Comments on: How Does “The Look” of Documents Engage Readers? http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/ Everything about writing and marketing white papers Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:03:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-11712 Michael Stelzner Mon, 12 Feb 2007 17:34:23 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-11712 Mitchell - Great to hear! - Mike Mitchell - Great to hear! - Mike

]]> By: Mitchell Neff http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-11704 Mitchell Neff Mon, 12 Feb 2007 14:55:11 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-11704 Mike, I want to thank you for both the webinar and this discussion thread. As a BRAND new marketing manager, my first assignment was to update and refresh our whitepapers. Using the increased responses that we recieved from an fresh formatting update, I got the green light to look into other areas that needed similar treatment. Long story short- In my first 6 months out of college, I have already been charged with spearheading a complete rebranding effort including web site, communications, and marketing materials redesigns... Thanks again for peaking my interest. Mike,
I want to thank you for both the webinar and this discussion thread. As a BRAND new marketing manager, my first assignment was to update and refresh our whitepapers. Using the increased responses that we recieved from an fresh formatting update, I got the green light to look into other areas that needed similar treatment. Long story short- In my first 6 months out of college, I have already been charged with spearheading a complete rebranding effort including web site, communications, and marketing materials redesigns… Thanks again for peaking my interest.

]]> By: Kristen King http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1585 Kristen King Mon, 18 Dec 2006 21:41:00 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1585 Mitchell, thanks for sharing that! I feel validated. :] Really, what a great idea to test with a focus group. Nice! kk Mitchell, thanks for sharing that! I feel validated. :] Really, what a great idea to test with a focus group. Nice!

kk

]]> By: Mitchell Neff http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1584 Mitchell Neff Mon, 18 Dec 2006 20:43:29 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1584 I have been watching the responses to this question carefully (afterall, it was my question that started it). I decided to test the formatting theory with a focus group. The non-formatted paper score average for content value. I found that the average score for "quality of content" rose about 20% when a person read a more heavily formatted version of the same paper. How the paper looks affected how they viewed the information contained in the paper... that is all the proof I need. I have been watching the responses to this question carefully (afterall, it was my question that started it). I decided to test the formatting theory with a focus group. The non-formatted paper score average for content value. I found that the average score for “quality of content” rose about 20% when a person read a more heavily formatted version of the same paper. How the paper looks affected how they viewed the information contained in the paper… that is all the proof I need.

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1062 Michael Stelzner Mon, 27 Nov 2006 17:42:59 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1062 Kristen - Great points!!! - Mike Kristen - Great points!!! - Mike

]]> By: Kristen King http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1061 Kristen King Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:23:04 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-1061 Formatting is critical. If the document looks ugly or intimidating, it doesn't matter how great the content is--folks won't want to read it. Making something pretty won't hide bad content, but it will get people into good content so they can understand and, hopefully, enjoy it. The container is just as important as the content when the content is solid. Formatting is critical. If the document looks ugly or intimidating, it doesn’t matter how great the content is–folks won’t want to read it. Making something pretty won’t hide bad content, but it will get people into good content so they can understand and, hopefully, enjoy it. The container is just as important as the content when the content is solid.

]]> By: Andy Jorgensen http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-934 Andy Jorgensen Wed, 15 Nov 2006 20:38:43 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-934 It seems like it depends on the interest level and amount of time available for the reader. More images and shorter is good for the busy reader who might be scanning. At the same time, a lot of visual frills might slow such a reader down. Good headings and sound visual rhetorical relationships are always good. It seems like it depends on the interest level and amount of time available for the reader. More images and shorter is good for the busy reader who might be scanning. At the same time, a lot of visual frills might slow such a reader down. Good headings and sound visual rhetorical relationships are always good.

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-814 Michael Stelzner Fri, 10 Nov 2006 21:02:12 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-814 Hi Joshua; Thanks for your comments. The trick to the game is fly in circles---much like our clients do. For late arrivals, see http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/fun.html Mike Hi Joshua;

Thanks for your comments.

The trick to the game is fly in circles—much like our clients do.

For late arrivals, see http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/fun.html

Mike

]]> By: Jonathan Kantor http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-813 Jonathan Kantor Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:31:43 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-813 I guess Anna Nicole Smith breaks that theory! I guess Anna Nicole Smith breaks that theory!

]]> By: Joshua Boswell http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-812 Joshua Boswell Fri, 10 Nov 2006 19:04:06 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2006/11/09/the-look-engagement/#comment-812 Is "The Look" important in creating documents that move people? Just ask a newly wed couple. I mean, I have never met a young twiterpated guy that said, "She was the ugliest, most plain looking woman I ever saw... but we fell in love anyway." Usually it is some thing more along the lines of, "I couldn't take my eyes off of her! Then, when I got to know her, I realized she was smart, clever, fun, AND good-looking... I was sold!" Moral of the story... when packaging is poor, prospects plummets. ☺ BTW... Mike, I regret to inform you that more than a dozen quality designed whitepaper planes have met an untimely and terrible demise... Thanks for the game time! Is “The Look” important in creating documents that move people?

Just ask a newly wed couple.

I mean, I have never met a young twiterpated guy that said, “She was the ugliest, most plain looking woman I ever saw… but we fell in love anyway.”

Usually it is some thing more along the lines of, “I couldn’t take my eyes off of her! Then, when I got to know her, I realized she was smart, clever, fun, AND good-looking… I was sold!”

Moral of the story… when packaging is poor, prospects plummets. ☺

BTW… Mike, I regret to inform you that more than a dozen quality designed whitepaper planes have met an untimely and terrible demise… Thanks for the game time!

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