A Simple Thing That Apple Knows About Marketing Communication That You Don’t!

It’s all about simple marketing and communication. In fact, marketing and effective communication is a requirement and a strategy, but there is always room for simplicity.  We can make it better, smarter, more functional and easier to use.  And since business is about solving a problem for someone else, then simplifying the process for your client is a natural move.

Your goal is to make it impossible for your (potential) clients to mess up or misunderstand. Make it easy for them to connect with your solution and you. Make it simple for them to perform the desired action—whether

• shop and pay in your online store,
• find the directions to your business, or
• take your survey.

Simplify the process and watch your numbers go up.

Apple knows that simplicity is a key element of their marketing and communication strategy. They wade through complicated technology to create simple solutions and easy access for the regular person, and it sells.  Apple sales at least three things daily: computers,  an experience and simplicity.  Every business can sell two out of three.

Your communication is…

• your image,
• the start of an ongoing conversation and relationship (if you do it right),
• your connection.

We associate weak communication with a weak product. So let’s take the time to get it right. Here are 3 lessons from Apple Commercials.

Visuals Matter

Don’t just use words to paint a picture. Let us see the new item in motion. Use video. Use photographs. Let us “see” it with words. Let us “touch” it with visuals. Never underestimate the power of an image, visuals matter in marketing and communication.

Quick Tip: if your product is a word based item, then create a relevant graphic like a flow chart or a table to make it easy to digest. There’s always a way to add relevant, colorful and tasteful visuals to everything.

Less is More

Apple’s ads have a lot of white space in them. It’s designed to create a sense of openness.  It shifts the focus onto the product that they are sharing and on to their words. There are no distractions and it makes it easy to connect with their key message.

Quick Tip: Your product may have 15 to 25 really cool things about it (and their is a place for that information) but what are your top three benefits.  If you were talking to your best friend and she needs what you have but she doesn’t know it yet. How would you say it? Feature those benefits in your marketing and communication, let them read about the other 24 on your site.

Short is Sweet

One minute and two seconds. Two minutes and 15 seconds. Five minutes and 25 seconds. Some of these commercials aren’t even the length of a song and when that minute or two passes you understand what the ipod—ipad, mac air—whatever they are launching this week—you understand what it is and that you want one.

Quick Tip: What can you say about your business in two minutes or less? It’s more challenging to say more with less.  But your client will thank you for it. So take the time to clarify:

1. What is the primary problem that you solve?
2. Why is your solution important to your (potential) client?
3. How can they get what you have?

Take the time to communicate it like it matters, your business depends on it.

Jamillah Warner (Ms. J) is a writer with a passion for business.  She’s a Small Business Expert at SmallBizTrends.com, provides weekly communication quick tips, and tweets business inspiration @jamillahwarner.