In the art world, museums are trying to change the game by hiring new directors.  Jeffrey Deitch, a New York art dealer, has been hired to lead the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.  At the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in New York, they hired Bill Mosgridge, a design practitioner, industrial designer and businessman.  These museums are trying to shake things up.

The simple act of turning a developer owned condo into a gallery for one night is gaining popularity, bringing creative types into contact with those looking to buy a place.  Developers get foot traffic while artists get exposure.  In this age of empty storefronts, several owners and local communities are giving over space to artists, giving residents and visitors access to and engagement with culture and history.  Everyone agrees that this kind of activity is better than no activity.

In the Artworks seminar, we talk about projects that cross boundaries.  Computers and digitization are changing the way we look at art.  With flat screen TV's on the wall and digital frames on the shelf, everyone is getting used to imagery that shifts and changes.  Our eyes are adjusting to motion rather than status. 

Computer users can now sit at their desk and see the artwork that museums house.  People use their mice to create their own museum installation, pulling pieces into a virtual gallery.  What is the role of architecture to art when the art image is now accessible 24/7 any place where electronic data can be received?

Art engages the world around it and takes place in many different ways, at many different levels.  In the seminar, we discuss interactivity and art - artwork to be walked on, listened to, watched or touched.  Artwork can light a passageway or obstruct a common path of travel.  It is important not to limit your thoughts about art or to be discouraged that you won't find an artist who will meet the spirit of your project. 

There are artists who want to change the world and play a socially significant role.  There are artists who act as the anti-establishment figure or as engaged citizen.  Some artists view their role as outsider rebel or as guardian of society.  Some just want to encourage humor and comfort.  Some are business people, some are practitioners.  We all play a role in allowing new visions and passions to develop.  We owe it to ourselves to participate in these new practices.

One artist to watch is http://www.nga.gov/exhibitions/villarealinfo.shtm">Leo Vallareal. Below is a video of his computer generated installation, Multiverse, now part of the permanent collection at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. 

Throughout this entire series, I've been speaking about "business promises." While it's important to have a "promise" to build your business on, the vital thing is to deliver on that promise.  This alone is what the customer will remember.

As a close to this series, I felt it best to conclude with a short list of statements/questions that you should keep top-of-mind:
• NO AMOUNT OF MARKETING CAN OVERCOME CONTINUAL POOR COMPANY PERFORMANCE.   
• If you promise something as an organization, you better deliver. Beware of using statements like "the best", "the cheapest", "the most innovative" and "cutting-edge" when describing your business. If you say it, people will expect it.
• How do you know you're delivering on your promises? What mechanisms do you have in place to monitor your customer satisfaction?
• How do your customers define value? How are you making your product/service more valuable for your customers?
• Don't be afraid to have a conversation with your customers. Ask them how you can make your business better.  Find out what is important to them.
• Is your customer base steady? Are you satisfied with your target customers or do you need to expand? How will you do it?
• What makes you different from other design professionals? How are you communicating these differences with your customers?
• Before you mass producing marketing materials, have a representative from your target audience provide honest feedback. Do not simply rely on your own judgment or the views of someone in your company.

Hopefully these blog entries allowed you to critically look at your business and how you communicate with your customers. The main thing to remember is to make these critical examinations a habit.  I challenge you to continually exam the way you do business - celebrate your successes and improve the things that are not working.

Good luck with your important work.

Disney's quote is the epitome of what companies should strive for: satisfied customers who do your marketing for you.  In the meantime, you have to rely on strong marketing materials.

This post will focus on how to evaluate your advertising collateral.  One of the biggest mistakes companies make is spending money producing a marketing piece and realizing that it's too complicated or too ugly when it's too late. Hopefully, after reading this, it won't happen to you.

First, find someone who represents your target audience - they'll be giving feedback on your marketing material before you mass produce it.  The reason you want someone outside of your organization is because people on the inside often "know too much" and overlook things that may be important to your customer.  What I like to do is offer to buy the customer a cup of coffee in exchange for honest feedback.

Once you have a volunteer, present them with you brochure, ad, website or other collateral and ask them the following series of questions:
• What is the main thing this is trying to tell you?  This will give you a good initial indication if your customers will understand the goal of the piece. The key here is to LISTEN to what they say...not explain what it is supposed to mean.  You won't be able explain it to every potential customer so the piece has to be self explanatory.
• On a scale from one to ten, how likely would you be to tell a friend or colleague about this? Who would you tell and what would you tell them? This will tell you what they think is interesting or useful about the material.
• What, if anything, do you like most about this? What, if anything, do you dislike most about this? You should be able to tell what stands out in the piece or if something is confusing.
• What seems to be missing? There will always be something missing - that's okay.  The thing you're looking for is if there is something more important than what is already included in the piece. 

Remember, it is important to LISTEN to what is being said.  Don't take the criticism personally.  Use the information to make your marketing material better - clearer customer communication usually translates to more business.

As a marketing and strategy consultant, I'm often asked, "What's the best way to reach people? Television, radio, newspaper, trade magazines, online, word-of-mouth?" My response is always, "Go where your customers are."

In my last post, I talked about defining your customer - taking the time to specifically figure out who you want to reach with your organization.  A major aspect of knowing your customer is understanding how they get information about businesses like yours. The easiest way to find out is simply to ask them.

No matter which outreach channel you choose, the key is to make sure that your "business promise" is clearly communicated in a concise and appealing manner. 

Here are some tips:
• Don't try to cram too much information about your company on your marketing materials.  Remember, if you put every bit of information about your business, there will be no need for the potential customer to contact you to find out more.
• Design is important. As design professionals, you are experts in making living and working spaces aesthetically appealing; this does not always transfer to your marketing materials.  My suggestion is to use professional help (a graphic designer or advertising firm) to assist in clearly getting your point across. If you don't want to use a professional to help develop your marketing materials, a good resource is The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams.
• Stay away from the "Field of Dreams" approach. The 1989 movie was famous for the quote, "If you build it, they will come."  Often, companies believe that if they put up a website or create a brochure, customers will come streaming in.  The reality is people will often skip over your pitch if it doesn't serve their needs.  Make your material useful - provide free design tips, give advice on properly measuring a room, or suggest simple landscaping plans.  These additions can transform a marketing piece into a helpful tool.
• Include multiple ways to reach your company. The goal of marketing is to have a conversation with your customer - be sure you give them a way to communicate with you.

We're going to continue this topic next month.  Until then, your assignment is to think about how to concisely and clearly communicate your business promise. 
Until next time,

In my last post, I asked you to articulate your organization's "promise" - the main reason you're in business.  When doing this, you probably thought about your expertise, the products you offer or the specific type of service you provide.  While this is necessary, the second step to defining your promise is to fully understand who you're trying to reach with your business.

In my consulting, I've heard companies say, "I'd like to reach everyone!"  Their belief that being "everything to everyone" is a good business decision often ends up being more of a problem and waste of money.  In reality, successful organizations identify the specific 'type' of person/industry they want to reach and shape their business to meet the customers' needs.

Strong organizations have a specific person, or customer, in mind and build their business to cater to her/him. For example, think of Nike®.  Who is their target customer?  You probably own a pair of their sneakers or some of their athletic wear, but you may be surprised that you are not their target customer.  Nike® makes it explicit that they are in the business of catering to professional athletes. That's their target audience...not causal athletes or "mall walkers."  Nike® believes that if they can create a product that meets the needs of the professional athlete, then "regular" people will be blown away by the quality of their merchandise. 

In defining your customer, and ultimately your business promise, here are the pertinent questions you need to be asking:
• Who exactly are you trying to reach with your business? 
• What makes your customer stand out from "everyone"?
• How does your "promise" enhance the lives of your target customers?
• What are you doing to make your product/service easy for the customer to buy?

Once you define your customer, the next step is to never stop learning about them.  Keep finding out more and tweak your organization to meet their needs. 

Good luck as you enhance your business.  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

This Chinese proverb probably hits home as the economy's downturn impacts your design business.  No matter if you're a one person shop or one of many in a large firm, the realization is that forces, often outside of your control, impact the job you do.  But what about the things that ARE in your control?  What are the things that can be done on a regular basis to differentiate you or your company from your competitors?

I've partnered with Design Arts Seminars, Inc. to do recurring blog posts targeting areas like marketing, communication strategy, and customer retention that can be used to make your business more productive.  Through this blog, I'll be sharing ideas to help reach the people who matter most to you. 

So, to start our journey, I want you to consider one major question: "What is your business promise?"  For example, do you promise to be low cost? Do you promise high quality?  Realize that if you promise something...even if the promise is implied...your customers will judge everything you do by it. 

Really stop to think of how you're communicating your business promise to your customers. If you advertise that your approach is "cutting-edge" and you haven't kept up with trends or haven't attended a class in the past five years, then there's a strong chance you aren't living up to what you say you are.  These simple disconnects in your "promise" and "what you really do" can really impact your likelihood to keep and grow your customer base.

Questions to ponder until next time:
• What is your business promise?
• How are you meeting your promise with your daily activities?
• What are the things you're doing that may go against your business promise?

I'd like to know some of the "promises" that your business makes to its customers. Please post them below. When you post, be sure to tell us how you're delivering on the promise.

I look forward to hearing from you.