Of Hammers and Nails

Ok, so I'm addicted to "The Closer". Is it Kyra Sedgewick's ducklike cuteness? Or the secret addiction to chocolate? Beats me, but there are some well-drawn characters on this show, and it's fun to get to know them. A recent episode had Brenda's boss telling her "When you're a hammer, everything looks like a nail!" in an effort to get her to back off about something or other..... and that line has had me thinking. In what ways am I a hammer, too?

Many customers, when we are searching for ways to promote their widgets, for example, insist on a photo and specifications. It makes sense that as the manufacturer, their focus is on the product and the products specs - and that seems like the really important thing to them. They're being a hammer! We need to remind them that their prospects have a different perspective... a perspective that asks "How will this improve MY life?" and to be relevant to them, we must focus on benefits, not features.

In my daily experience as a small business owner, I'm pulled in every conceivable direction by this business and it's needs. Printer doesn't work? - get Paul. Customer needs an estimate by 2:00? -Paul will need to do that. Whoa! We need to build a crate by 4:00, I'll go get the saw!

The result of all this is sometimes that each new item starts to look like a problem, and that includes things that really are great opportunities. I have to make sure that I don't become a hammer, so that I can recognize a GOOD thing when it pops up. If I've spent the day on technical details regarding my computer network, I have a tendency to treat the next creative challenge as an exercise in lining up features in neat little boxes, instead of finding out what my client really needs!

The bottom line is: Learn to shift viewpoints. When the printer needs its IP address reset, be a nerdy tech head - but don't let that carry over to your phone conversation with a prospective client. If you spend most of your time on one sort of task, remember that some adjustment may be called for when approaching a new and different project.

How does a big project go right?

Diamond V had some designs on the table from a competitor of ours who really hadn’t shown them anything impressive from a design aesthetic point of view. Brainstorm’s vast design library served as a springboard for everyone’s creativity, and we soon settled on a general configuration to begin with. Kudos to the Diamond V design staff for their clear directions... and kudos to Brainstorm’s designers for their color 3-D renderings! The finished display - 20 x 30 footprint includes tower with personnel door and storage, 8 x 18 conference room with locking doors, cool fabric graphics complemented by maple laminate, 2 workstations with locking storage - low ship weight and easy setup, all for under $45,000, ALL INCLUSIVE.

•So why did this project go so right? First of all, the client had put serious thought into their likes / dislikes / needs / wants and goals. Here’s what I (display designer) got at the first meeting:
•A list of things that they felt were wrong with the previous booth.
•Photos of displays from a recent show they had attended showing some elements they found interesting.
•A laundry list of “must haves” like how much storage, literature and counter space.
•Some ideas of future needs, in Diamond V’s case we know that at some point we’ll need to add a big screen to the tower... and I’ve designed that expectation in already.
•Some goals. In their case, the goal was to look modern, clean and cutting edge, to reduce cost of ownership, and to keep the cost of refreshing graphics to a minimum.
•A budget. A booth designer needs to know a realistic budget up front if he’s going to work efficiently. Try not to think of an exhibit as a commodity, where low price rules. Find a designer / builder that you feel you can trust and give them the information they need to succeed. Look at past projects they’ve done, interview their customers and visit their offices. Shop for competence, not price, and require them to stick to your budget – you’ll do much better!

When a client puts this kind of thought and preparation into the purchase, two things always happen: they get a better exhibit, and they spend less money! Diamond V gave me such a clear picture of what constituted success to them, that it was far simpler for my team to put it all together.

-Paul Bridson, Exhibit Designer