We’ve all heard the age-old admonishment. Don’t judge a book by its cover.

What a joke.

In a time when we are all subject to constant information overload, there literally is no time to judge a book – or anything else for that matter by anything more than its cover.

Thankfully, it appears that we human beings are intuitively equipped to make snap judgments with shocking accuracy. If you doubt this point, pick up a copy of Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Blink (The Power of Thinking Without Thinking). In it, he shares countless examples of people reaching amazingly insightful conclusions with seemingly almost no data on which to base their positions.

So why do I raise this issue?

I’m sick of selling people on the importance of design.

In an environment in which time and attention are abundant, marketers have the luxury of focusing on the substance of communication rather than its packaging. Unfortunately, outside of a focus group where subjects are being paid to concentrate, I’m not aware of many other settings in which our prospects’ time and attention is anything but DARN scarce.

So we marketers had better package what we have to say (and sell) in a way that creates the desired impression in a second or two. Because that’s all we’ve got… if we’re lucky.

Let me be clear.  Am I saying that our prospects will decide to buy on the basis of a momentary impression?

No. At least not always.

Some of us sell products and services that require careful consideration.

But the FIRST sale we make to these prospects is to persuade them to invest their scarce time and attention in learning more about what we have to offer. This sale, I would argue, is made or lost in a fleeting moment.

So what should you do about this?

STOP shaving budgets by skimping on design.

STOP passing off design to the receptionist who just learned Microsoft Publisher last weekend – and seems to enjoy it.

START identifying the seriously talented designers in your area, and engage them in your work.

The great thing about the world of graphic design, in my experience, is that you DON’T always get what you pay for.

I work with a handful of extremely talented freelance designers.  They all used to work at agencies where an hour of their time cost a client $150 – $200. They freelance now, and guess what. An hour of their time costs a LOT less.

Are they any less talented than they were at the agency? No.

Is their equipment any worse than it was at the agency? No. Often better in fact.

The design function is fueled very little if at all by the overhead of agencies. So find the talented freelancers, and work with them. You’ll be amazed by how small the incremental cost is relative to the value you receive.

And once this whole information overload thing passes, you still have the receptionist to take over design.

A while ago I wrote a post asking the question, “who is really in charge of your marketing?” My intent was to highlight the marketing impact (for better or worse) of the rank and file staffers who come face-to-face with customers.

Recently however, I have noticed something truly fascinating that I believe may very well change marketing forever.  And it forces me to revisit this same issue of who’s in charge of marketing.

This time I would ask you to consider the role of your customer in the marketing equation.  No… I’m not talking about generating referrals.  I’m actually talking about the customer as a deciding and active force in an organization’s marketing.

Recently, Entrepreneur magazine featured a company called Threadless.com.  In the words of the company, “Threadless is a community based tee shirt company with an ongoing, open-call for tee design submissions.”

Here’s the business model. And I must say – I love it.

People submit their artwork to Threadless as part of a never-ending campaign to find the coolest tee shirt designs.

The public votes online for their favorite designs.

The winning artist is paid something for his/her work and soaks up the thrill of victory.

Threadless produces shirts using the winning artwork.

The voters (and others) buy the shirts.

And Threadless sells out their inventory every time.

Needless to say, the company and its founders are doing quite well.  It reminds me a bit of the making of stars in American Idol. After millions of people vote week after week for the winning Idols, is it any wonder that their records sell when they are released?

Look at what’s happening…

The customer/community MAKES THE PRODUCT. The customer/community tells the company which one they will buy. The company listens. And the product made and selected by the customer/community sells out.

Now let’s take this concept a step further… to the realms of the seemingly absurd.

A band called Radiohead recently produced an album called “In Rainbows.” To date, it is only available from a web site the likes of which you have to see to believe. (pretty strange)

You can pre-order the CD, or you can order and download the record right now.

Now for the amazing part… The price of the record is WHATEVER YOU WANT IT TO BE. YOU DECIDE. If you don’t want to pay, it’s free.  Want to support the band?  Pay something north of zero.

MarketingProfs recently reported that the band has sold 1.2 million downloads for an average price of $8.00. Apparently scores of bands are now looking at doing the same thing.

I hardly think of myself as old-school, but this blows my mind.

The world is changing, and with it – the very fundamentals of marketing.

Start thinking about how to collaborate with your audience.

A professional marketer recently suggested that the marketing principles I’ve been addressing related to overt benefit, dramatic difference, and real reasons to believe are outdated… they no longer apply since the dawn of category competition.

The example that she cited was that of GM, Ford, and Chrysler perfecting these principles only to converge on a “commodity position” and obviously struggle in the marketplace.

At times it would be easier to draw this conclusion and search for an easier path to resolve our most fundamental marketing challenges. But respectfully, I disagree. These principles are not outdated.  Rather, I think that these tired organizations have forgotten (or possibly can no longer deliver on) the concepts of REAL reasons to believe and DRAMATIC difference. Their products are painfully inferior to their foreign competitors, and sadly, they no longer have a benefit to offer that is more pronounced than 0% financing.

In fairness to their marketers, the weight of the business economic issues plaguing our auto makers (the burden of healthcare costs, etc.) is probably as much or more to blame for this than anything else.

However, when your category becomes crowded, and if ever wellspring of product innovation runs dry, differentiation can always be found in the provision of service… making bold declarations and standing behind them… building new and REAL reasons to believe.

Since she cited the automotive industry, let me direct our focus to Lexus and ask if these principles are in any way failing to serve Toyota. Lexus actually follows through on its lofty ideals that are stirringly articulated in its Covenant with customers:

The Lexus Covenant

Lexus will enter the most competitive, prestigious automobile race in the world.

Over 50 years of Toyota automotive experience has culminated in the creation of Lexus cars. They will be the finest cars ever built.

Lexus will win the race because Lexus will do it right from the start. Lexus will have the finest dealer network in the industry.

Lexus will treat each customer as we would a guest in our home.

If you think you can’t, you won’t…

If you think you can, you will!

We can, we will.

What happens when these ideals are assaulted by real-life problems?  Lexus rises to the occasion.

Nancy Fein, vice president of customer service with Lexus recently told the story of a minor technical glitch that affected some 3,000 of its inaugural LS 400 sedans nearly 20 years ago.

Lexus discovered the problem and responded… NOT by hoping no one would notice…  and NOT by asking their new buyers to return to the dealership for repairs. Instead, they sent some 300 of its executives to the homes of the affected customers to apologize in person, hand-deliver a gift, and repair the problem (with the help of a technician) right there in the customer’s driveway.

Last year, a similar issue arose with some 700 of its ES 350 models that had been delivered with faulty transmissions. In this case, Lexus did ask these customers to return to the dealership to drop off their cars… but not for repairs. Rather – to pick up their BRAND NEW replacement – no questions asked.

Not surprisingly, follow-up surveys show that these customers were MORE LOYAL to Lexus than buyers who experienced no problems at all.

So I ask – is it the principles or the marketers that are outdated?