Don't you want to be attractive?

Only when you're attractive, will you have the ability to attract. To attract is to cause to approach or adhere.

If you've got a message you're sending out, isn't it worth the extra effort to make the message attractive? Take the recent tomato scare, for example. Our local Moe's had to get a message out about their pico. They displayed the message two ways:

UGLY. I didn't even notice it was there. Walked right by it even though it was on bright red paper. When I did read it. I was bored.

ATTRACTIVE. No bright color or expensive surgery. Just having some fun with a simple message. I noticed it right away. I appreciate the fact that somebody took the extra time.

I have no idea why they needed to display both of these (side by side, even) when they say the exact same thing. But, it's a great illustration. A tale of two tomatoes. Which one will you be?

This concept plays out in every form of communication in our jobs...internal and external. It's worth taking the extra time to think about making the message attractive. Even if it's for the signs you hang in your church kitchen. People are more inclined to read and respond if the message is attractive. If it's abrupt, bossy or boring, people will tune-out or rebel.

Recently we needed to roll out our new Employee Handbook at our weekly staff meeting. It's hundreds of pages and full of boring policies and procedures, but it also had new information that was important for everyone to observe. The easy approach would have been to simply hand out the manual and tell everyone they had to read it. I appreciate how Tim took the extra time to make the message attractive. Check out the pop quiz he wrote to roll-out the new staff handbook to the team. We had a blast at that staff meeting. Everybody laughed and interacted; it was amazing to observe. Over the employee handbook.

If you don't know how to make your message attractive, find somebody around you to help. Everybody needs an image consultant. Even tomatoes, church kitchen signs and employee handbooks.

Comments

[DUST!N]

Not sure that attractiveness is the issue. It's more about intentionality in my opinion. Wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong though.

Another way of saying it:
You have to be attentive to get attention.

[jordan fowler]

The pink one is because of this little group of people in the world called lawyers (the same guys who make your 30 sec spot 24 seconds because of the 6 seconds of legalize you must read at break neck speed at the end.....ahhh, lawyers, the bane of all creativity.)

[Kem Meyer]

Yea, Matt. You can get a copy of the handbook here: http://www.wiredchurches.com/s.nl/it.A/id.1315/.f

[erin]

you blog alot...but im a fan..huge fan..of moes marketing. me and bernard have had several conversations about it.

[Matt K]

Thanks for always watching for ways like this to remind us of these little, but important things. Does GCC plan on making the handbook available on the Wiredchurches website? It would be helpful for some of us in churches that are trying to wade through revising our handbooks.

[Kristiapplesauce]

church kitchen. that is kind of funny. I think that could mean a lot of different things actually.

[Eric Taylor]

Great post Kem... from one my my favorite restaurants. I remember Ed Young saying something similar about Las Vegas: "They have nothing to say but say it very well. The church has everything to say, but we don't take the time to say it in creative and compelling ways". Thanks for the post...I'm going to use it in our creative meeting next week. Plus, I'm going to use it for an excuse to head to Moe's for lunch tomorrow.