Visual Communications and Small-business Owners
May 1, 2007
Often I see visual communications (direct mail, Web sites, etc.) from small-business owners whom I know, and I wonder, “Why did they do that? Can’t they see how it gives the wrong impression?”
Of course, I could be wrong about that “wrong impression” business. Possibly, these SBOs are simply targeting a market segment that isn’t concerned about their professionalism or expertise, just about their prices. If that’s the case, then I suppose that cheaper could be better. (I don’t really believe that.)
Now these SBOs with whom I’m acquainted are all intelligent people. They know what they’re doing in their fields. So I find it hard to believe that every one of them is targeting the all-I-care-about-is-price market, but that’s what their brand identity, direct mail, Web sites, ads, and print collateral seem designed to do.
I suspect that their deep-down concern is money—what it costs to contract a qualified creative service to upgrade a company’s image. But the fact is, the do-it-yourself logos and mailers send the wrong message to their audience: “this company isn’t smart” or “this company is inexperienced” or “this company is unsophisticated” or even “this company doesn’t care about quality.” The right brand identity and marketing materials, however, convey what is true about a company to its market with infinitely more power and effectiveness than the DIY stuff ever could.
I just wish these SBOs would admit that to themselves.
