3 Things For December 3rd, 2023
The Most Important Thing; Website Essentials; SWAG – Really Cool Stuff!
Up First: The Most Important Thing
Say the most important thing first. Don’t preface it, don’t lead up with all the why’s. Just say it, don’t bury the “lede.” Then follow up with why it’s important, and context, and all the ways you want to go deeper for the people who care about going deeper.
There’s no time to waste. We don’t have the patience or desire to read or listen for long so it’s best to just get to the point. Then, the ones that are interested can go deeper. By all means, make it snappy but not so clever that it’s confusing. Just say it and make it short and powerful.
- We spend 26 seconds on average reading a piece of content
- We spend fewer than 15 seconds on web pages that we click
- Our brain decides in 17 milliseconds if we like what we clicked
- We don’t read, we scan
- We check our phones 344 times a day (VandeHei, Allen, and Schwartz, Smart Brevity)
At the end, remind them once again, what the biggest takeaway is. For this “thing” it’s that the most important thing you have to say should be the first thing you say.
If you like this, I highly recommend reading Smart Brevity. The print version is better than audible, IMHO.
If you’re struggling with getting attention with your marketing messages, schedule a Whiteboard Session.
Six Essentials for a User-Friendly Website
At Strategy 3, we understand the pivotal role of User Experience (UX) in a website’s success. Engaging and satisfying UX is our priority because it keeps visitors connected to your brand. Here are Strategy 3’s top factors for ensuring your website delivers an excellent UX:
1. Simplicity: We design clean, uncluttered layouts that make navigation effortless, ensuring users find what they need swiftly.
2. Responsiveness: As mobile browsing dominates, Strategy 3 ensures your website functions flawlessly across all devices.
3. Speed: We leverage top-tier WordPress-specific web hosting to ensure your site’s performance is lightning-fast. Our hosting solutions are optimized for WordPress, delivering speed that keeps users engaged and reduces bounce rates.
4. Intuitive Navigation: We are dedicated to creating a user-friendly experience. We design logical navigation that guides users effortlessly through your site with clear menus and intuitive interface design, ensuring they find what they need without any confusion.
5. Consistency: We create a consistent design across your website, fostering a secure and comfortable environment for users.
6. Visual Hierarchy: Strategy 3 utilizes strategic color, contrast, and sizing to draw attention to your most critical elements.
Partnering with Strategy 3 ensures your website not only looks great but also effectively maintains engagement, encouraging repeat visits and conversions.
New Years Resolutions? Nah, This Post is About SWAG!
I do strive every year to decrease my footprint: less disposable, more reusable. In a way, that’s been a resolution of mine for years, and increasingly our society is pushing in that direction.
Ok, so I said no resolution talk – instead let’s talk about branding and SWAG.
What is SWAG? In the olden days, swag referred to a thief’s loot or stolen goods. But there is also the verb: he swaggers through the hall (cool, confident, composed), and let’s not forget the tie for holding a curtain back. In a quick google search, someone claims it stands for “Stuff We All Get.” So, let’s merge that all together and make our own definition, how about: Really cool stuff, that I will use, that also shows off a brand or business I like. (Did you see that; I got a little piece of my resolution in there!)
Why spend our hard-earned money on swag? Well, like everything we do at S3, it totally depends on your business and your audience(s).
SWAG for Employees:
I’m a big fan of branding our employees. When I walk into a business, I want to be able to quickly identify if you are an employee or customer. From a simple t-shirt or apron to a nice button up or puffy vest with logo embroidered, it reinforces who you are.
My daughter is spending this year as a wrangler, taking people on horseback rides in Colorado and now Arizona. She’s 19, 5’2.5, and 115 pounds. So, she’s the youngest and the smallest at the ranch. Within a week, she knew she needed logo’d shirts, so she would be identified as a team member. The ranch didn’t brand their employees. So, being the kid she is, she bought herself enough t-shirts and sweatshirts to be able to be branded everyday she worked. It made a big difference. Are your team members identifiable?
I’ll never forget, years ago, watching a local news show and the entire staff was drinking from disposable coffee cups. It was so tacky! Needless to say, they got an email calling them out, and the next time I watched, guess what? Branded coffee cups. Is there something that can be better not only for the environment, but for your office?
We’re not saying, spend needlessly, we are saying, are you branding your team appropriately?
SWAG for Clients/Customers:
So many possibilities, but before we order anything, we look at our goals: build brand awareness, stay top of mind with our clients, bring new clients in.
Where are we giving this out? Holiday gifts, trade shows, consumer shows. We want something that isn’t going in the trash, something people are going to not only hang on to, but actually-use. There are so many ideas, but what is appropriate for your business and is it even necessary?
Retail SWAG:
Coffee shops are notorious for this! But, so are ski areas, vacation spots, etc. Who doesn’t have a favorite t-shirt with the memories to go with it?. Retail SWAG is a little different, because not only are you finding the right thing, you have to factor in pricing. Are you selling it to make a profit? Or is it just to get your name out there? Regardless there’s a discussion around goals and intentions for this as well.
As always, we are here to support you. This includes making sure that your branding on any SWAG is up to your standards. We can also help determine what’s appropriate and come up with fresh ideas.
TJ Powers, owner of Printix Printing is now sharing our office space. He has been a great resource for us for years, but now we feel additional connection, because he is easier than ever to reach out to – we can talk across the desk! TJ can be reached directly at tjpowers@printixprinting.com or 253.208.7103.
Have a wonderful Holiday Season!
