What’s the Big Idea?
Ever wonder why those car ads have so much stuff crammed into them that you can barely read the print?
Or wish that a salesperson would stop blabbering about all the features and benefits their product has to offer?
Worse yet, ever sit through a presentation that includes what seems like a hundred PowerPoint slides being read to you by the speaker?
We have all probably been there in some way, shape or form.
The problem arises because the advertiser, salesperson, and speaker all neglected to focus on one big idea.
Instead, they made it about them rather than us…and gave us more information than we wanted or needed. It’s kind of like the casual acquaintance you run into who goes on and on about their kids when you ask how they are doing. All you really wanted was the quick thirty second update…not a breakdown on school, sports, height, weight, friends, favorite food, and so on…
We’re bombarded with messages from the time we wake up until we crash at the end of a long day. We can’t afford to spend more time processing information unless we are sure we need it. We remember creative messages that are memorable and make an emotional impact. We relate to them and they are focused on one main idea.
Think about ads or slogans that you probably couldn’t forget if you wanted to?
Can You Hear Me Now?
Got Milk?
Choose Your Healthcare As If Your Life Depended On It.
Try to remember the last time a salesperson made just the right pitch.
Or you thoroughly enjoyed a presentation or speaker.
The presentation or pitch was focused on you and on one big idea that you still remember today.
The next time you are creating an ad, making a sales pitch, preparing for a presentation, or writing a memo, improve your message by asking yourself:
What’s the Big Idea?
David M. Mastovich, MBA, is the president of Massolutions, a Pittsburgh based Integrated Marketing firm that focuses on improving the bottom line for client companies through creative marketing, selling, messaging and customer experience enhancement.