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The Art of Selling Bold Ideas to Risk-Averse Clients

Emmanuel Rojas
October 14, 2024

Risk aversion in business decisions stems from several factors. For many clients, the fear of financial loss or a failed initiative is often at the forefront. The pressures of managing large budgets, the livelihoods of employees, and maintaining market competitiveness create a solid aversion to risky ventures. Past failures, even minor ones, can reinforce a mindset prioritizing tried-and-tested strategies over bold, innovative moves. External factors like market volatility or economic instability can also drive clients to stick with familiar, low-risk options.

These clients are not opposed to success—they just want to ensure that success comes without unnecessary risk.

The Hidden Fears Behind Creative Hesitancy

Beneath their cautious approach lie deeper fears that fuel their reluctance to embrace bold ideas:

These hidden fears can inhibit their willingness to embrace change, even when there’s potential for reward.

Identifying the Signs of a Risk-Averse Client

Recognizing a risk-averse client allows you to adjust your approach accordingly. Common signs include:

– Hesitation with Novelty: They are slow to engage with ideas that differ from their norm.
– Over-Analyzing Risk: Clients may ask for exhaustive details on potential downsides early in discussions.
– Lengthy Decision-Making: Their decision-making process often involves multiple layers of approval.
– Reliance on Past Success: A preference for replicating previous methods rather than trying something new.

Spotting these behaviors helps you anticipate objections and tailor your pitch to their concerns.

Building Trust Before Presenting Bold Ideas

For risk-averse clients, trust is a vital foundation. Without it, even the most well-thought-out, creative ideas will likely be dismissed. Building trust involves establishing credibility and demonstrating reliability from the outset. By positioning yourself as a trusted partner who understands their business needs, you can foster an environment where bold ideas are considered with an open mind.

Clients are more likely to embrace bold ideas if they believe you know your field inside out. Here’s how to build that confidence:

– Showcase Expertise: Provide examples of past projects and share your industry knowledge.
– Transparency: Be open about your process, including potential risks and how to manage them.
– Case Studies: Offer real-world success stories where bold ideas have worked for others in their industry.

Clients who trust you understand their needs will be more willing to step out of their comfort zone.

Why Trust is the Key to Selling Bold Concepts

Trust goes beyond being likable; it’s about showing clients that you have their best interests at heart. Risk-averse clients must believe that your bold ideas are not just creative for creativity’s sake but carefully crafted to drive business success. Trust reassures clients that you are not taking unnecessary risks with their business. It builds the confidence they need to explore bold ideas with the belief that they are backed by solid reasoning and strategic thinking.

Relationship-Building Techniques That Ease Client Worries

Strong relationships with clients can ease their hesitations about bold ideas. Regular communication is key—keep clients informed throughout the project to reduce uncertainty. Address their concerns head-on and offer clear solutions to alleviate fears. Additionally, providing small, incremental wins can help build a track record of success, making more significant creative leaps feel less intimidating. Involving clients in the creative process can also give them a sense of control, which can mitigate anxiety around new ideas.

The ultimate goal is to transform risk-averse clients into bold advocates for creativity, which takes time and the right approach. By introducing bold ideas incrementally, clients can experience small successes that reduce perceived risk and demonstrate the value of creative solutions. As they witness the benefits, their confidence in innovation will grow. Nurturing this confidence involves involving them in the process, celebrating victories, and reinforcing the strategic thinking behind these ideas. Over time, even the most cautious clients can learn to embrace innovation and take more daring risks within their organization.

How to Turn Skeptical Clients into Champions for Innovation

Once a risk-averse client sees the benefits of bold ideas, they can become your most prominent advocate. To encourage this:

– Invite Them to Share: Encourage them to speak about their success within their industry.
– Position Them as Innovators: Highlight their forward-thinking approach to others.
– Celebrate Their Story: Use their journey as a case study to attract other cautious clients.

Involving clients in the creative process through regular check-ins, workshops, or brainstorming sessions, builds their confidence and showcases the value of innovation. Celebrating successes together reinforces the importance of taking risks and demonstrates your commitment to meaningful outcomes. Additionally, continuously explaining the strategic thinking behind bold ideas helps skeptical clients appreciate the necessity of risks for growth and success.

Sustainability

Sustainability and Design

admin
May 24, 2023

As the world becomes more conscious of the environmental impact of human activities, numerous industries are adopting sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint. One such industry is marketing, where embracing sustainable design promotes a company’s environmental commitment. This article delves into the significance of sustainable design in marketing and how it has the potential to revolutionize the industry.

Sustainable design is a philosophy that centers around creating products and services that meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In the realm of marketing, sustainable design entails developing products and services that are environmentally friendly and socially responsible. This encompasses practices such as utilizing recycled materials and minimizing waste during production.

As a Medium article mentioned, sustainability is about making sure that what we use and how we use it has minimal impact on the environment we currently live in. Sustainability is a critical issue our planet faces, demanding proactive attention from businesses. 

Consumers strive to reduce their environmental footprint, so they are increasingly drawn to companies that align with their values. Consumers are more inclined to do business with companies that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, and sustainable design serves as a pathway to achieving this objective.

Incorporating sustainable design can reduce the environmental impact of a company’s products and services while enhancing their social and economic value. Consequently, companies that embrace sustainable design are viewed as industry leaders, and consumers increasingly seek environmentally responsible products and services from the companies they choose to engage with.

By integrating sustainable design into your marketing strategy, you can effectively engage with consumers and cultivate a loyal customer base. 

One area where sustainable design is making a significant impact is packaging design. Packaging plays a pivotal role in the marketing mix, and sustainable packaging contributes to waste reduction and improved environmental outcomes for a company’s products. 

According to an article by Tyler, the importance of sustainable packaging design is its ability to reduce a product’s environmental footprint, which in turn helps the producer and the consumer reduce theirs. It encompasses practices such as employing biodegradable materials and reducing the size and weight of packaging to minimize waste generation.

Incorporating sustainable design into your marketing strategy brings forth numerous benefits. Foremost, it aids in reducing your company’s environmental impact, a factor of increasing importance to consumers. Additionally, sustainable design can reduce costs by minimizing waste and enhancing production efficiency. Lastly, sustainable design sets your company apart from competitors, positioning you as an industry leader.

The shift towards a sustainable mindset in marketing has been propelled by several factors, including consumer demand, government regulations, and the imperative to reduce costs. And it is a process; in this article by Kent District Library, it is mentioned that becoming more sustainable is a constant learning process. 

Companies that embrace sustainable design are perceived as pioneers in their respective industries, differentiating themselves from their competitors.

If you are interested in integrating sustainable design into your marketing strategy, there are several steps you can take. First, assess your current environmental impact and identify areas for improvement. Next, establish sustainability goals and develop a comprehensive plan encompassing measures such as using recycled materials and reducing energy consumption in production. Lastly, communicate your commitment to sustainability to your customers and stakeholders.

Numerous companies have successfully incorporated sustainable design into their marketing strategies. Employing recycled materials in its products, implementing programs that incentive customers to adopt sustainable practices like recycling 

The future of sustainable design in marketing shines brightly as more companies acknowledge the significance of sustainability in their business practices. Moreover, as consumers become increasingly aware of the environmental impact of their purchases, companies that embrace sustainable design will be well-positioned to thrive. Therefore, the future holds promise for witnessing further innovative and imaginative approaches to integrating sustainable design into marketing strategies.

Blog

The Art of Marketing: How to Make Customers Fall in Love with Your Products

admin
February 22, 2023

Marketing is an art that can make customers fall in love with your products. Whether it’s through design, trends, or digital content, there are several ways to engage customers and foster strong relationships. Creating an emotional connection between customers and your products is vital as a business. In this blog post, we will explore how marketing can help you make customers fall in love with your products.

Design: Create an Aesthetic That Appeals to Your Target Customer

Design is a powerful tool for marketing, as it helps to create an emotional connection between your product and potential customers. It can also differentiate your product from competitors and attract the right audience.

Good design should be tailored to appeal to your target customer. Think carefully about who you’re trying to reach and what aesthetic they would respond to. For example, if your target customer is young, you may consider using vibrant colors and modern font styles that are popular with this demographic. 

In an article by Penji.co, balance in design is described as the careful distribution of visual weight. Make sure you don’t go overboard with design – try to balance simplicity and complexity. Aim for eye-catching, memorable visuals but not too busy or overwhelming. The goal is to create a design that resonates with your target customer and encourages them to take action. 

It’s also important to consider how the design will look across different mediums. For example, your composition must look good on both web and print, so consider how it will appear on different platforms. 

Design is a powerful way to build an emotional connection between your product and your customers, so make sure you create an aesthetic that appeals to your target customer. Remember their needs when designing visuals; you’ll be one step closer to achieving success.

Trends: Follow the Latest Trends to Stay Relevant

Marketing is an ever-changing field that requires staying updated with the latest trends. Following the trends allows companies to remain relevant and attractive to customers. In addition, trends in marketing can create a unique brand identity and reach potential customers through more effective marketing campaigns.

It’s essential to keep up with current marketing trends, as they can significantly impact how successful your products or services will be. For example, if you’re marketing fashion items, you should pay attention to the latest clothing trends so that your designs are attractive to potential customers. Similarly, if you’re marketing technology products, you should stay informed about the latest developments in the tech industry.

According to Business, success in marketing involves trying new techniques and strategies. Following the latest trends ensures your products remain relevant and attractive to your target audience. Additionally, staying informed about new trends can help you develop creative ideas for your marketing campaigns. 

To stay updated with the latest trends, it’s important to watch industry publications, social media conversations, and competitor activities. Choose a few of your favorite brands, and examine their strategies. Regularly researching new trends ensures that your marketing strategies remain up-to-date and effective.

Digital Content: Use Digital Content to Engage with Your Customers

The success of any business lies in its ability to connect and engage with customers, and digital content is a key tool for accomplishing this. By leveraging digital content in your marketing efforts, you can create a powerful connection with your customers, encouraging them to fall in love with your product.

According to an article by HubSpot, digital marketing works because it is measurable and flexible. Having the ability to change your strategy to make it appeal to your customers is the best way to introduce them to your brand and convert them into loyal customers. 

Digital content comes in many forms, including video, audio, text, images, and interactive experiences. The type of digital content you use may vary depending on the product you’re promoting and the target customer you want to reach. For example, video might be an ideal medium for creating engaging digital content targeting tech-savvy millennials. On the other hand, if you’re targeting a more mature audience, text-based content could be more effective.

Focusing on quality is important regardless of the type of content. Poorly made or generic content will have a different impact than engaging and well-crafted content. So if you’re creating digital content, take the time to ensure it’s of the highest quality. Otherwise, consider partnering with a professional who can help you produce high-quality content that will resonate with your target audience.

Finally, don’t forget to track the performance of your digital content. You can better understand what works and doesn’t by monitoring metrics such as views, likes, and shares. This will allow you to refine your approach and create more effective digital content that resonates with your customers and helps you build stronger relationships.

Using digital content effectively can help you create a powerful connection with your customers and convince them to fall in love with your products. 

From creating an aesthetically pleasing design to following trends to producing high-quality digital content, there are many ways you can leverage marketing to make customers fall in love with your products. These are only a few of the many ways you can achieve this, have any of these strategies worked out for your brand? Or perhaps other strategies have worked for your brand; let us know in the comments. 

Brands

Millennials Splurge for Nostalgia

admin
November 18, 2022

Many Millennials have been accused of being overly sentimental. They are said to live in the past, holding onto childhood memories instead of allowing themselves to adapt and evolve. But what if this is a good thing?

Nostalgia is a bittersweet longing for the past. It can be described as sadness and wistfulness that often accompany childhood, home, and family memories. Nostalgia refers to a yearning for simpler times or the good old days.

We can feel nostalgia for a place, period in time, objects, or experiences. Usually, people get nostalgic at least once every week.

Retailers can use nostalgia as an opportunity for growth. Nostalgia creates joy and comfort, encouraging people to spend more money. Retailers should consider creating nostalgic experiences to boost sales among their Millennial customers.

According to Brandtellers Studio, “Nostalgia marketing consists of using products from the past for the current strategy, awakening the feeling of homesickness in consumers, through the creation of an emotional connection.” These sentiments are crucial to create an emotional bond between the brand and its consumer. 

Whatever it is that makes Millennials feel nostalgic, there’s no doubt that this generation has a strong affinity for things from days gone by. This can be seen not only in their spending habits but also in their style preferences. 

What’s the deal with Millennials and nostalgia?

Nostalgia is a powerful force, and Millennials have it in spades. Studies have found that Millennials are “the most nostalgic generation” as they grew up in the internet age. Exposure to so much information on social media and online certainly has its benefits. Still, it can also lead to anxiety over missing out, which leads some people to seek comfort in their pasts.

Millennials are spending more than ever on retro products like vinyl records and typewriters because of this desire for nostalgia, according to this research from Nielsen.

Does nostalgia have a positive impact on brands?

Nostalgia is a persuasive marketing tool. It’s a way of connecting with people and making people feel good about themselves. Marketers can use nostalgia to sell products and services. 

This is why brands that have been around for decades are still popular today. They tap into our nostalgia for simpler times and remind us what life was like. 

When brands remind people of a past pleasant experience, there is a higher chance of making them feel comfortable and connected. A recent article by Spiralytics mentioned, “People buy certain products that connect them to their childhood because they can keep these items to help the memories stay alive.”

Ways in which your brand can incorporate nostalgia

In a Forbes article, it was stated that nostalgia marketing reaches millennials better than other strategies. “The best campaigns are timely and relevant but must also be authentic with a strong emotional hook to capture the heart.”

Perhaps you are currently considering how to include nostalgia in your brand’s marketing strategy. There are a few ways you can do that; below, I will list three ways.

The first thing to consider is your audience and relevance. You need to understand what customers are looking for in your brand. Millennials are looking to connect with brands like they used to. Being authentic will help your brand stand out as relatable.

To boost sales, you must consider how your products can be sold as nostalgic experiences. By creating an immersive experience that gives customers a sense of belonging and creating a sense of nostalgia, you can increase customer loyalty and make them feel like they’re experiencing something special. 

Bring back products or services but with a twist. Create urgency for consumers by reminding them why the product is unique. This goes hand in hand with learning from your audience. Listen to what they miss from your brand, and bring it back.

In conclusion, nostalgia is a powerful force in the lives of Millennials. Brands can take advantage of this by creating nostalgic experiences that appeal to this generation’s love of memories. Emotional strategies like this one have proven to be successful time and time again. Nostalgia is stronger than ever, and your brand will be too. 

Creativity

Designing for the Shelf is not enough

admin
June 1, 2021

Nowadays, a ferocious competence takes place, old tactics seem obsolete, and you need to have more than a big name to outperform in the market; the rise of products in the United Kingdom against regular brands pictures the state of affairs. So, which differentiators are making people choose one product over the other? Take note.

The power of Influencers.

As recently in the UK’s household market and not precisely the cause of a direct influencer marketing strategy, or because they are getting paid for, influencers are backing own-label brands with their product reviews; This has impacted positively sales for own-label products thanks to Mrs. Hinch and the young people demographic who watch her reviews.

Influencer marketing is nothing new, with big brands from all markets capitalizing on the reputation of social media personalities on a range of channels, such as Tik Tok or Instagram, to attract a broader audience, which can be an excellent opportunity for your brand.

All it takes is the proper collaboration with a relevant influencer, and your product will soar to new heights.

Emotional connection, building a stronger bond.

The key for your business and brands to grow is to make your product matter in peoples’ lives and preserve those values you have. Premiumization and personalization happen by adding value to your product, reflecting in the community loyalty.

For example, Xiaohongshu, a thriving lifestyle community platform with over 300 million users, started sharing the products they were buying overseas, usually luxury products. Over time, this developed more and more into a larger community and a place to purchase products.

And it’s a great example of how successful brands that make that emotional connection in consumers’ lives are those that combine community and personalization. However, brands must take care of their premium side, as well as their reputation because they can become tomorrow’s commodity.

Personality and Humanized brands.

Your brand’s Personality is essential when you have many competitors; as humans, outstanding personalities attract us; if a brand lacks one, it will remain an average one; if it does, it will induce brand loyalty, and for instance, people will not be influenced by competence even if there’s a better price in between.

Hone your brand’s personality public perception according to the five types of the brand personality framework and don’t miss the opportunity to make it stand out; for example, Tik Tok falls under the umbrella of excitement, and Apple in the sophistication one.

Brand experience & authenticity

If a Brand is like a person, then its experience refers to the relationship you have with customers, how you interact with them in the long term, and the holistic perception this brings, which eventually translates to commercial ROI.

However, stick true to your brand’s authenticity; for 86% of consumers, authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support.

Lego consistently creates a fantastic experience for customers before, during, and after their transactions has earned the honor to be one of the top authentic brands.

Price & E-commerce solutions

Although the price might remain an obvious differentiator, the price differential is particularly noticeable for people looking for coupons, bogofs, and all kinds of discounts; however, they still look for quality, so the price-quality ratio remains at peoples’ top mind;

People might choose own-label products over brands, but the price difference is not that big; this can affect the product; however, many people choose, while rushing so they don’t have time to focus on other differentiators brands have to offer other than price.

Following the sustainability trend.

Eco-friendly and sustainability-related consumer items are currently growing roughly six times faster than other brands, and 73% of global consumers indicated they would definitely modify their consumption patterns to decrease their environmental effect.

In the UK’s Household market, sustainability is one of the two key drivers for growth across the toilet tissue category this year.

More than half of customers (52%) feel they emotionally connect to items or organizations they consider sustainable. Brands like Adidas make this a definite trend with its most recent “Run for the Oceans” program.

You must feed your e-content daily and provide originality to your brand; it must feel like a person and not a robot; You must be relevant and, at the same time, have a personality: we can arrange that and give a change of look; if designing for the Shelf is not enough, we are that powerful tool that helps global brands have an impressive amount of content. 

From Social & E-comm content, graphic design, digital implementation to integrated production, 121 will work with you to grow your brand while giving you peace of mind. We aim to help you achieve your brand’s objective, not to compete against your creative, strategic, or In-House agencies. We adapt and implement your global campaigns to suit and comply with your outlets’ requirements while also aligned with your brand’s equity. We can play a significant role in your success.