Polka dot Mercedes? What?! I know- this sounds like the oxymoron of all morons! However, this mental image can stir up the same emotion that we get when customers make outlandish requests. I wrote the article When Good Ideas Go Bad after working with a client that could not grasp the idea of….dun dun dun dun….CHANGE! Yes, for all you Obama supporters- I said the word “Change”.

All kidding aside, usually the point of going in a new direction of marketing is to change. Whether that means to target a new market or refocus a sales approach, the ultimate goal at the end of every day is to increase brand awareness and boost sales, which requires some change. Very rarely is a brand overhaul necessary, but in this particular case we needed better results for an ecommerce site that the current site wasn’t producing, so pointing users in a new direction was critical.  

The truth is, none of us like change. However, we do appreciate honesty. As a consultant do you allow your clients to paint orange polka dots all over their $100K car? If it meets the objectives of your marketing campaign and helps meet their business goals- then go for it! But if it will only confuse users and send them running in the opposite direction, then be honest with your client and help them see the light. After all, your expertise is why they hired you- and your honesty is what will keep them coming back.