If you’ve spent any time on I-270 in the past year, you’ve most likely noticed the rise of an unusual, tall building between Gaithersburg and Rockville. And if you’ve read the sides of that building, than you know it belongs to iFly. And even if you’ve never heard of iFly, you know exactly what happens inside that strange-looking structure because it says so in big letters on the I-270 facing side: INDOOR SKYDIVING.
How many times have you passed a building on your way to work, to an appointment, or to home and wondered what happens inside? How many times has a bold or fancy logo caught your attention, but even after studying it during a long break in action on the road still have no idea what the company does or who it appeals to?
That’s the challenge of marketing and the power of KISS marketing.
We have nothing against long-form letters and serialized videos. We love a clever campaign and an artful visual. But when the goal is to draw a customer in and answer that key question—what’s in it for me?—quickly and succinctly, simple and straightforward does it best.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to bolt your tagline to the side of your building (although it couldn’t hurt, right?). But it does mean that you have to consider what kind of information you send to each segment of your targeted market.
Are you mailing a brochure to a list of prospects? Don’t make them guess what you do. They may or may not have ever heard of your company. If you want them to open your mailing, which is the point after all, identify what you do or sell in one short but obvious phrase on the outside of your envelope or selfmailer.
Are you emailing current customers about a special web offer? Get to the point and call out your offer in your subject line. Don’t get so caught up in trying to lure them in with clever creative that you end up turning them away with vagueness.
Keeping key parts of your communication simple will help to keep your audience educated and engaged. That’s a strategy that works for everyone, even offices without wind tunnels.