communication

Disguise

If your cause is the best kept secret in town, are you creating the secrecy?  I passed a bookstore in the airport last night and wondered what was the point of this marketing campaign.

Is the point to sell a book?  Then what it the title and who is the author?  Is the intention to hook a customer into a frequent buyer program?  Is the concept that creating a veil will encourage a potential buyer to pick-up the book and remove the temporary jacket?

I am not sure what the outcome of this campaign will be but I felt more confused than inspired.  How do you remain certain that your efforts are creating transparent communications?

What is really valuable?

If you had a limited data plan on your mobile phone and had to filter the emails and text you could afford to receive, which ones would you purge?  How many enterprises send communications that act like a burden on your email box?  Does your communication plan really hold your audience’s attention or is it easily distracted?  Try the firework test- do you remember what you were doing before fireworks unexpectedly fill the night sky?  Many times your competition for attention is as powerful as a 4th of July celebration.

Memorable Mistake and Artistic Correction

We received a donor recognition form in the mail addressed to us but the letter was intended for another donor.  I returned the letter to the local nonprofit with a polite request to forward the misplaced letter to the proper donors and asked for a copy of our letter for tax records.  A week later an envelope arrived with our address written in beautiful calligraphy and a donor recognition letter inside.  


No apology needed.  Somebody had taken the time to add their craft and customized the envelope.  A simple extension of individual talent left me with a far superior view of the organization than had the mistake not taken place.  I realized that the cause was being served by passionate people who took the time to correct an issue creatively.