not everybody likes licorice, but the people who like licorice really like licorice.”

(And for the two of you who famously are saying, “Who the heck is Jerry Garcia?” click this  link.)

So if you are selling licorice, it probably makes little marketing sense to try to sell to everyone.  There are those, no matter the taste and quality of your licorice, who will never succumb to your entreaties Much better, and more effective of course, is to tailor your media and message to licorice lovers.

Funny how obvious this seems when you use the licorice analogy. Or other edibles such as cilantro, snails or Brussel sprouts. But often we try to convince ourselves that “This time it is different. Let’s make our message a little broader, because you never know who might suddenly develop a taste for…”

So you single-mindedly deliver the message that your product was created, developed and designed for curly hair. But your fear of leaving any sale on the table, no matter how remote the possibility, makes you add, “and nothing beats it for straight hair too!”

What this does is diminish the credibility of your main claim, and adds little to your upside. In short, a lose-lose. Don’t try to be all things to all people.

Got the idea?

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