Why Architects Often Sell The Wrong Thing To The Wrong People

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5 Minute Marketing

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29.01.14


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Clients Don’t Buy Design

and No-one Wants

Creativity Paul Iddon

22nd January 2014



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“People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill, they want a quarter-inch hole.” Theodore Levitt

Clients Don’t Buy Design…

They Buy Benefits…

Benefit - “something that is advantageous or good; an advantage:” Dictionary.com



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Use this as a divider slide Because the quote is incomplete:

What’s the purpose of this quarter-inch hole? What does the user plan on doing with it? Even better, what’s the end-result the user wants to achieve with it?

But that’s a bit simplistic…



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Benefits usually consist of four principal levels Features — what things have. Advantages — what features do. Motives — what motives do features satisfy. Benefits — what those features mean.



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Benefits usually consist of four principal levels. Features — have. “The apartments have generous balconies.” Advantages — do. “Balconies allow the occupants to be outside whilst in their own space, at upper floor levels” Motives — satisfy. “Eliminates feeling ‘cooped up’ and satisfies the need to experience fresh air, sunshine, have a smoke and grow stuff” Benefits — mean. “An attractive feature that positively differentiates, allows the developer to charge a price premium, and confers an advantage for the owner when re-selling ”



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So What? I hear you ask, what has this to do with Design…with

Architecture?

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Because…..

Architects and designers often think design quality alone sells…. ….But in the clients world – they need to buy benefits….

Intangible…. Safety Status Credibility Image Positioning

Tangible…. Profit Added value Savings Increased efficiency Differentiation



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So when you present to a client… Remember Design may be important to you,

but Benefits are important to them….

So you need to do your homework… What are their challenges?

Who are they accountable to?

“Show me the money!” Jerry Maguire 1996



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But there is a much bigger issue that needs to be

understood…..



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People Desire, but Reject Creative Ideas…. We are taught that creativity will be celebrated - if we have good ideas, we will succeed. BUT research shows that creativity is rarely acknowledged: Most people don’t actually like it.

What does this mean?

“Even people who say they are looking for creativity react negatively to creative ideas”* It is not Overt – A bias activates as a response to reduce uncertainty - Risk It also causes people to not even recognise a creative idea…. *The bias against creativity – why people desire but reject creative ideas University of Pennsylvania 2011

What does this mean?

“In terms of decision style, most people fall short of the creative ideal … unless they are held accountable for their decision-making strategies, they tend to find the easy way out—either by not engaging in very careful thinking or by modeling the choices on the preferences of those who will be evaluating them.” *The bias against creativity – why people desire but reject creative ideas University of Pennsylvania 2011



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People are risk averse – when it comes to possible gains. Given a choice people will generally choose a 90% chance of winning £1000 over a 10% chance of winning £100,000.. Unless.. They are in a losing situation where they will take risk..



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People are risk averse The same principle applies in following the majority prevailing view… Even if it means abandoning evident truths… And especially when the majority view is backed by an authority figure……

I’m the BOSS!!



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Organisations can also follow this strategy…. They may celebrate innovation, but few managers are willing to take the risk… It means breaking every ‘rule’ from recruitment to policy and investment….



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Organisations can also follow this strategy…. Creativity means chaos, opposition, non-conformity, uncertainty and ‘waste’ – Risk “Creative people do not ‘mesh well’ with the proclivities of the average person”



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In Conclusion A Cornell study makes the case that social rejection is not actually bad for the creative process—and can facilitate it….BUT in any case Know your client, know their pains – their situation Make them look good – but not too risky Creativity is a sliding scale – small victories – small moves Unless you have the rare creative client…then go for it!! study shows that if you have the sneaking suspicion you might not belong, the act of being rejected confirms your interpreta=on. The effect can liberate crea=ve people from the need to fit in and allow them to pursue their interests.

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