Gasque Blog

Admiral Nimitz had a strategic question to focus his command on his goal of victory over Japan. Of every plan or suggestion he asked, “Will it get us to Tokyo?”

Tom Daniels got a job with Kraft Foods after the war and remembered the impact the question had on his thinking. He modified the question to “Will it sell cheese?” Kraft Foods is grateful.

This is a strategic thinking question. It communicates and focuses on the goal and it makes the listener consider how his actions align with that goal.

When you are communicating simplicity and repetition are powerful forces--combined they are overwhelming. Asking the question makes you and the listener think. And this question is applicable to any business. If you sell products—“Will it sell more brakes?” If you are in the service business—“Will it help the patient to better health?” or “Will it help our client be more profitable?”

Communicating effectively is challenge number one for most businesses. Our messages are often too complex to be repeated often enough to be make an impression. That is the magic of this question. It’s simple and direct. It focuses on the goal and it’s easy to bring in the conversation.

Try it. Will it sell …

We like to hear clever jokes and funny stories. We like witty tweets and teaser bumper stickers. We love to tell others about unusual and entertaining ads, billboards and TV spots we have seen. We even like to figure out cryptograms on license plates. Most of us, those who are human, enjoy creativity—art, music, poetry, paintings, and theater. Creativity doesn’t stop there and neither does our interests. We like quotes, ad-libs and antidotes. We like creativity in all forms, that’s why it captures our attention. Even advertising. In fact, there are numerous books written about funny, interesting and clever ads. Imagination and creativity work their wonders in every business and they produce amazing results in advertising and marketing.

One of my favorite quotes is “Imagination is more important than knowledge” by Albert Einstein. It gives me hope because it levels playing field. But more than giving me an equal chance it also applies to selling a product. The imaginative way you position the product is more important than the facts or ‘product knowledge.’ That is not to say you don’t need product knowledge, you do.

You have to understand what makes the product different and how it will appeal to the user. Then you can present the product in a different perspective. That’s when you get that— “I never thought of it that way before.”

A good example of effective creativity is an ad campaign created by Fallon, McElligott and Rice for the Episcopalian Church. The campaign was so effective it is still being used thirty-eight years later to fill churches around the country. The ads stop you and make you think. Some of the ads from the ‘Church” campaign are shown below. They are legendary award winning ads that distinguished the agency and helped the client. Creativity sells.

If you want your advertising to be more effective, insist that it be risky and on the edge. Use your advertising to show your difference and to differentiate your product. Creativity is always more interesting.

In the words of David Ogilvy, “You can’t bore your prospects into buying your product.”

I write with a fountain pen. I like the feel and I like the way it looks. My father used a fountain pen, which I inherited when I was seven. It was a connection.

A fountain pen is not convenient because you have to refill it. It takes longer to dry and smudges if you are not patient enough. But these inconveniences are a small price for the pleasure I derive from using a fountain pen.

Last week I ran out of ink. Good fountain pens are sensitive and many require ink that is specifically designed for the pen. Use a different type of ink and you damage the pen. I ran out of ink and ordered some more.

The packaging was impressive. It was elegant and well designed. It conveyed the message that the fountain pen was special and reinforced my decision to buy it.

Good design is a tremendous differentiator. Use it to set yourself apart from the competition. Use it for all of your touch points.

How often have you heard this phrase? This is why image is so important for products and companies. We see an item, we like it and we attach significance to it. That is what design does.

IKEA is a Scandinavian modern home furnishing store. It has great designs but the people of IKEA know you have to see it to believe it. That is why they have ‘living spaces’ set up to illustrate how you can furnish a space that is 512 square feet or 380 square feet or even 270 square feet including bathroom and kitchen. You can see it. You can believe it.

“We buy with our eyes.”