A Simple Way to Test Your Marketing
A decade ago, there weren’t even half the tools available today for digital marketers. Now, digital tools have helped us master analytics, conversion measurement, A/B testing, lead generation and more. They make it easy to see if marketing is really working, and we rely on them to prove that design has a functional side.
The impact of the aesthetic side of design, however, is much more difficult to scientifically test. When this is the case, here are two simple methods we use to measure our work.
Can you tell me what is this about?
In complicated industries, especially B2B, it’s easy for marketers to slip into the idea that the marketing materials they’ve created don’t have to make sense to most people, because the people who work in the industry will understand it.
This line of thinking makes some sense, but it also makes a lot of assumptions. It assumes that you and your audience are 100% in alignment on your industry perspective. It also assumes that your audience has the same level of tenure and experience in the industry.
Either way, the most important thing to remember is that design is about communication. The marketing your organization pushes into the world should not only be visually appealing, it should be easily understood.
Ask yourself this question: if I showed my best friend this [website, brochure, presentation], would they understand it? Would they be able to gain a basic understanding of the product or service? Would they know what to do next?
If the answer is no, you should revisit your marketing. It has to communicate first, and be “nice to look at” second.
Personal Ownership
Another test for marketing is asking the designer, “Would you take personal ownership for this work?” Would they put it in their portfolio? Would they share it with their friends?
The answer should be always be yes. If the answer is “No, I wouldn’t claim this design as my own,” that’s a pretty solid indicator that there’s a misalignment of style or perspective.
Not everything in marketing is going to be (or needs to be) a creative masterpiece. Some pieces have more weight than others. Some pieces are more functional. But there is a reason artists sign their work.
If you (or your marketing agency) aren’t willing to take ownership of the work, why would anyone else want to look at it? They say the opposite of love isn’t hate, but indifference. If the people designing the marketing materials are indifferent, then why should your audience care?
Everyday Measures
It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and lose perspective on each individual marketing material being produced. But good work cuts through the clutter.
When marketers remember to ask these two simple questions – “Would my best friend understand this?” and “Would I take personal ownership of the design?” – they’re on the path to marketing that both communicates to their audience and inspires them to act.
WATCH: Mike shares two easy methods to evaluate the visual impact of your design. Watch below or on YouTube:
