Brandi

Ugly Printing Out Sells Pretty Use Vision and Emotion for Success

So you have an idea. A light bulb goes on in your head. You want to take the football and run with a venture. Let's consider a few things together.

Sure you need legal advice, tax advice, capital, employees perhaps, facilities, a business plan, etc. Whatever stage you are in I'll bet you had some thoughts that went something like this and in about this order.

1. Company name
2. Logo
3. Corporate colors
4. Promotional brochures and business cards
5. Domain name and email
6. What are we selling?
7. How do we sell it?

If you did this, congratulations, you're typical and you're backwards! As Homer Simpson would say, "DOH!!"

Find the Prospect's Vision

What are your priorities? Well this segment is about getting it right from the get-go. Sure it's about marketing but a lot about vision. Not your vision, your prospects vision.

The more correct approach is nearly quite the opposite. We have been influenced so much by the media sources pounding us with endless brand building and institutional advertisements that we have forgotten that for the average small business, nobody cares who you are. Sure you are unique. Sure you are important, at least to your family. But in the business world, that won't get you a dime.

Forget About Brand Building

Your company name and logo doesn't matter a twit. The old saw about how you should "find a need and fill it" still rules. The need to fill an existing need can be something that stops a pain, runs faster, makes a job easier, or whatever. Even better is to take an existing product and innovate or improve upon it.

I'm not going to bust you for having an original idea. Often the first one to the marketplace is the winner. But not always. Microsoft was second behind Apple to market desktop computers to the masses. But Bill Gates stomped on Apple with a grander vision and better marketing. Starbucks was a long way from first to sell coffee, but how they sell it shook the marketplace.

When you're first to the market you can have the vision. When you are not the first the only vision that really counts is the one the consumer has.

The very first thing that should be considered is how are we going to sell our product followed by functionally defining what we are selling. You need those two things figured out before anything else should be considered. Your product idea doesn't have to be unique. If there is competition, good. At least you know that there is money to be made if someone else is already doing it.

Pioneers are the ones that end up with arrows stuck in them

It is far easier to travel when someone else has already broken the trail. This is especially true if you have more time than money.

Let's say you have an idea for a cosmetic product that you think women will fight to get a hold of. You need to define the functionality of the product. Say what? Charles Revson of Revlon, you all know the Revlon name, once said that his cosmetics were functionally defined as "hope".

Consider that for a moment. Revson wasn't just selling lip gloss. He was selling "hope" Every time a woman looked in mirror while applying the product she was hoping that she looked better for it. Dressed with it she felt better for it. Consequently, when Revlon markets a product they do so in such a way as to gin up those emotions. And, emotions my friend are what customers buy with.

Ask yourself. What emotions you feel when you buy or when you are considering a purchase be it for yourself or your company. The money you will invest will some how relate to an emotion and the related benefit.

The rest of those other things such as company name, logo, website and business cards are virtually subtitles. If you can functionally define what you are selling and match that function with a prospect, you're over half way there.

Got your vision? Good. Now find a prospect that shares your vision. You are now ready to print marketing communications with emotions that sell.

Martin Stephens is marketing director for West Printing Company in Toledo, Ohio. Find other articles related to the printing industry on the West Printing Company website at http://toledoprinter.com

posted by ttlltvw @ 4:56 PM 0 comments