Shoestring Branding

They say that the devil is in the details, but they are wrong. Opportunity is in the details.

Taking care of the details is hard work, that is why so few do it right. Apple usability experts who painstakingly decide what sound the faux-keys should make when you press them, or the engineers at Google trying to shave off another tenth of a second before the results of your query pop up, are examples of people focused on the details.

Two caveats though: the first one, the details should support a strategy. Addressing random details here and there is not going to work. And second, taking care of just a few details is not enough. An outstanding customer experience is the result of taking care of hundreds of small details, all working together and supporting the strategy.

Every time we have to make a decision we face the temptation of trying to find a “happy medium”.  Settling for a happy medium is tempting (and dangerous) because it makes it look as if we made a decision when we really haven’t. 

Another problem with the “happy medium” is that it is seldom happy: we’re just creating a situation where, more often than not, nobody is completely satisfied and everybody is just somewhat OK. 

The happy medium is especially dangerous when trying to build a brand or develop a new product. Accept that you’re going to delight some people (your customers) and alienate others (not your customers) and just go ahead.  That’s how great brands, amazing products and powerful movements are made.