Feel The Quality

The words “anally retentive” may spring to mind… I mean, why on Earth does it take so long to choose the right stock for my headed paper?

I recently decided to order some more headed paper, with the usual bits on it – logo, address etc. I went through dozens of samples – thicker, whiter, smoother until I finally found what I liked. Unfortunately my printer in turn did not like it and I ended up with a compromise. Personally I would have liked to send out letters on raw silk but Hewlett Packard disagree.

Now choosing my logo had taken a while – lots of to-ing and fro-ing to get a logo that said what I wanted it to.

This is of course both understandable and natural – it is the same process that I go through with clients. A company’s logo is usually the most important visual identifier for the brand. It should also last – look at Coca Cola who have had the same logo since General Custer was drinking the stuff. It is said that when the first Coke bottles were being designed the brief was to design a bottle that would be instantly recognisable even if broken. It has worked too – if you see a shard of glass from a Coke bottle you can instantly tell where it has come from. The same is true of the logo – just a glimpse of part of a C and you know what it is.

But is it really so vital to have the right paper? For someone in my profession – yes. There are two reasons:

Firstly, I work in marketing and so I should be on top of the game when it comes to such things – it is expected.

Secondly, it is a vital piece of Physical Evidence – one of the 7 Ps of the Marketing Mix. What I do can only be seen once my clients have a website or a brochure or a big queue of new customers at their door. Until then, what I provide is a service. How can you tell if it is going to be any good before you buy it?

If I were selling boats, you could go for a sail. If I were a hotel you could look at the room. But how can you look at marketing consultancy before you buy? Of course you can look at case studies and listen to see if you believe what I say, but it needs support.

For people to believe something they trust to their five senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. People can see my website or what I have written in a letter, they can hear what I have to say and with good physical evidence they can also feel the quality. It’s minor and it’s subliminal but in a service environment it is important.

As for smell and taste, you’ll just have to trust me…

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