4 Lessons You Can Learn from the FreeBeeCards model.

Recently, we had the opportunity to work with what I consider to be an empathetic startup. We didn't do our typical design gig, but instead applied our goal-oriented perspective by producing / co-directeing 3 web spots with our friends at 515 Productions.

The FreeBeeCards model aims to create a mutually beneficial relationship for both the vendor and the consumer. It may sound like common sense, but look around you… it's not a common approach.

Here are reasons we chose to work with FreeBeeCards and lessons you can learn from their model.

1. Non-Sneaky Communication

Remember those car dealerships that would mail keys to thousands of people, promising that one would start a new car? I always felt a subtle tug to go but I knew the chances were slim, if they even mailed the correct key at all. FreeBeeCards has turned the entire idea of unknown value on it's head. The users are not in the dark. FreeBee gives free gift cards and all the breakdown, value, amount reserved, and percentage chance are all clear and visible. 

Lesson Learned #1: Communicate in a way that accurately portrays who you are right now, not who you want to be. Stretching the truth will always backfire. If you promise a better experience than you currently deliver, customers will learn to hate you even if your customer experience exceeds everyone else. 

2. Feedback

Vendors have data on trends and customers volume. If the campaign they run is shallow on value, the customers voice is loud and clear when no one participates. They can also see who actually came to their store and who didn't use their card. This is valuable information that maybe the problem is you, not your lack of exposure. Think of it as a web drop off rate, but in real life.

Lesson Learned #2: In an effort to avoid risk and keep marketing active, communicators get caught doing the same thing over and over again even when it clearly isn't working. Failure is ok, just be a good listener and don't be scared to change strategy if something doesn't work. Maybe your customers do business with you for a reason beyond your current understanding. 

3. No Risk.

Consumers can collect FreeBeeCards and not use them. The whole process is straight forward, with no hidden hoops or limitations. When I go to the merchant and don't get the value I want, I can walk away without losing anything. 

Lesson Learned #3: Be direct with your customers and what you are trying to communicate. This removes what they perceive as risk. The worst thing that can happen is for them to get the wrong idea about you, just to discover you can't help them. This makes a negative experience for them and wastes your time in the process.

4. Meeting Expectations

Everyone knows chances of winning the BIG value are low, but FreeBeeCards clearly communicates what the minimum value is. This is key! Because the minimum card is posted, this becomes the experience the consumer can count on. The "worst outcome" with a card results in meeting expectations! Any higher value reveal guarantees their expectations are exceeded. 

Lesson Learned #4: By meeting expectations you create a strong following. Communicators need to always put the companies they represent in a position to consistently deliver on expectations, or exceed them. UPS does this by intentionally estimating an additional day for shipping. This way, when they ship to your door, they are always earlier than expected. 

To see one of the videos, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GnquZTtXvBY
To reserve a FreeBeeCard, go to www.freebeecards.com
To see amazing, drop jaw, video production, go to www.515productions.com

Reaching For Paper Stars

Today I was reading about a new startup on Mashable. The startup is called Paperless Post. The founder, James Hirschfeld, explains the overall concept is to send online stationary that mimics the entire stationary process with handwriting, paper textures, cool designs and even envelopes that open. His company has six professional designers that constantly churn out new and trendy designs. The service does have a cost associated. Via an internal payment system you can use "coins" to purchase upgrades such as designer stationary, envelopes, etc.

James has launched this startup because he has seen a legitimate need in the market. People want to send stationary and stationary is expensive. It all makes perfect sense with one simple exception: It isn't stationary.

This concept brings up some interesting questions regarding digital methods replacing older methods. Digital methods certainly have advantages, but what are those advantages exactly?

Pinterest is hot right now not because the concept copies a traditional magazine, but because it does something modern magazines can't possibly do. The experience is faster (it's driven by users) and it's interface works great on computer screens and mobile tools alike. The New York Times iPad app is also a great example. It get's rid of page turns and scrolling all-together in favor of a very organized and efficient user interface, making them the first to make significant profit and gains in a market that expects free news.

Both Pinterest and The New York Times use technology as an opportunity to do what was previously impossible. Neither, limited the technology with old world techniques in mind. Digital methods thrive when we do the impossible. Digital stationary of the future will do things that paper could not. The solution to people's "stationary craving" is probably cheaper stationary, not digital stationary. It seems inevitable that Paperless Post will eventually offer paper versions of their stationary, joining Apple's "Cards" or the "Send Out Cards" service.

People are eager to embrace the e-transition in cases where their experience is enhanced, but not in the case of a cheap substitute. In the grand scheme of things, consumers pick experience over savings. It's about enhancing experience, not saving money.


Here's the Point:
When spending your marketing dollars, focus on methods that enhance experience and open up options that were previously undoable. As new technologies present themselves to communicators, you will likely fail when you look to replace your current methods in the name of cost alone.  Don't be caught reaching for paper stars, go for the real thing.

To learn about Paperless Post: http://www.paperlesspost.com/
To learn what the heck "Send Out Cards" is: https://www.sendoutcards.com/
To learn about Apple Inc.'s "Cards": http://www.apple.com/apps/cards/
For those of you living in a cave, here is a link to Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/

The above image is a screen shot from www.paperlesspost.com

Error: Please Clear Printer Jam

Universities and Colleges still teach the rule of thirds, color theory, art history and design styles. Now, with additional time spent on new technology, software, web, hardware and tools, one important skill keeps getting pushed to the very bottom of the list: Production and pre-press.

Am I An Alarmist?
I have spoken with and mentored an overwhelming amount of students who know absolutely nothing about what happens at the printing or production facility after the computer portion of the project is finished. Many of these young designers are shocked when companies send back files that are not printable, or simply can't be used in the fashion they imagined. Logos can't be reproduced, files can't be printed, photos look funky, and colors don't show up. This results in delayed timelines, extra cost, and all too often, thousands of copies of something that needs to be scrapped.

Did The Print House Miss It?
It used to be common for errors to be caught in advance. Historically, printers would simply correct the files, and send them on, charging the client a little extra for their time. They still offer this service, but it just so happens that this poor pre-press education is also making it's way into the print houses.

The technology we still use today was invented over 100 years ago, so there is a much smaller pool of great press pros these days. (How many high schoolers aspire to be a pre-press or pressman?) As experienced press and production people are retiring,  many of their replacements never had any formal training in pre-press or production.

In addition, print houses are also working faster. To handle this volume, many of them outsource common jobs. For example, it's likely that if you order 1000 business cards, your printer shopped it out to another specialist who strictly does business cards. They simply hand you the project and mark up the product, never touching it personally.

What You Can Do
As a communicator you still have a very powerful tool to combat this very real problem. As my wife would say, that tool is your "big beautiful brain." Here are some tips, so you can make your brain bigger and more beautiful.

• Keep your focus: In what physical way will your project be produced? Keep that in mind and never lose sight of who will be using this piece and how they will interact with it. 
• Learn how your stuff is produced: Go to a print house and absorb as much as you can. Printers will be more than happy to take you through and educate you, and many are even offering general courses on the basics of print.
• Demand a proof: The designer will go to the print house in advance to see a digital proof. They will have an example cut to size and will try to give you a good idea of color using a plotter. This is a great time to review how things will look before the presses warm up. 
• Demand a press check: This may require your schedule to be a bit more flexible, but it's worth it. Coordinate with your art director / designer and make sure both of you go to the press check. They will bring you into the production facility and take you under a special light controlled hood for color accuracy. Talk over the project with your designer and press operator (they are a VALUABLE resource, and I have made changes on the fly with them before.)
• Hire a design company that prints stuff: Web and print are different! There are plenty of quality companies that can do both, but make sure…

These are tips that can help you, but all require action. Go out there, find yourself an artsy beret, and take charge of your next print project!

We will do it right… later.

I hate money. I hate managing it, receiving it, spending it, and I hate charging it. It has a tendency to put a damper on things, but unfortunately it's a reality I deal with daily. Chances are, as a communicator or marketing person, you hate it too.

You have to work within ugly budget constraints and I'm willing to guess it never seems large enough. Despite your seemingly small budget, the demands placed on you exceed the resources you have been given. You still need that brochure, splash page or mailer but the money just isn't there.

Unfortunately, this scenario is all too common, under increasing pressure, communicators are forced to "just get it done." No one wants to risk their job, so they start to find the easiest, quickest or cheapest option available at the time. It's never ideal of course, but there is one phrase that comforts them, "later, when we have more money, we will do it right" or "this will tide us over for now."

If you have come to this point, STOP! This is the turning point and around the corner is despair, darkness and the foulest odor imaginable. From this point you greatly risk the tarnishing of your brand. The perceived benefit of getting something done "now" will never be worth the ground you will have to make up later. Not to mention, you will never get the option to "do it right." Why not?

Because settling in this manner is not a one time deal, but the beginning of a downward spiral. Once the project is completed no one will truly like it, but what's scary is the inability for anyone to notice it's negative effects. It's unlikely customers are going to call you saying they are switching to the competition because your new brochure is awful, and certainly no potential clients that receive your brochure will give you this feedback or the time of day in the first place. They will just quietly throw it away and search elsewhere. When no one calls or complains, shockingly, this lack of negative feedback will be all the proof your company needs to resist changing it or improving it. I've heard company leaders tell me the "if it ain't broke" speech or "well, no one has complained about it…" They can't look at how much better things would be, because it's not tangible.

So, when this situation presents itself, what SHOULD you do? Nothing. That's right, N-O-T-H-I-N-G. If you absolutely cannot do it right, do not do it at all, no matter how tempting this may be.

No time to start a Facebook campaign? Don't do it.
Not enough money to do a new brochure? Focus on something else.
You want to create a new logo or brand but don't have the cash. Hold off.

Always remember, the damage you can potentially do to your brand with poor design is never worth saving money on getting it done. The perceived benefit of getting something done "now", will never be worth the ground you will have to make up later.

The Hidden Feature of Duct Tape

Duct tape is used everywhere and seems to fit the bill for any job requiring a quick fix. It's the root of hundreds of jokes, internet memes, and is a cultural phenomenon. Books about it have sold millions of copies and there was even a Mythbusters episode devoted to this silver adhesive.

Chances are you have used duct tape to fix something more than just a few times in your life. You probably have a few rolls sitting in your office and house right now. As popular as it is though, it's typically not the best tape for the job. HVAC professionals actually recommend alternative tapes due to testing that proves duct tape to be unreliable, brittle and likely to fail. The state of California even has a law banning the use of duct tape in duct work, probably due to its toxic smoke when burned.

Despite testing, sticky residue after it's pulled off and the seemingly negative reports on this unique tape, why does it stay so near and dear to our hearts? I am willing to guess that one hidden feature of the tape is the main reason for it's continued success. This feature has nothing to do with its strength, but its weakness.

The hidden feature is its rip-ability! If you have used Duct Tape, you are fully aware that it doesn't need to be cut with scissors. The fabric inside the tape actually guides the rip when your hands pull in opposite directions, giving you a straight rip every single time. This small and somewhat hidden feature, I'm willing to bet aids in its continued success through the years. It's easy to use!

Have you ever seen an ad on the strength or reliability of Duct Tape? Have you even thought twice about it? Probably not. Companies like Duck, choose to spend their marketing dollars on Prom Competition Promotions, Team Logos, Colors, and crazy patterns. None of these marketing tactics point to any practical use at all. Instead, they focus on ease of use, pop-culture and fun.

Your company can learn from this. Because we live and breath in our own business, it's remarkably easy to get fixated on features your customers don't even care about. Focusing on things we think should be valuable to the customer quickly distracts us from why they buy from us in the first place! I see thousands of dollars spent communicating a message that customers don't even want to hear. In some cases, this can halt forward momentum entirely.

Why do your customers buy from you? Do you really know? Maybe there is one division at your office that keeps customers coming back. Perhaps your ambiance is incredible or perhaps you are faster than your competition. If you don't already know, find out the real reason your customers buy from you, and then the next time you do an ad campaign, communicate those strengths.

You can spend your time focusing on the other stuff you think is valuable, but there is a good chance it will distract and alienate your audience. You may just lose them completely.

To learn more about Duck's Prom Promotion go here: 
http://www.duckbrand.com/Promotions/stuck-at-prom.aspx

To learn about Duck's Team Logo Duct Tape go here:
http://duckbrand.com/Products/duck-tape/duck-tape-patterns.aspx

Image used from Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_Tape

What's the difference? Nonprofit & For profit

Two weeks ago, Downtown Des Moines Kiwanis had the pleasure of listening to a presentation by Russ Frazier of Anawim housing here in Des Moines. To put it mildly, it was impressive.

The first thing I noticed were the very professional booklets resting on all the tables as we walked in. They were well done (by local ad agency Flynn Wright) and were printed on a nice stiff paper. Not too expensive, but not cheap either. As he presented, his slides were thought through, branded and consistent.

As you can imagine, this isn't something I'm used to seeing when a nonprofit representative presents. Most are underfunded, and of course that translates to their materials and visual preparedness. So, what was Russ doing different? Did Anawim have money to spare? Were they spending it in the wrong places?

As I spoke with Russ, his vision was refreshing. He believes strongly that for a nonprofit to change the world, it must be run like a hyper-efficient business. Seems logical. He went on to say the only difference between their nonprofit and a for profit entity, was the goal, the 501(c)3 license and what businesses call sales they call fundraising. I'm unsure if they paid for all the branding or if it was donated, but they got it done…. and that's what matters.

Ok, so this sounds well and good in theory, but what about in reality? Has Russ' approach actually helped? Don't you wonder how much MORE they could do if they put their resources into "things that matter"? These questions quickly dissolve by simply looking at what they have accomplished. Look at how fast they have done it. Look at the lives they have changed. When you see the hard facts, it's quite staggering.

Russ' perspective is rare in the nonprofit world. Most nonprofits fear their donors will look at well-thought through marketing techniques as wasteful spending, but that view couldn't be more wrong. The fact is, donors are emboldened and more likely to throw their support behind an organization that is branded and marketed well. They associate good branding and marketing with a well-run organization. Do you want to donate to a well run and efficient organization or one that appears to be unorganized and spotty?

Could your nonprofit use fresh perspective? How about your for-profit? If a nonprofit with limited funding takes all public perception and design seriously, what is stopping you?

To learn more about how Anawim is changing lives, go to their site: http://anawimhousing.org/
To learn more about Flynn Wright, go to their site: http://flynnwright.com/

Why eBooks won't be cheaper. (but will provide unexpected value)

Ever since the dawn of the glorious eBook everyone expected the cost of reading to drastically decrease. After all, there is no cost of raw materials, printing, manufacturing, labor, and no cost shipping from publisher to book store. Without all that, the cost should be around $3, right?

We assume costs are still high because eBooks are new and exciting, but this isn't true. We tend to look at the things we purchase in the context of raw materials rather than the work that went into making it. eBooks are no different. When we browse Amazon or B&N, we don't consider the real cost of publishing.

Ever since Gutenberg, the book has existed for one purpose: The transportation of intellectual information. You were never buying the physical book, but the author's work. The paper book was a method of delivery. (The physical book is certainly beautiful and still the way I prefer to read!) These days, printing is remarkably efficient. When producing thousands of copies, the cost per piece is cheap. The more you produce, the less each individual unit costs. Consider once a press is operating, it can crank out millions of pages in no time. When it's all said and done, the cost of printing one book hovers just above a dollar, plus maybe another dollar or two for storage and shipping (if that).

The real costs come from the type setting, editing (great editing matters), the author must be paid and the cost of marketing the book. (always expensive). Oh, and don't forget the publishers and authors want to turn a profit.

Concerning best selling authors, eBooks won't likely be cheaper. In reality, they might be more expensive. With eBook technology, publishers will slowly be expected to do more, creating chapter links, sharing features, highlight options, social sharing options and media extensions, while optimizing for many different eReading platforms, color, and black / white. With all these extras comes extra labor, and with extra labor comes extra cost. These extra costs will quickly eat away at the mere $1-3 savings by chopping out printing.

Your favorite authors probably won't get any cheaper, but here's some hope. The eBook will likely open up a few niches that provide unexpected value.

• Free Classics
• The editing might be bad, but hey, it's free! (These are available right now.)
• Rise in independent publishing. 
• With everyone being able to provide a book available on their site. We will see independent books titles get a chance. I imagine future authors will be "discovered" just like they do now on YouTube.
• Out of print books will be available at low cost.
• Books that are out of print will get new life. Maybe the old printed version will be sold at a premium price.
• Small blog posts will turn into lengthier eBooks.

Did you catch that last one? This is key for the communicator. With the over-saturation of bloggers and rising disengagement, I believe we will start to see less short blog posts and more mini (and free) eBooks. This will be a new way to engage your customers / readers in what Nicholas Carr calls "deep reading." Amazon may eventually create a network where people can "subscribe" to authors. Companies like Aspindle.com are already scratching the surface here. 

Looks like you have some work to do… Happy Reading (and creating)!

To Learn more about Nicholas Carr, his blog is at: http://www.roughtype.com/

To Learn more about Aspindle, go to: http://www.Aspindle.com

To download, "Why Creativity?" a free mini book from Aspindle, go tohttp://aspindle.com/ebooks/why-creativity/