People often come to me and ask me if I can help them spread messages about things they really want people to buy. There's nothing wrong in that, and I will sometimes do it if I think it looks and feel cool. However - most of the times it doesn't feel or look cool. Then it's just a link to a page where you can find out what the product is, and then click "purchase".
Now, I could spread it everywhere if I wanted to - with no impact. Because there's no substance behind the product - only a purchase button.
The thing is, it's not the product that's selling. it's the experience of the product and the company that sells the product.
If there was a richer identity behind the shop aka. "why we do this, who we are, what we stand for, what we're passionate about". I would be more inclined to buy stuff. I don't explore brands all the time - but I want to have the choice.
Also - I don't know why this is, but standardized webshop solutions where one shop looks the same as the next (lists, mediocre product pictures etc) doesn't make my day anymore. Lists are fine - but there need to be playful elements to them - like amazon.com is doing... enhancing the buying experience by giving so much details about the product. I think it's the perfect contrast to IRL shopping malls that I personally don't go to anymore, because there's too many products there - and most of the time, too little information about the product....
[webshop, sales, identity, substance]
[2 comments]
Seth Godin wrote a blogpost the other day about getting closer to the pain of the customer.
Meaning that if something is scarce - people will pay more for the product.
John backs it up by saying:
The customer who has a scarcity of time will value convenience.
The customer who has a scarcity of expertise will value competence.
The customer who has a scarcity of style will value design flair.
The customer who has a scarcity of contacts will value network effects.
I don't know where my scarcity lies right now, what I am searching for at this point of my life is
"substance"...
I am so sick and tired of people and businesses who doesn't have substance and who are just living day by day without any greater vision. They don't contribute to a better cause, and when they do, it's to take advantage of it... these companies are sleek and smiley, probably really good business people, but - when you get to be in their presence for a while, you can see it's a fad....
My problem is... that they are not in business because of the better of the world or the better of their co-worker or employees or anybody.. they are in business because they are all about business...
Business + personality+ attitude + loving thy neighbour = a business full of substance and meaning
Business without the above is just "business emptyness" - nothing except a product and a framework to make money... gah...
In the movie
"almost famous" ( one of my absolute favorite movies) the leadguitarist with mystique is looking for something "real" and decided to go to a party with a bunch of teenagers on acid. He's tired of the "industry of cool" - so he goes somewhere completely different - to people who admire and love him for who he is.
I love some parts of the "industry of cool" - and there's a lot of really good companies in business everywhere - but I have to add something to Johns list:
A business ( or a Toothless Tiger if you please) who has a scarcity of substance, will value authenticity and opinions
And I think this is one very important key for the future of business. We need real and we need it to work with the industry of cool.
When the designers did the new design for Toothless Tiger a while ago ( I know it's not up yet - but it's coming.) they asked me how I wanted it communicate. I found out that I am probably 70 % personality and 30 % business. Maybe even closer to 80 % personality and 20 % business.
Anyway when you get people who says that they are more than 40 % business ( I know some people who I would say was 95 % business) you really have a problem...
[business, people, scarcity, substance, authenticity, attitude, industryofcool, opinions]
[19 comments]