Atomicdust

The Battle of Bullets

I’ve been working on some marketing lately for Atomicdust. Tell me what you think...

Atomicdust provides a complete solution for e-marketing and offline communications strategy that not only meets but exceeds the ever-changing needs of clients while addressing and confronting communications challenges in the digital age.

Services include:

• Dynamic Website Programming available across multiple Internet Service Providers

•  The most comprehensive promotional mail, including electronic

• Words and symbols that engage user experience and blend across multiple platforms

•  Advertisements and promotions that are not limited to, but usually rectangular in shape

• Strategic grouping and position of colors to display the most widespread complementary spectrum

•  World Class Customer Service

Still reading? Good. As I was writing that, I was trying to imagine how many people would just close the window half way through.

Hopefully you’ve guessed by now, I’m being sarcastic. But my point is pretty serious.

Competing companies are hell bent on out-bullet pointing each other. They’re carefully crafting PowerPoints and sales brochures, ready to do battle with competitors for the most detailed, smartest sounding bullet point. If they can just squeeze in a few more buzzwords, they will have the sales advantage and win the business. If the competition says they’re a “complete software solution,” then we have to say we offer a “total software experience.”

And the marketing materials don’t really matter at all. No one’s going to read it anyway. The salesperson’s personality will win the account, right? After all, they’re so funny and personable.

Ok, here’s my opinion: No one is going to remember the details from your bullet points or your industry jargon. You don’t remember the ones in the first part of this article do you? I hope not.

With copy like that, no one is going to process any of it. They will be polite and sit through your PowerPoint presentation. Afterwards, they either won’t have anything to talk about, or worse, they’ll want an in-depth discussion of why you call it a “total software experience.” And since the differences between you and your competitors are presented so similarly, the only thing customers have to really compare is price. And that’s where everyone loses.

Believe it or not, it’s possible to tell a compelling story about a business, no matter what the industry. The best part is, you already have a story.

People want something they can relate to. They buy from businesses that are different for a reason, not just in their bullets. They want to make an emotional connection with your brand and want their lives to be better. Don’t sacrifice your ability to sound human for the opportunity to sound smart.

Take if from “the industry leading design and marketing solutions provider for improving customer experiences on the information super highway, with superior customer service for cyber-businesses on this continent, and also smaller islands and peninsulas.”

(We’re also known as “Atomicdust. Makes creative matter.”) 

Mike Spakowski is Principal / Creative Director of Atomicdust and is involved with the day-to-day design strategy, art direction and studio management.