From time to time throughout my career I’ve run into those decision makers who have said something to the effect of, “Being creative is great, but we need to get serious about selling.” As if 'being creative' were a luxury that the business could not afford when it needs to get 'serious about selling.’

The truth is that great creative can actually expand the impact you have across a prospect’s conversion process.

The fallacy of focusing solely on features

When decision makers have talked about ‘getting serious about selling’, they have invariably meant focusing on the features. A vivid example is the car dealer who yells at you about the makes, models, features, and rebates through their radio or TV spots. It’s this kind of activity that only targets prospects who are in the “evaluating” stage of the conversion process. Prospects at this stage will take notice (because they are close to making a buying decision), but even then, I don’t know anybody who likes being yelled at by an obnoxious pitchman.

Expanding your reach across the conversion process

A smart creative approach isn’t just about being clever. It’s about characterizing your offer in a way that connects with prospects across all stages of the conversion process.

Think about that for a second. With a smart creative approach, you can reach prospects who are at the beginning of the conversion process, those who are going through discovery, those evaluating options, those at the point of buying, and those who are reviewing their decision post-purchase. That is five times as powerful as just focusing on selling the features. That’s the business impact that a great creative approach can deliver.

Of course a great creative approach doesn’t mean creative for creative’s sake. It’s not frivolous. It’s relevant and smart. It makes complete sense with the brand. All while adding that bit of ingenuity that makes it irresistible.

Imagine that. Something inventive that reaches across the conversion process, enhancing your ability to boost sales. That sounds like a good business argument. In other words, for anyone wanting to ‘get serious about selling’, it’s time to get creative.