Tag: communication

The kirppis experience

FabrizioLeave a comment

Here in Finland, second hand is quite popular. There are plenty of shops that sell second hand stuff, mainly clothes and furniture, but also other items people is happy to pass on to someone else. They are called kirppis.

Kirppis usually have plenty of items. And yet, when you walk into one, there is no guarantee you are going to find what you need. You have to scan through the racks, check all the boxes, survey the tables and review the many shelves. The experience is often overwhelming, but it is the very same concept of second hand that makes it such: you are asking customers to give up ease and standardisation in exchange for low prices and something similar to the thrill of pulling the handle of a slot machine.

The point is, when you overwhelm your audience with facts and information about your product, features, services, what you are offering them is essentially a kirppis experience. You are telling them, “We are sorry, we could not make a decision on what is important, nor could we bother figuring out what you care about, hence we are going to let you scan, check, survey and review all of the terrific things we can offer in the hope you’ll find what you are looking for.“

Of course they will move on. You would too.

Copywriting

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We all love great content and great copy when we find it. It just does resonate, immediately, genuinely, naturally. But then we either forget about it or we feel we ourselves are incapable of delivering similar work. And that’s where bad content and bad copy (and bad marketing) proliferates: in the gap between what needs to be done and what we (and everybody) feel comfortable doing.

This thread features 17 good reminders and examples for when things get difficult. Keep it close the next time you have to write a message.

Two stories

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If you ask two people to describe the same meeting – or any other social happening they participate in -, you will most likely get two different stories. Sure, there will be some points in common, and yet many of the details will appear as if they do not belong to the same shared experience.

This is even more true the more history there is between the two people, and between them and the others attending the event. We all build our own narratives, and our mind is happier when it can focus just on things that confirm the narratives rather than disprove them. It is not uncommon to talk to two halves of a long term relationship, and find their versions of what happened in certain circumstances are quite opposite: one wanted to show affection, the other interpreted rejection; one thought there was a deep discussion about a certain matter, the other is sure the thing was never even considered in the realm of possibilities.

We need to accept this reality.

And we need to overcommunicate when it has the potential to harm something we hold dear. Negotiating shared meaning is a conscious effort, and it’s possibly the only way to avoid turning to each other as strangers one day or the other.

The first reader

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Three things to keep in mind when you are writing a marketing message.

The other person does not know. Even when they share your same background, even when they face similar challenges, even when they have already tried similar products, even when your name is known and celebrated. Who reads does not know what you mean, what you care about, why you are good for them, why you are interrupting their day, and a whole lot more. And if they are left doing the effort to figure that out, they are gone.

The other person does not care. You might have the most brilliant invention of the past two decades, a flawless and unmatched technology, a fantastic company culture, and the most talented people working in each of your teams. Who reads cares literally zero about all of this, they have their own inventions, technology, culture, people and agenda. And if they are left building the bridge on their own, they won’t even start.

The other person is a human being. When you enter a room full of people, you most likely will not talk about “future-proofing”, “streamlining”, “best-of-breed”, “capabilities”, “artificial intelligence”, and so on. The mind of who reads gets fuzzy when they are faced with inflated jargon, they stop focusing on the message and they start thinking about what they should do instead. And if those are the words you are building your message around, they will find someone who treats them as a person.

Of course, the most important thing to remember is the fact that you are the first reader of your marketing messages. If something does not sound right, if something is unclear, if what you are producing is not what you would read in your own time, reasearching a product, seeking a solution to a problem. Then others will probably not find it more compelling.

Prompt response

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There are very few cases in which a prompt response is required.

The more infuriating, unnerving, frustrating of messages demand that you take a step back. Clear your mind, go for a walk, take a full night of sleep, pause for a few days if necessary. Process what is going on within you, try to not second guess the sender, talk about it with someone you trust. Honestly evaluate if an answer is really needed. And if it is, when the time comes, craft it as if the person you most love and respect would be the recipient.

The damages made by prompt responses are immense. What is written or said once can never be taken back.