Storytelling is an important part of survival. Using stories, we can pass down vital information from generation to generation. And in the short term, they help us recall important information more easily. We feel good when listening to a good story, that’s why we should use it for advertisement.
Conversion storytelling is an end-to-end user experience that conveys the value of a product or service creatively and humanly. Think of a movie you like. It generally starts with a thrilling hook and carries you through rising action before a cathartic conclusion. The goal of conversion storytelling is to use that principle in an advertising context. Stories have power. We carry stories in our DNA. We use stories to create meaning from patterns and live through new perspectives and experiences. Stories help us imagine what might be. We use stories to educate, to inspire, to caution, to advise, to bond, and, yes, to advertise. So what does this mean in the context of Facebook advertising? Think of your Facebook ad as the “once upon a time” that pulls the audience into the story. But no good story ends after “once upon a time.” Once the audience is engaged with the narrative enough to click on your ad, you need to continue the story into the post-click stage. That means your landing page experience — the next part of the story — needs to match your ad narrative. Otherwise, you could lose your audience.
Consider these questions when planning the narratives for your Facebook ads.
1. What is the device that you’re advertising? Again, this is a good starting point to help you build out the rest of your ad narrative.
2. What is the brand voice? Your brand is more than a collection of aesthetic choices. Your brand is a character in the story, and how you personify that character can have a huge impact on your narrative.
3. Who is the targeted persona? Advertisers get to pick their audiences. Therefore, your ad group should be specific and targeted so that you can craft your narrative around the persona’s worldview and preferences.
4. What problem are you trying to solve for the persona? This is the point of tension in your story, the question that your product or service can answer for the audience.
5. How does your product/service solve the problem? Again, be creative and show how your solution is better than the competition.
6. What is the emotional response you’re trying to evoke? Again, this should be tied to your product and ad group. What emotions does your audience respond to? How does your product tie into that emotional response?
You may already consider these questions when developing your advertising copy, but remember that the story doesn’t end there. You need to apply these same principles after your audience has shown interest by continuing the narrative into the post-click stage.
It’s difficult to predict the success of a new product. Even the largest, most mature companies have created products that fail to gain market acceptance and profitability. And as we’ve seen in numerous industries, product success can’t be guaranteed by financial investment or process optimization.
With the need to move fast in the light therapy market and an inability to guarantee success through any means, we continue to seek ways to manage the inherent risk in product development.
There is a gap between user wants and user needs and while it is easy to assume that the difference might not be clear, taking an empathetic approach creates a finer line between the two. Although Creative Directors are problem-solvers at their core, they achieve this by building data-based frameworks for visualizing how best to serve their target audience.
It is no longer about market data assessment and sales hands-off alone; there is a need to properly distinguish between user needs and wants while choosing how best to attend to those needs and paying just enough attention to user wants. Understanding the user metrics for this analysis and insight might seem daunting, especially when the aim is to improve product experience directly, but taking a design-thinking approach helps make better sense of the process.
Popularized by IDEO, Design Thinking is a human-centered, empathy-first approach to creativity and innovation. Its underlying principle focuses on user needs, aspirations, wishes, concerns, and frustrations in attempting to solve their problems. Interestingly, Design Thinking focuses on the most important view from which problem-solving should be approached; the users. When problem-solving is approached from a user’s point of view, it allows for uncovering novel insights into the product’s user flow, thereby finding the right solution to the right problem.
The Design Thinking process is quite similar to the Agile methodology of Product Management; as a matter of fact, Design Thinking helps to materialize the otherwise abstract concept by allowing ease of iteration and faster user-testing processes. Implementing design thinking in product management makes it easy to consider expedient user experience factors. Top on the list includes:
Companies employing design thinking are allowed to release products more often, gather meaningful customer feedback, and validate a product’s use and vision in a marketplace while sustaining a high level of customer satisfaction, as one release builds on another to add features customers desire most.
Implementing design thinking into product development can be broken down into 5 steps:
Most of the companies jump straight to point #4, which is a terrible mistake.
To make things clear, structure your tasks: build up a framework, define both focus points and sticking points of your research, and remember that most questions have two answers — the one that appeals to business and speaks to a customer.
Think like a detective when starting a product development cycle, and ask these questions:
Who is going to use your product? What are their habits and preferences? It is essential to understand real user needs and how they are addressed without your product. Define the key problems and set your sights on them. What’s the context of use? What is their motivation behind using your product, and how can you inspire them to make the most out of it?
Think big. What is the place of your product in the ecosystem? Sometimes it may be just a part of greater service. Keep in mind the environment of use since it creates a general customer experience.
Whether you like it or not, time is vital for your project. “Done” is better than “perfect.” That’s why it’s important to keep the scope of your project in mind, to limit it to essential things for a quick market release.
What is the real value of the product for your customer and your business? What issues does it address, and in what way? Why did you create it, and what’s its role in the company development?
These questions are essential for creating a general perception of the main problem you are solving for your client: it’s so easy to get side-tracked with a load of on-demand, seemingly effortless tasks. Besides, it’s impossible to solve a problem that doesn’t exist, so why carry an extra burden? When details are pushing you to the limit, take an imaginary step back and see the problem from a different angle. Visualize the role of a certain detail in the general canvas of your work. It does not mean you have to bury your project under piles of documentation. We all know that red tape is more about restricting rather than making things easy, and freedom is essential at the initial stages of any project. This is how innovation is born; under conditions of free thought, bright vision, and sheer inspiration.
The health and wellness industry isn’t lacking eager customers who want to improve their overall well-being—we have the numbers to prove it. In 2020, the global health and wellness market reached a value of $ 3.31 Billion and is expected to reach $ 4.24 Billion by 2026. It’s clear people are seeking ways to reduce lifestyle-related diseases and slow down the aging process.
While many companies stay in their comfort zone, they ignore the needs and challenges their customers face. However, by trying to understand user experience, companies can improve the overall customer experience and reduce costs. One of the most promising ways to understand a customer’s experience is by design thinking.
While many companies stay in their comfort zone, they’re ignoring the needs and challenges their customers face. However, by trying to understand user experience, companies can not only improve the overall customer experience, but reduce costs. One of the most promising ways to understand a customer’s experience is by design thinking.
As said in Harvard Business Review, design thinking is “a set of principles...empathy with users, a discipline of prototyping, and tolerance for failure chief among them—is the best tool we have for creating those kinds of interactions and developing a responsive, flexible organizational culture.” But what does that actually mean?
Unlike traditional methods of problem-solving, design thinking focuses heavily on understanding customers before focusing on solutions. By knowing the customer's challenges and experiences, a more personalized and well-thought solution can be made.
For example, Kaiyan's Aduro 7+1 face mask for light therapy was created via design thinking. Instead of simply creating a mask for professional use, we went through various prototypes and tests to understand the customer's needs and the challenges they may face. Users commented on needing an adjustable fit, so we added an adjustable velcro head strap for improved comfort.
But there’s more to it than that. With design thinking, there are a specific set of principles we follow when creating a product.
Design thinking focuses on user experience
To develop empathy with users, the design team needs to understand the needs and desires of users. If not, there’s a likely chance they’ll create a product that no one wants. Using emotional language to describe products and users will help cement the utility of the product itself. It’s about creating a feeling from the product. For example, using a certain type of light therapy device for anti-aging can make a person feel energetic and youthful.
Examine complex problems through models
Creating models gives space to explore and understand the product on a tangible level. Physical models, also known as design artifacts, help define the customer journey map and their interactions with the product.
Explore solutions through prototypes
Before launching a product, a prototype is created to explore possible problems and resolve them. Creating prototypes allows you to test the product out beforehand, understanding how it's used in the real world.
Failing forward
While design thinking doesn't encourage failure, it's normal for a product to need multiple adjustments before it's ready for launch. With each learning curve, the product becomes more improved and customized to the target market.
And this is what we do at Kaiyan Medical. Our light therapy devices are developed through design thinking and expert engineering; we focus on understanding the customer's needs and desires, and ensure they're met.
If you’re considering developing a private label light therapy device, our medical-grade, high-quality devices are the best for your business. We are eager to work with like-minded partners using design thinking to develop effective, safe, and valuable products that harness that power of light.
Over the past few years, design thinking has quickly gained momentum in the business world. Some of the world’s leading brands have embraced design thinking as a means of optimizing product innovation. At its core, design thinking is a methodology for creative problem-solving. In stark contrast to analytical thinking, which involves breaking down ideas, design thinking involves building up ideas.
While design thinking has firmly implanted itself across product development teams, it has not secured a stronghold across sales teams — yet. Characterized by routinized activities, traditional sales methodologies tend to be at odds with the iterative methodology underpinning design thinking.
Times are changing. The sales cycle is becoming increasingly complex, and customers are demanding a more personalized experience. If you’re a sales rep, you know you need to up your game and become more innovative. Sales teams are recognizing the value of incorporating a design thinking approach into their daily activities. Salesforce’s sales team, for example, has embraced design thinking in its sales discovery process and has realized a 100% increase in revenue growth as a result. It’s time sales teams more broadly recognize the value of design thinking.
Empathy is at the core of design thinking. Empathy involves both a cognitive dimension — an ability to look at a situation from another person’s perspective — and an affective dimension — an ability to relate to a person and develop an emotional bond with them.
The importance of empathy in sales cannot be overstated. Empathy is a key predictor of sales success. A groundbreaking study published in The Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice found a strong positive relationship between empathy and a buyer’s level of trust and his/her level of satisfaction. In our current sales landscape where a mere 3% of buyers trust reps — the only professions with less credibility include car sales, politics, and lobbying — seller trust is in short supply and high demand.
Empathy is especially valuable in the sales process because it encourages information sharing. Research has found that, according to buyers, the number one way for salespeople to create a positive sales experience is to listen to their needs. When we’re armed with so much information and data and a slew of AI and machine learning solutions, it’s easy to assume we know everything about the buyer. It’s important to first step inside your customers' shoes and listen to what really matters to them and what is top-of-mind.
The defining stage's objective is to craft a problem statement or, in design thinking speak, a point of view. So often, salespeople define the problem before developing an empathetic understanding of a buyer’s needs. The result is solution selling. Solution selling has long past its expiration date. At least 50% of sales reps’ prospects are not good fits for their offering. Only by defining the buyer’s problem can salespeople determine whether there is a lucrative fit.
The define stage involves asking a lot of questions. Perhaps contrary to popular belief, this focus on questioning does not impair sales conversation but enhances it. According to one analysis of 519,000 discovery calls, there’s a clear relationship between the number of questions a sales rep asks a buyer and his/her likelihood of success.
The ideate stage unlocks the true potential of design thinking, especially in the context of sales. This is when the focus shifts from problem identification to solution generation. And it’s all about quantity — about generating a wide range of possible solutions, not necessarily the final solution. It involves thinking beyond the obvious and necessarily entails significant creativity. How can I craft an offering that is uniquely suited to my buyer?
While often pushed under the carpet in sales, creativity is essential to sales and a key predictor of success. Research from the Aston Business School, a highly-regarded business school in Europe, revealed that sales professionals who were more creative generated higher sales than their less creative counterparts. Another study by Adobe found that companies that foster creativity are 3.5 times more likely to outperform their peers in revenue growth.
When crafting solutions to customers’ problems, sales reps must dig deep for their creative juices. How can you craft a sales pitch that strikes a strong emotional chord with the customer? Which decision-makers, in and beyond the C-Suite, should you involve? If the customer sells a free or inexpensive product or service, take it for a test run. Read through customer community forums and reviews. Don’t let up in terms of stepping inside the shoes of your customer. Only by embracing these types of activities can ideation be optimized.
The fourth stage of the design thinking process is prototyping — developing more fleshed-out and scaled solutions. Prototyping shouldn’t be done in a black box — otherwise, you are sure to lose momentum. Prototyping is an opportunity to have a more directed conversation with your customer after the discovery calls. The most effective sales reps will involve champions and other affiliates from the customer’s organization in the prototyping process and vet ideas. Involving tangential stakeholders in the solution process goes a long way in making them feel valued and invested in the final solution.
The final stage of the design thinking process is to test the final offering. This necessarily involves unveiling the fully fleshed-out pitch to all key stakeholders. During the test phase, salespeople need to be strategic and see themselves on the same team as the customer. They should use collaborative words and phrases — words like “we” and “together.” The “you versus us” mentality is dangerous.
Forrester predicts that one million US B2B sales reps will be out of a job by 2020. Salespeople can no longer afford to rely on so-called tried and true approaches. Nearly six in ten salespeople say that they don't change it when figuring out what works for them. In a world where each customer yearns personalized selling wants, this mindset is problematic. Design thinking — which is especially well suited for solving ambiguously defined problems — is key to establishing a genuine connection with customers and engaging them throughout the sales process. It’s key to sales success.
Here is the official FDA regulation for design controls pertaining to design inputs, as found in Part 820.30(c):
Each manufacturer shall establish and maintain procedures to ensure that design requirements relating to a device are appropriate and address the intended use of the device, including the needs of the user and patient. The procedures shall include a mechanism for addressing incomplete, ambiguous, or conflicting requirements. The design input requirements shall be documented and shall be reviewed and approved by a designated individual(s). The approval, including the date and signature of the individual(s) approving the requirements, shall be documented.
ISO 13485:2016 also covers this topic in section 7.3.3 Design and Development Inputs:
Inputs relating to product requirements shall be determined and records maintained. These inputs shall include:
a) functional, performance, and safety requirements, according to the intended use,
b) applicable statutory and regulatory requirements,
c) where applicable, information derived from previous similar designs,
d) other requirements essential for design and development, and
e) output(s) of risk management
These inputs shall be reviewed and approved.
Requirements shall be complete, unambiguous, and not in conflict with each other.
There are several terms used interchangeably when referring to design inputs:
Medical device product development should be a holistic process that builds upon itself as the project progresses.
Rushing the product to the market isn’t a recommended best practice in medical device development. Spending time in design inputs will really benefit your project. In device development, establishing design inputs can easily take up to 20% of the entire project timeline.
Writing design inputs takes practice and dedication. Also, design inputs should not just be the responsibility of one person. It’s a team effort. When a team is involved, you get the benefit of everyone’s opinions and experience.
You also should consider all sorts of other sources to help you define design inputs:
It’s important to remember that user needs should be established first in order to inform design inputs. Your goals when defining design inputs include:
You have to consider all types of sources and resources for design inputs. Your design inputs need to be comprehensive, covering all aspects of your medical device.
In his book The Sciences of the Artificial, Herbert Simon started what we now refer to as design thinking. Since then, numerous other works have been published detailing design thinking concepts and how it relates to all manner of different business models. One of the most famous icons to design thinking in the modern era is probably Apple, Inc. Let’s ask ourselves:
· Did you feel you needed an iPod before Apple created?
· Did you feel you needed an iPhone before Apple created it?
Apple’s genius during the early 2000s was not in creating new products that no one had ever heard of. There were dozens of cell phone manufacturers making quality cell phones before the iPhone landed. There were dozens of MP3 players on the market before the original iPod.
But, once Apple entered the arena, none of that mattered. Why? Because Apple understood the unarticulated needs (and in fact, you could even argue that Apple’s real genius was creating a need for a product by releasing that product!) of its customers. How were they able to do this?
How can we solve a problem for our customer in such a way that they don’t even know the problem exists until we show the solution?
Design thinking is a process of five distinct phases of execution. Those phases are:
· Empathize
· Define
· Ideate
· Prototype
· Test
Looking at that list, it seems to be a mix of skills from various disciplines. “Prototype” and “test” seem to be drawn from engineering and product development, whereas “empathize” and “ideate” come from a more psychological, social methodology.
Empathizing immediately sets design thinking apart from most of the other business models out there. True, most business models strive to understand their ideal client’s needs and wants, but few do it from a relational perspective. This is what Simon Sinek talks about in his book Start With Why: That people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it. For Apple, that meant understanding the desire of their customers to be a part of something. They weren’t buying things because it was the best. They were buying it because of the reasons behind WHY Apple made it. When the corporate world was turning its back on customer relations and focused more on profits than on value, Apple communicated a different mission and mindset, which allowed their sales to skyrocket.
Another crucial part of design thinking. The problem. The majority of creators will fail at this part because they think about problems as nouns. Problems are verbs. If you see a little girl trying to get cookies from the shelf, people will start listing the problems as:
· She needs a cookie
· She needs an adult
· She needs a ladder
· Maybe she needs milk with those cookies
While the truth is, she needs to reach. Reaching is the problem, not the cookies. If you solve the reaching problem, you solve anything she will want to reach in the future. Once we understand others' unarticulated needs through authentically empathizing, it’s time to define the problem.
Ideation, the process of coming up with potential solutions to your customers’ unarticulated needs, can only occur after those needs have been identified through empathy and the problem defined. Do we solve the problem through a product, or a relationship, or a service? Is it through expanding our business model to include other forms of retail or consumer service? As an operations manager, the unarticulated needs that I wasn’t meeting for my fellow workers were found in the way I was focused on problems, not on them personally. I felt like, and if nothing was going wrong, there was nothing for me to do. What was going on underneath the surface, and what I was failing to do, was to spend time with them, to learn their processes to the point that I could spot potential problems before they actually became problems. Again, this human-centered approach must consider, above all else, the user's experience, whether customer, employee, or client.
Prototyping doesn’t necessarily have to involve models or scaled-down products. Prototyping also applies to non-physical solutions as well, in terms of how we construct frameworks to solve problems. Obviously, there are times when physical prototyping is important, but the overarching goal of prototyping is to apply solutions in a controlled environment to allow for testing, the fifth phase.
The final and simplest phase of design thinking. Since design thinking doesn’t flow like time in a strictly linear fashion between stages, there are times when prototyping leads back to ideation and when defining the problem actually requires more time spent empathizing to reassess the customer’s needs. Because of this frequently recursive nature, by the time we arrive at the design thinking process's final phase, sometimes testing merely confirms the last step in our solution. Other times, it can restart the entire process from the beginning. The importance of moving fluidly throughout all five phases.
Creativity is about doing, not thinking. Design thinking as well is about playing and acting. Those actions will swing between a process-oriented approach and a human-oriented approach depending on the project. At the end of it all, whether we are talking about coworkers or customers, the one thing they all have in common is that they are people looking for solutions to their problems. Solving the problem without addressing the people will only lead to frustration and failure. Providing a solutions-based approach to problems rather than a problems-based approach to problems will guarantee a greater chance of lasting implementation and effectiveness of whatever problem we’re solving.
· https://www.ideou.com/pages/design-thinking
· https://www.creativityatwork.com/design-thinking-strategy-for-innovation/
· https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources-collections/a-virtual-crash-course-in-design-thinking
· https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process
· https://hbr.org/2008/06/design-thinking
