There are many ways for brick and mortar businesses to leverage the power of the Internet to get new clients and to keep up with existing ones as well.

Facebook has a stronghold on the business space in social media, at least for now and this has caused a rush of business to FB fan page creators.

The fact is that a paradigm shift is happening right now rather you can see it or not and if you want to jump in before the whole herd moves, now is your chance.

Google Plus is the wave of the future and if your company is an early adopter you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Finding new ways to get local listings and emphasize your existing ranking in Google search should be your number one goal as you move forward with promoting your business on the Internet.

There are hundreds of search engines and hundreds of sites offering local listings, but we suggest you don't waste time majoring on the minors.

The simple fact is that there are more searches and more business done through the Google eco-system than anywhere else on the Internet.

• Google Plus for Business

Why it’s essential for your business should be obvious. The search giant has made a move to take on the social giant and so far they are exploding right out of the gates.

Google Plus has grown larger faster than both Facebook and Twitter. We are talking about exponential growth that will only continue to astonish other social networks for the months and years to come.

If your business is ready to position themselves for success on the web in the future, this is where you need to be spending your time and other resources.

One of the most important features about Google plus is the automatic integration of YouTube, Google Maps and the +1 button. All of these big traffic generating Google services are tied into one when you utilize a Google Plus page as a hub for your business online.

Google has pumped millions and millions of dollars into this project to make sure that there social network is here to stay and there is no reason not to start taking advantage of all that it has to offer today and continue to grow your business using these powerful Google services.

Instant search integration has just recently been implemented as well. If you are not a google user, you may not have noticed the new social search feature on their search engine.

Now, when you search you will see results of web sites, pages and online content that your Google Plus acquaintances have shared, +1’d or commented on. This means that your presence on Google Plus is not an option if you want to dominate Google in its future iterations.

The main layout of the Google Plus network is still in its infancy. However, there is no doubt that it is and will continue to give its users a boost in search rankings and in their local listings on the Google Maps web architecture.

© Global World Tech

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Facebook is the largest social networking website till date with an enormous user base of over 500 million. The development has constructive and over time it has developed into something of a social networking.

Not only it is a splendid place to meet new people, but it also provides a great opportunity to business owners. Developing Facebook applications holds the key to success. Facebook allows developers to develop applications that can be accessed by members, in return endorsing the brand.

If you own a small business and want to venture into developing Facebook applications to boost your revenue, there are a number of things you need to know at the outset.

There are two different platforms offered by Facebook to help you drive traffic: Facebook applications and Facebook connect. You must go through their policy documents to understand which applications are permitted and which aren’t.

Advantages Of Developing Facebook Applications for Businesses

• Get more exposure

With these applications you can get more exposure to your small and medium sized businesses than any other conventional medium.

Facebook is an incredible place to make your business popular and widely known. If your application is directed in right direction and touches the right chord, you will find large numbers of users hooked to your application.

• Interactive

Most Facebook applications are highly interactive. This is the reason for their success. While developing an application you should keep in mind that you app is user-friendly. If your users find it boring, they’ll leave and may never return.

• Cost effective

The unique and cost effective characteristics of social media marketing makes Facebook applications a powerful tool for small businesses to take on large firms.

• Provides several ways to generate revenue

There are CPM revenues available for page views of your application. Subscription model can also be implemented into the application for higher revenues.

You can also earn money by monetizing digital goods that members of an application will pay real money for.

• Provides many options for app developers

Creativity is the only thing which can limit your application. The more creative and inventive you app is, the more famous it’ll become.

All should do is at the initial stage is to examine your competition and competitors, and then you’re prepared for the market. With such a huge user base, it provides a lucrative marking ground for application developers and marketers.

For example, everyone using Facebook is aware of Zynga, which gained a lot of recognition following the popularity of games such as Mafia Wars and FarmVille.

There are few more application developers such as Mensing and Wooga, who have made their presence felt through their respective applications developed on Facebook.

Undeniably, Facebook applications are a new and improved way to enhance brand image and exploit new brands.

They provide a platform that is being utilized and implemented by various companies and individuals to promote products and services and present new marketing and advertising campaigns to consumers.

Developing Facebook applications can get your to clients to interact and engage with your brand in a stimulating manner that conveys your message and makes them believe in your business.

© Global World Tech

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By developing custom iPhone and Android apps for your restaurant business, you can open the doors for some of the best promotional strategies.

You can develop various mobile applications to help your restaurant business attract more customers within a shortest time. You just have to be more innovative in this to offer convenience and facility to your customers through your mobile apps.

Custom restaurant apps give you 24/7 access to your customer base. This can not only help in increasing your business as compared to your competitors, but will also increase your customer loyalty.

Here are a few ideas for custom mobile applications to help your restaurant business attract more customers:

1. In-App Reservations

Customers can be provided with convenient feature within your restaurant app which allows them to make reservation, receive confirmation through email with date, time and party size and also turn-by-turn directions to your restaurant location.

This will allow your customers to make reservations anytime convenient to them. Your customers can even call you with an easy one-touch button on the landing page of your custom app.  

2. Digital Menus

You can impress your customers with a “digital menu”. Definitely your customers will astounded by the way they are served by you before their welcome drink. By offering them a facility to choose their menu on iPad or tablets, you provide them a sophisticated way to choose their dishes and meals.   

These types of apps allow then restful attention, as they can easily search for their favorite cuisines and dishes. This digital menu can be simple, yet strategically stimulating and directional.

You can help your customers with suggestive themes with a segregated layout that can work wonders for you. Imagine placing a screen in front of them, which offers a simple selection module with a separate section for both non-vegetarian and vegetarian and other cuisines!  

3. Google Maps-Based Apps

You can integrate Google map in your restaurant app to help customers in reaching your restaurant or its different branches using Google map.

You will also be tagged and will show up in results when somebody will search for the restaurants or keys in some word that suits your parameters in the chosen locality.

4. Promotional Apps

You can interact with your customers directly and keep them updated 24/7 with promotional offers, discount offers and special offerings. You can also encourage your customers to refer more people and offer them auto generated privilege offers and loyalty points.

5. Update Apps

You can share amazing videos and pictures of your restaurant. Party space, events, celebrity visits, food, hospitality, occasional decorations and food can be shared with the guests and customers.   

With mobile apps, it is also possible to share chef’s special advice, video testimonials, information on different branches, proclaimed services, facilities and birthday celebrations that are available as a part of your extended services with the help of intuitive videos.   

6. Payment Apps

You can make payment by your customers easy with a module that interactively asks them to pay their bill through card or cash. With the help of mobile apps, you can offer them loyalty points, cross-promotional offers and additional privileges.

Your customers would love this even more when they would get innovative features such as comparison of their current bill with the bill that they would have paid if they had visited your restaurant during happy hours or other schemes, or a simple tip calculator!

© Global World Tech
 

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Cloud computing is the buzzword that is being frequently discussed in the information technology circles for some years now.

The total market value of cloud computing is expected to exceed 241 billion by the year 2020.  

What exactly is cloud computing and what does cloud computing mean for your business?

Cloud computing refers to off-site services that provide software, processing and file storage for your information technology needs.

The resources are provided as a metered service (pay-for-what-you-use) over the Internet.

The applications that are delivered over the Internet are accessed by end users via web browsers.

Data and software are usually stored in remote servers and are accessed when required.

Infinite storage is available without any hassle whatsoever. The hardware needs of the client are drastically reduced and so are pesky maintenance problems.

The staff requirement to maintain the IT department can be reduced to a minimum.

In totality, this facility allows for shared services, faster installation and use of applications, and businesses and companies have the convenience of scaling their IT resources according to demand.

For technology companies and start-up businesses cloud computing provides the advantages of installing cheap new IT services, helping to  keep the start-up costs to a minimum.

The costs of setting up a web-based business is drastically different from what it was a few years ago. For a large business, utilization of such services have far reaching implications.

Capital investment can be drastically reduced. The operating expenditure is immensely scalable.

Though there are security concerns and other technical challenges that may accompany the shift, the overall savings in terms of time, effort, and money are worth the shift. It also provides a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to set up cloud-based software solutions sold as a service.

Security is an important issue to be addressed both by the company that provides cloud computing services and those that utilize the services. Many are not comfortable with entrusting business data to a third party.

However, end users would essentially would have to do this. Companies that offer cloud computing services offer data security through encrypted authentication.

Data needs to encrypted from point to point. The service providers need to install server farms and a superfast network bandwidth, and ensure high availability guarantees.

Cloud Computing services upgrade their software seamlessly. Many of the cloud computing services have introduced versioning procedures that enable businesses to go back to old files.

The main drawbacks of cloud computing are as follows:

• Security concerns that crop up on handing over your business data to a third party.

• If the cloud computing services go down, then your business is affected. However, experts are of the opinion that the costs are much less when compared to using desktop software.

• Cloud computing services charge for usage spikes which could lead to unpredictable costs.

The typical costs of cloud computing services stand at $0.100 per gigabyte, even less for reduced redundancy when your application is not critical, and $0.150 for high availability.

Using cloud computing services is thus a means of upscaling the IT needs of your business with minimum cost implications.

© Global World Tech

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It's by nature that practically all products go through a number of quality checks before they're launched for public use as well as consumption. This is also true for software items and the procedure is known as GUI testing.

GUI signifies graphical user interface. This signifies the graphical aspects of a particular software program. Instances of those are the menus, textboxes, scrollbars, and others.

You may question the reason why both developers and consumers have to check GUI. The explanation for this is straightforward. Mistakes are something which can't be avoided, as a result it pays to evaluate any item of work.

It should be noted that software programs can also be susceptible to flaws. There can be complex codes there that might lead to some unpredicted conflicts inside the application. Keep in mind that one shortage of the GUI might be a disaster. Just think about an application with no open button.

Therefore, screening the GUI would certainly prove helpful to the operator and most particularly for the developer. Software companies will be cautious with this matter, because they don't want to displease clients.

You will find 5 major reasons for assessing the GUI:
• Consistency
• Effectiveness
• User-Friendliness
• Functionality
• Significance

Consistency is extremely important. The position of the GUI components within your software package have to be consistent during the running status from the application.

Examining the functionality of all of the GUI elements contained in your program is another must do. This means you have to test out all control buttons and menus to see if they are in a working state.

The 3 functions that all interact with each other are:
• Relevance
• User-Friendliness
• Performance

The actual explanation here is anytime a menu will be by itself successful, then naturally it's good for that user. Reviewing significance would likewise lessen the presence of unneeded or unnecessary GUIs within your application.

At the same time, the operation of testing GUI can be quite tedious and it typically takes a lot of time before it's accomplished. This is when automation with the test process will come in.  It is considered that automation decreases the long procedure for the standard testing period. Even so, separate software programs are required for this to manifest.

An independent body has to be developed to check up on every factor of the application. The automatic GUI test program will resemble real utilization of the application. This sort of GUI test will examine every case. The procedure certifies the regularity and wholeness from the program.

It should be documented though that automatic GUI tests can't operate independently because they require the blueprint from the software to allow them to work. This particular blueprint refers back to the application manual,  that contains information on why this application exists and also exactly what the user would like. Additionally, it consists of data on the way to run and sustain the application.

In summary, there exists a great requirement for software applications to endure GUI testing. Whether or not it is automated, programmers continue to be responsible in guaranteeing the strength of their products.

Contact us for your GUI Testing and Software Development requirements.

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Any kind of software testing which searches to discover new bugs or regressions in an ongoing program or application after amendments were made to it as a part of purposeful development or patch is known as Regression Testing in Software Development.

Regression testing concentrates on detecting flaws after changes are made to the main coding of software. It functions to reveal software failures as well expose old bugs that reappear.

Software regression takes place when the applications that were functioning properly suddenly stop its normal operation. Usually, such breakdown or regressions crop up uninvited when the existing programs are updated with newer versions.

The coding in the new version of the software fails to operate in the desired manner when it integrates with the previous version’s code.

General techniques of regression testing in software development comprises of repeating tests that were formerly performed on the software and observe to see if the software glitches that were resolved earlier have recurred.

The intensity of the testing is determined based on the stage of the software release and the risk involved in the updated features.

For example : to enable your Windows operating system to run smoothly and securely, Microsoft releases software patches to incorporate latest security updates, performance enhancement and feature enrichment.

 Such patches undergo extensive regression testing to check if the software operates efficiently in conjunction with all the software and hardware that are installed on windows.

This process holds true for all operating systems, software programs or applications and includes updating mobile phone firmware as well.   

In the business world, software regression testing has been conducted since a long time by a team of software quality assurance after the software developers finish their task of building the software.

The glitches detected during this phase involve lot of expenses. This issue is currently being attended to by the unit testing.

As a component of the development cycle, the developers write test cases however; these cases are usually unit tests or functional tests that authenticate the planned outcome only.

 The developer mainly concentrates on unit based testing and consists of positive as well as negative test cases. Functional tests are carried out on the entire program using numerous inputs whereas; unit tests are carried out on single functions.

Regression testing is performed not only to verify the precision of the program, but also to monitor the quality of its functionality.

For example, after creating compiler software, regression testing is done to check extent of the code, time taken for simulation and test suite cases.

The regression test suite covers three special modules of test cases:

a) A mock test of a replica of the actual software that has all the functions of the real software.

b) Further tests on the functioning of the software that can possibly be influenced by any alteration.

c) Tests that concentrates on the specific software sections that are modified.

Though regression tests can be executed via manual testing methods by employing software programming procedures, it is also performed by means of automated testing software or tools.

An automated test suite has a software tool that lets the testing mechanism to complete the regression testing in software development automatically.  

Programming projects are often connected to automate systems that run the regression tests after a specified period of time (daily, weekly, monthly and so on) and highlight software malfunctions.

© Global World Tech
 

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Outsourcing software development is a good way to reduce costs and get the best quality IT software products. In the present economic downturn situation, it makes sense to use tools and techniques that are cost-effective.

The advantage with software development is that its development can be done in any part of the world. The end product can also be used anywhere. There is increased competition in the market, and only companies that can remain competitive can stay in the business.

This can be achieved easily if specialized works that require heavy investment are outsourced. There are various advantages to outsourcing the development of software.

• It Is Cost-Effective

Outsourcing software development proves a cheaper option compared to keeping a full-fledged development team in the organization.

Until a company is solely in the software development industry, it does not make sense to hire and keep many software developers on monthly salaries. Most likely, these software developers may be used only occasionally.

• Difficult To Find Qualified Professionals

It is also a fact that software developers are very costly to hire. Besides, a company may be situated in a location where there are very few software developers.

In such a case, it is more likely that the company has to pay higher than the industry standard salary if it wants to hire a software developer on a full-time basis.

• Allows You To Focus on Your Core Business

Business experts agree that for better profits a company must concentrate on its core business. If a company is not involved in software business then outsourcing software development is a better choice.

Such a company may not be able to utilize the team of software developers efficiently. Outsourcing allows the company to pay more attention to its core competency.

Nowadays, it is possible to monitor software development work in real time. There are various tools and techniques that can be used to monitor the work in progress at the company hired for software development.

What To Keep In Mind When Outsourcing

While outsourcing software development, there are some important things that must be remembered.

• Requirements

It is important to be sure about your requirements. This is the best way to avoid any confusion later on.

The software development company entrusted with the job must know every detail of the requirement. It is a good idea to prepare a draft and get opinions of employees who will be using the software.

• Check Credentials

Before selecting any particular software development company, it is important to check its credentials. It must have the required number of software professionals.

It must have handled similar jobs in the past and have some experience in the field of software development.

• Monitor Regularly

Just handing over the job and receiving the end product is not a good way to get the quality software. After assigning the task, it is necessary to monitor the progress of offshore software development regularly.

• Budget

Outsourcing software development is done to reduce the costs substantially. One way to achieve this goal is to do some cost-comparison of charges from different vendors.

There are thousands of software development companies. With a little research, it is possible to find the most affordable software development company.

© Global World Tech
 

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Software development is a well-known process in the information and technology world; it ranges from building simple software such as those that are used by individuals, to highly sophisticated software built for large organizations.

In any of these cases, there is always a need to stay in control of any software developed by an individual or a company. This can be achieved through thorough tests and adequate supervision of software development projects, which in another way can be termed QA testing.

QA testing is basically a kind of test that gives details of a product to the consumers. In the development process of software, observations, corrections and some other forms of implementation factors are incorporated.

This must be duly documented and made known to those that will be making use of the development as it will enhance the integrity and the acceptability of the developed product.

So what is QA testing and why is it crucial to software development? Users of a particular software product measure the reliability and usability of the tool through the information provided by its developers.

These are some of the types of QA testing:

• Testing if a particular code that has been implemented to perform a particular function is working as expected.

• Checking for mistakes that might have been made by the developer or the programmer, by performing different kinds of usage operations and even sometimes trying to break the codes.

• Using the developed software in different environments, to certify its compatibility with any platform that prospective users might want to use.

• Subjecting the software to a lot of hands for testing, so that all can be able to analyze errors or bugs from different angles.

However, in performing some or all of these test operations there are some things that should be noted;

First, you need to understand that is better to make corrections on software when it has not been released to the public. This is because making corrections is cheaper and it reduces the chances of people losing confidence in the software.

Also, it enables the developers of software to be able to develop complex functionalities and take note of those that will be developed and added as updates. There are experts available when it comes to software testing as these people have taken it on as a profession.

People in this category, also known as Software Testers, should be hired when there is a need to test software. From their wealth of experience, they know the specific and common things to test for in any development.

Another way of finalizing tests is to release a test-version of the development for few people in the target market to use and give feedback as regards the product.

In conclusion, this can be grouped into two modes of testing in software development, testing from the point of view of the developer and from the point of view of the users.

© Global World Tech
 

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Has it ever crossed your mind just how important customization is in all parts of our lives? It cuts across all divides, from food to automotives. Just about anything in this world can be customized.

Perhaps you’re asking yourself is, what is customization and why is it so important in web designing development?

Custom Web Development is a useful back end arrangement of effective languages (like XML, XML,) and software programming (like JavaScript, CGI, Flash, RSS) to provide a powerful web solution to any client.

Every time a client decides to uplevel their customer experience online, the first pivotal point is the website, which works, both, as a major touch point for the customer and as an ongoing image of the business at large.

Ready-to-use web templates can cause more damage to your business than the short-term benefit of cost saving.

In today's fast-changing business world, it becomes very significant that you bring into line your business goals with the current practices.

Any website which does not offer a rich experience that substitutes for being there' with the customer, will not be able to build any lasting credibility with its audience. Here are some of the factors that go into making your website a customized customer delight.

• Features

A custom web development company works on a client's requirements and offers a rich platter of services to suit the dynamic business environment.

Customized graphics and button features like 'Buy Now', 'Click here to chat with our agent NOW', ' register to our regular newsletter', are all instances of features which can be presented in this web model, as opposed to the excess of ready-made web templates.

• Adaptability

When you recognize an urgent need to change your website interface or add a new feature, it does not mean you can neglect your other business responsibilities to get on it.

Custom web development provides you a fast rate of adaptability while you continue to emphasize on your main area of work. This is how a dependable back end makes you an excellent player in the market.

• Compatibility

The customer does not want to endure the long 'learning curve' by themself. That is where a stable, back end offers an actual business solution, which is well matched for a multi-server/multi-podium environment.

• Online Presence

When you have a strong and dependable customer base and they feel at ease with your service or product, you can invite them to be part of your business. A substantial contributor to this is an eye-catching website that adjusts according to your customer’s changing requirements.

A professional custom web development company will give you the added benefit of creating a unique client experience. It takes care of the back end while you invest your efforts in growing your business.

Search Engine optimization, lively content, improved user-friendly features, online selling and product advertising are some of the key benefits of any reputable custom web offering.

Moreover, if at any time you should feel any feature is not required or not doing good for your business, you should be able to let your custom web developer know so he can make changes immediately, putting you right back in the driving seat – in the direction of a wiser business solution and a justifiable market advantage.

Need a custom web developer? Click here to learn more.

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If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur, being unique is a big deal. You want to be more desirable to your prospects than anyone else who’s offering what you’re offering. You want to stand out. But you may have noticed it’s harder than it sounds. Unless you’re in a magical new market, there are already lots of people doing what you do.

You can try to:

• Beat them on quality…but there’s always someone firmly cemented in the top spot, and fighting an opponent with the high ground ain’t often a sustainable business model.
• Be cheaper than the competition…but slimming down profit margins and attracting tire-kickers isn’t really the way to wealth and success either.
• Offer some feature no one else is offering…which is highly impossible in most markets, where everything buyers want is already being provided.

This all makes standing out rather hard. So what in the blue blazes do you do?

You Can’t Follow the Standard Advice, That’s for Sure

Business old schoolers tell you you’re supposed to develop a Unique Selling Proposition, or USP. They tell you to pick a benefit that’s different from what the competition is offering and dominate it. They tell you to advertise the hell out of it, to the point where you own that segment of the customer’s mind.

Sounds great, but there’s only one problem: It doesn’t work anymore.

The idea for the USP was invented in the 1940s to explain the success of advertising campaigns. Back then, there were substantially fewer advertisers than there are now, and it was much easier to find a unique benefit.

Not anymore. Now, the world is saturated with advertising, and simply being unique isn’t enough. If you want to succeed, you need to go one better and develop something that will make you stand out as more desirable than any USP ever could.

The Next Generation of the Unique Selling Proposition

Original Mad Man David Ogilvy called it a “big idea”. He applied it specifically to advertising—but it works for all kinds of marketing platforms, especially websites. He said:

You will never win fame and fortune unless you also invent big ideas. It takes a big idea to attract the attention of consumers and get them to buy your product. Unless your advertising contains a big idea, it will pass like a ship in the night.

Riiiiight…but what IS it?

“Big idea” sounds kind of vague to me, and also a bit grandiose. So I call it a motif—because that’s exactly what it is: a central theme or idea which binds all of your marketing together. It forms a kind of foundation for your marketing identity…and makes you desirable to your prospects in a way that nothing else can.

But you can’t just use any old theme or idea. You need some very specific elements. Four, actually…

1. Uniqueness

It may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.. That’s good news if you’ve been reading this thinking, “I already have a USP that works well for me! Are you saying it’s no good?!” No sir, I sure ain’t. It’s perfect. But you can turn it into something even better, that’ll pull in prospects even harder. Most unique selling propositions are just “big ideas” waiting to be set free. If you don’t have a USP, well don’t worry. You can create a motif without one. I did. In a way, it’ll become your USP—but not as you’d traditionally think of one.

2. Stories

This is the one thing most unique selling propositions are missing. Add it into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a sellar motif. And if you haven’t got a USP to work off, don’t worry. Stories are everywhere. You can turn even the most boring things into gripping stories with a little bit of application. You probably have a dozen great stories up your sleeve right now, just waiting to be told, and don’t even know it. Let me give you an example.

Have you heard of Saddleback Leather? No? Go ahead and check out their website. One of their core values is “quality built to last.” Not exactly a unique claim, eh? How many companies say something similar? It’s decidedly non-unique-selling-propositionish. But look how they turn this generic value into a motif. Check out their headline:
“They’ll Fight Over It when You’re Dead”

Quality? “They’ll fight over it”. People don’t fight over rubbish.

Built to last? It’ll still be good enough to fight over…after you’ve used it your whole life.

Motif? How can you resist leatherwork so good that in fifty years time, after you’ve finally kicked the bucket, your relatives will be at each other’s throats for it?

This is a consummate motif. Notice how it puts a unique angle on an otherwise ordinary claim, while at the same time implying a story that engages your imagination.

What makes stories so mighty? Well, they play into some very powerful psychological triggers:

• They tie your product to more than the sum of its features or benefits. When you link your product to a story, you’re linking it with something bigger than itself. Something which appeals to a deep part of us.
• They can engage your reader by getting him to empathize with characters, rather than simply evaluating features and benefits.
• By having him visualize things, you bypass the rational processing parts his brain—and go straight to deeper, less critical centers.
• Good stories are inherently viral! Have you noticed how when you come across a story that appeals to you, the first thing you want to do is share it with someone else?

3. Simplicity

Another thing you’ll notice about Saddleback Leather’s motif is that it’s all said in a single sentence. This is another thing that sets motifs apart from other kinds of ideas. They must be simple. The best motifs make natural headlines, because they can be stated or summarized in a sentence or two. Now, you gotta be careful here. If you read any good marketing authorities (Brian Clark or Clayton Makepeace, for example), you’ll know that headlines should emphasize real benefits. They should pass the “so what” test, or the “forehead-slap” test. And if you’re working out a headline that isn’t going to be used in conjunction with a picture, that’s good advice.

But remember, a motif must contain a story. It should capture just one idea, and evoke one primary emotion in your prospect.

4. Surprise

The interesting thing about uniqueness is how uninteresting it is. Everything is unique in some way—and the mere fact that your motif is also unique does nothing to ensure its success. It must go beyond uniqueness and surprise your prospect. When he first comes across it, he should pause for just a moment—and then experience a tiny thrill. Now, be careful. There’s a huge, inept industry in advertising built around being shocking or funny—as if entertaining people will provoke them to buy things.

It does the opposite. Cleverness for the sake of cleverness is nothing but creative masturbation, if you’ll pardon my bluntness. It’s quickly appreciated, and quickly forgotten. There’s no lasting appeal in being cutesy or comical. The surprise of a motif is not that kind of surprise. Rather, it comes from an unexpected combination of ideas. For Saddleback Leather, it’s in taking a common guarantee and extrapolating it into a provocative picture. Finding a way to juxtapose two ideas is the first step in coming up with a mighty motif.

Written by: Neil Patel