How much time do you spend trying to be ordinary ? Probably not a lot. In fact, most marketing people actively avoid talking about the ordinary qualities of a business. Instead they spend days in creative brainstorms trying to create brilliant unique new messages that no one else has ever used. Marketing people want to find that ground breaking creative idea that will get everyone’s attention. However, in this creative search they often forget the ordinary and obvious stuff.
What if the most unique thing about your business was also the most ordinary? Here are a few reasons why the ordinary and obvious side of your business may actually be your biggest asset:
1. Customers have ordinary and obvious requirements. It is easy to think that having an endless list of new product features will appeal to people. The problem is, it is confusing. I recently went shopping to replace a light bulb. Despite a multitude of choice the one I purchased was the one that said the size most clearly on the box.
2. The ordinary and obvious are the most important. When I book any flight it has nothing to do with comfort of the seats of what type of food they might offer. I look for a direct flight at a time that is convenient to me. Whichever airline I can fly directly to my destination with is the one I choose.
3. The ordinary and obvious have some raving fans. Anyone still using a Blackberry today does so just for one reason. It’s not the collection of apps or for the stunning quality of the screen resolution. No, most are just so familiar with the keyboard that they can’t imagine doing work and typing emails on a touch screen. In this world of choice people yearn familiarity and convenience.
Don’t get me wrong, as a marketer I like a great creative idea as much as the next marketing person. However, sometimes the most stunningly creative thing you can do is choose to focus on the most obvious and ordinary part of your business.
