The art of selling
This year’s internal theme at the agency is “do something”.
It implores everyone to act. To make something happen. However small. Because it might create a bigger more impactful result.
Like the butterfly’s wings flapping in the rainforest…it could be the small change in the initial conditions that could bring about a tornado.
Well, alright. You may like chaos theory. I’m not sure. But I just work on the simple principal of physics. That an action should cause a reaction.
In advertising, our end result is to provoke a reaction. To get consumers to do something. Anything. Like log on to a site. Go into a store. Think a little differently about their world. Buy something!
So it surprises me how little advertising gets me to do that. To react. To be compelled. To be jolted into action.
I sense that a lot of advertising tells rather than sells.
I believe that the current generation of advertising creative person is intoxicated with the idea of creating on film. Exploring the webiverse. Building stunts. But I wonder if they would know how to sell a product without these tools. Stripped back, I wonder if the first priority is to create the art. But the art of what?
This sounds like I am eating my own young. Rest assured I am not. I just believe as a senior person in the industry I need to pass on the tribal stories. Remind our people how we got to this place and what our unique and magical role is.
We are, indeed, the show business of business. We are here to make strategies come to life. And it is the creative interpretation of those strategies that remain the black art.
Some creative people get why they are here. And others simply don’t.
I am here to sell my clients products, services and agendas. And my role in the selling process can be the most important.
So why doesn’t a lot of advertising move us more?
Are we being let down by flimsy strategies? Why, with the era of strategy planners entering its teenage, have we produced less and less long lasting and memorable dialogue with consumers?
Perhaps we think “telling” is enough?
Our agency proudly stands on record as helping build an airline from scratch. Virgin Blue wouldn’t be the airline it is today if we didn’t get bums on seats in its first crucial 6 months. In the early days we were asking people to buy a product for a great price…but to do so sight unseen with faith and confidence. This was a sales pitch.
Our work on Kmart is also gauged on results. In almost real time can we monitor the effectiveness of our work.
Finding ways to get people to buy a product isn’t a sinister act of advertising. It’s about inspiring them to make a change. Try something different. And yes, do something.
The art of selling is knowing the hopes and dreams, fears and concerns of our given consumer.
Contrary to the last century view that advertising makes people buy things they don’t need, I can only say it’s hard enough to get people to buy something they do need!
At CumminsNitro we are infatuated with creating work that works for our client. Business growth is one of our mantras. Our desire is to use creativity to its utmost to achieve real growth for the brands we work with.
Why am I telling you this?
I’m not telling… I’m selling.
Sean Cummins.
CEO