Do You Know The Secret To Success?

Recently, I had the opportunity to interview several of the most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders in our region. When asked for the secret of success in business, three main principles emerged: 
1. Surround yourself with good people, tell them what you expect, and let them do their jobs.
2. Focus on your idea/design (the what). Don’t worry about money (the how). 
3. Start by listening to what your customer wants and work backwards.

The secret? Give people what they want. Employees want autonomy. Entrepreneurs want to dream. Customers want what they want, how they want it.

So how do these principles apply to creativity and marketing? Strangely enough, the most brilliant creative ideas are born from limitations, barriers and downright struggle. By starting with what the customer wants and working backwards everything is harder. You’re adding roadblocks and hurdles. You have to change your perspective. The easy way out would be to plan just another TV commercial, print campaign or landing page and then simply check it off your marketing plan. But, it’s not about you. It’s about them.

When I think back to the most successful marketing campaigns I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of, they have all focused on the end user, not our client’s company. I’m proud to say that focusing on what our clients’ customers want is how we work. Whether it’s an ad campaign, information architecture for a website or media planning, it’s all about finding them, talking to them in a way they want to be talked to and ultimately, saving them time or money, or enhancing their lives with a product or service. When’s the last time you really put yourself in your customer’s shoes? Go ahead. Try them on. Apparently they’re magical red slippers that can make your dreams come true!