The Bob Effect

Marketing Tip: Don't underestimate white-space in your advertising. It brings a critical focus to your marketing. When you surround your offer with space it will most assuredly get more attention than your competitors.

Problem Conversation:
Client:"Can you please fit sixty-seven pages of text to my 5"x7" mailer?"
Graphic Designer:"Is that all?"
Client:"...and add our sponsors logos."
Graphic Designer: "...anything else."
Client: "Don't forget the BBB logo..."

Watch and Learn:
Look below at my visual quiz and answer one question. Where's Bob?

A. Box #1

B. Box #2

C. Box #3

D. Who's Bob and why am I taking a quiz?

ANSWER: "B"

(Actually Bob is in every box. The point is that you notice Bob sitting all by himself in the center box.)

• Sometimes marketing plans are executed very different from one another and yet none of them rise above there competitors just like the "Bob" in box #1. He is hard to find and hardly worth the effort of looking. Don't let your company fall in this category.
• Some marketing plans are too similar to one another like the "Bob" in box #3. This also doesn't set any particular offer apart. He is easy to find but one Bob (or marketing effort) isn't better than the next...also, hardly worth it.
• But... Box #2 is the answer. Bob stands alone. He does something that is rarely done. He elimitated the competition by cleaning up his act and eliminating everything that doesn't matter in his campaign.

Solution Conversation:

Client:"Can you please focus this mailer on the personality of my company? Since I am a new company with few clients can you please begin to brand my logo ?"

Graphic Designer:"Sure, may I suggest using a lot of white space?"

Client:"ABSOLUTELY!"

Graphic Designer: "You wouldn't believe how many people come in here and want their life story on a wallet sized mailer, it is refreshing to know that there are still companies out there with vision!"