We struggled recently over the creative for a client. We had a “tail wagging the dog” scenario. The creative needed to push sales. That little tail needed to overcome what was missing in the way of consumer experience. It caused us to think about the ideal creative environment. Great creative happens on the fulcrum of strategic genius. Great brands emerge or are built on the knife edge of solid strategy.
We are immeasurably blessed to work with people who are geniuses within their industries. We serve clients who are stand-aparts in the world of banking, real estate development, the medical spa industry and hotel development. In the retail furniture segment, Jay is a significant threat to the national stores who play in our market because he has created a bleeding edge retail distribution model. On the platform of his industry knowledge, strategic thinking and commitment to excellence in infrastructure, creative gets to do what it’s supposed to do: create a tipping point. In the medical spa industry, Healing Waters has emerged once again as the #1 medical day spa in the industry. Why? Because the owner is powering her spas with a commitment to world-class talent—people who score “at talent” per the Talent Plus employee-scoring methodology (visit TalentPlus.com for the genius thinking that’s taken companies like Ritz Carlton to the highest level of performance). Truly superb talent has become Healing Waters’ unique brand story.
Sometimes genius within an industry is really just the cannon of confidence. You have to be different enough to get credit for it. When companies are gutsy enough to think strategically and employ resources to be well differentiated, they unleash brand power. And in today’s economy, brand power is the stuff that moves the sales needle—whether you’re a medical spa or builder or boutique hotel.
Sadly, there are companies—we’ve worked with some—who can’t quit playing it safe. They’re a lot more comfortable being all things to all people vs. something astonishingly great to a few target markets. Can you remember the last time you astonished a client or customer? Do you do it on a daily basis or occasionally by accident or never?
Creative is not a silver bullet. It’s not a magic elixir. It’s the next thing when you’ve done the right strategic things right, when you’ve edited your business to a fine point, when you’ve got a great brand and a compelling story to tell. No more tail wagging the dog. When you have a solid, strategic working platform creative becomes the lifeblood that pulses through your business and delivers your passion to the marketplace. And that dog will hunt.