CORNER ON THE MARKET
(May) April 2001
By Ron Burgess

THE 2001 MARKETING HORROR STORY: CREEPING PERFECTIONISM - Part Two

Inoculate your company against creeping perfectionism.

Part Two in last month's column can be read by going to www.burgessman.com/resources/april2001.htm.

Marketing executives worth their salt already know that developing a brochure or a Web site (media) can't start before proper strategic planning, market targeting and positioning is accomplished. Most epidemics of creeping perfectionism occur because these steps are not accomplished. If a brochure takes too long, it can be symptomatic of a poor plan to start with.

Make sure the process is sound. Building a company facilities brochure reveals the heart and soul of your company. It is no small task and generally requires project management skills to coordinate the various elements. In fact, the talents required for project management generally don't share the talents of highly creative people-- who may be the one running the project.

Don't underestimate the task. The production manager, or controller, does the same process over and over and makes small changes over time. Remember that a major new brochure is more like building a new production line than retooling an existing line. It requires planning, designers, and copywriters. Today it also requires technical knowledge of the software and experience using commercial printers. Color brochures that are professionally printed are technically much more complex than printing a brochure on your ink jet printer!

Inoculation - Accept limitations on changes; this is the heart of creeping perfectionism. If the proper marketing planning and campaign planning are completed, the conceptual copy can be written with one or two drafts. Don't get picky with the details on copy yet. The copy should be matched with the images and presented together in a "story board" format.

The concept should be discussed by all who are required, no more. Six is generally too many. The conceptual flow should be agreed upon, then the top executive(s) at this meeting should break ties.

Next the project manager explains the concept to the designer. The designer should have at his or her disposal the company aesthetic plan which includes all targeting and positioning statements and company publishing standards which includes approved logos and colors.

Without these elements the designer will get very creative and probably miss the target market. If logos and standard graphic elements are not completed, go back to start (planning) and hire a graphic artist. Note: the cost of doing this correctly is not any more than wasting your highest paid team's time! Without flowing the text, (but knowing how much text must be fit in) the first brochure layout is completed (two or three alternatives may be requested). The next decision is to accept the conceptual design and elements. Make comments on any specific small changes required. Tip - have the designer at the meeting. He can explain reasons why he has designed the elements and will not have to interpret second hand instructions. If all the designs are poor or off the mark, consider a new designer unless the designer convinces you he now understands the need.

The goal is to accept a design so the complete brochure can be started. Meanwhile the copy can now be edited "in-context."

Copy editing rules are:

If multiple decisions about the text are necessary, the copy editor makes all notes and does the rewrite. The marketing head should take recommendations from the department heads with specific product or technical notes, and be responsible for having the copy altered to accommodate them. When the copywriter does the rewrite, the marketing head makes one set of changes. Then one or two (executive and one other trusted person) make one edit only. The marketing head makes the final decision on text and sends it to the layout person.

The final product gets one edit for correct spelling and grammar only, no rewrites. Keep in mind the marketing head is responsible for revenue; this is his or her decision. If this person is not trusted to make the decision, then your company has a poor plan, or needs a stronger marketing head. One other possibility exists; the owner (or influential executive) is fickle or completely diseased with CREEPING PERFECTIONISM.

For some companies with a mild case, repeated reviews and rewrites will not kill the patient but only make marketing personnel so miserable that they turn over frequently; but in tough cases the company is completely disabled. I know of organizations where a level of perfectionism is so high that policies don't get done, marketing become sloth-like and agility is so restricted that growth is a small fraction of their industry's growth.

It can and does kill the patient.

Fortunately knowing about this dread disease is a large part of the cure. Constant reminders of its presence can keep perfectionists and micro-managers in check.

One recently noted business movement can encourage and "host" the spread of perfectionism--Continual Quality Improvement. While making a company better is an American business lifestyle, hyper-quality in some areas is not in the best interest of the customer. Don't let your engineers and accountants force the quality moniker on creativity by constantly revising what is an opinion, not a fact… namely, copy, design and layout. Beyond the product specifications and company facts, the tone and quality of the communication is an art form, not engineering. We all know that like belly buttons, everyone has an opinion, so make the decision and move on!

There is direct evidence that frequency of communication is more important than perfection of communication; however don't overreact to the notion that shoddy graphics or unprofessional copy is endorsed here. As stated in last month's column, CREEPING PERFECTIONISM is the constant tweaking and changing of copy or design elements, to the point of substantial waste, without commensurate improvement.

The key concept is "without commensurate improvement." All organizations have limited resources, and must balance the level of perfection with the practical aspects of maintaining appropriate communication (most organizations are too light on the frequency.) But a base line standard IS required.

Don't let your company be marketing-challenged by CREEPING PERFECTIONISM. Don't allow those in authority to change their minds more than once! Require careful one-time alterations that force those who make final decisions to be responsible and completely engaged in the process.

Make the decision and move on!