And the best marketing tool is…

According to Robert Hoekman, jr., author of Designing the Obvious, the very best marketing tool is a well-designed product, and I’m inclined to agree – so long as ‘design’ is about more than just aesthetics.

“The best marketing tool you can have is a well designed application.”
Robert Hoekman, jr.

A well designed product isn’t just something that looks good or sounds good, it’s a product that’s been designed to meet a genuine need, and to do it well.

Well-designed products consider the entire life cycle of their existence, and address every aspect of their use or consumption at each step along the way. Well-designed products ‘fit’ with intended users’ ways of seeing and doing things, and contribute toward improving their performance and quality of life.

When you design products with real people and real needs in mind, your prospective customers will connect with them almost intuitively. In other words, to get the most from your marketing efforts, investing in well-designed products just plain makes sense.