"Web users aren't reasonable. They don't need to be, since your competitor's site is just a click away. They won't read your fine-spun copy. They'll ignore your witty turns-of-phrases. They scan for what they're looking for and click on the first promising link they find. If they don't find anything promising... they're gone! Copywriting for the Web is all about getting to the point."Author Unknown
Contributed by Russ Bombardieri
Senior Interactive Designer/Frontend Engineer, Crutchfield.com
Contributed by Russ Bombardieri
Senior Interactive Designer/Frontend Engineer, Crutchfield.com
Consumers don't care about the carpenter's cool hammer, the dentist brand new x-ray machine, or, as this quote reminds Russ, the copywriter's ability to "wordsmith."
They want what they want and it's our job to give it to them and if we don't, they will buy from whomever does. The tools we use to make that go our way are the means to the end, nothing more.
What's your focus?
They want what they want and it's our job to give it to them and if we don't, they will buy from whomever does. The tools we use to make that go our way are the means to the end, nothing more.
What's your focus?
Amen.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of IT, financial analyst, market researcher, advertising and "Web 2.0" types I meet are more focused on their tools than they are why I might consider employing them (i.e.; to better my business.)
With a twist, this reminds me of Putt's Law (Archibald Putt):
ReplyDelete"Technology is dominated by two types of individuals: those who understand what they do not manage and those who manage what they do not understand."
Technologists often come up with solutions for problems they don't understand, such as a program that facilitates online market research being developed by a programmer with no knowledge of what is and is not a good questionnaire.
Ideally those who develop technology would both know how to do it as well as how to use it but that is rarely the case.
So it is up to management to see that happens as opposed to just assuming it will.
Continuing with the hammer analogy, not only is the hammer not important, neither is what the hammer did (pound a nail into something.)
ReplyDeleteWhat is important, what the consumers wants, is a completed building, patio cover, chest of drawers, etc. and all the milestones (nails pounded in) leading up to that are of little or no interest.
or put another way, in a world full of hammers, everything starts to look like nails
ReplyDeleteHow true! Consumers have limited time to become informed. That's why they search-out info on the web before making a purchase and why they purchase online. Not only do we bore them with copy and distract them with "eye candy," we make completing the purchase too difficult. Three clicks and done should become the rule.
ReplyDelete