Visual Content Marketing

STEPHEN GAMBLE is the CEO and founder of Frame Concepts, a visual solutions company that provides business-driven visual solutions for some of the most innovative and demanding clients in the world.

"As a consultant bringing transformational change to large corporations, it’s clear that there is a huge asymmetry - companies spend lots on IP, trivially little on positioning and polishing that IP. It is essentially quitting the race to meet the customer's need yards from the finish line. The ideas and the practical examples within this book is the remedy for this problem. If you have complex subject matter and an audience that needs to engage with your new approach, this book should be at your side on every project." Joe Singh, Board Advisor and Operating Executive, Grace One Advisors, Inc."As a seasoned enterprise sales leader I know how challenging it can be to get a prospect to engage with a new offering and see the point to the innovation below the surface. This book tackles this problem head on and shows how the value in a new offering can be visually communicated so even the toughest audience gets it and engages. Every sales and marketing leader can benefit from the approaches and industry-specific visual case studies." Alon Verdnikov, General Manager, Glassbox"More and more complex solutions are being developed through strategic partnerships between different companies and it can be a challenge to communicate the point and value of a joint solution to multiple stakeholders. This book shows how even the most complex offerings can be visually communicated so the marketplace and the staff get onboard with the vision of innovative complex solutions. More than just theory, this book provides practical guidance on how to deliver these visual projects and offers provocative visual samples across every major industry. If you need to communicate the point and value of a complex offering, you need to read this book." Kevin Dexter, Alliance Leader, Dun and Bradstreet"We are dealing with complex layers of nuanced content while communicating to the marketplace, our employees and new recruits. But at the end of the day we want our audience to get it quickly and engage with content that can be quite technical with jargon that is business-specific. By embracing the principles and learning from the visual case studies in every major industry, this book shows how one can successfully engage your audience even on the most complex content. If you have complex subject matter and tough audience to reach, you need to embrace this book." Leighton Symons PhD, Senior Vice President, Two Sigma Investments"Innovation is all the rage and now we must face head on the problem of making sure all stakeholders get the point of the innovation and are excited about its prospects. This book delivers both the theory and the practical steps on how to take your innovation and visually engage all your audiences. The fact that its filled with colorful visuals samples for all major professions and industries from startups to Fortune 500 companies makes it a very compelling read. Innovation leaders need to wake up and embrace a visual-centric approach to communications as outlined in this book." Hao Dinh, Innovation Leader, GE"While working with the software development group we come up very large complex trading systems for financial institutions and the success of these project is largely dependent on management, business owners and partners getting onboard with the whole point of these new systems. This book clearly shows how to make the complex intuitive and simply on one page how to get to that “ah-hah” moments for tough audiences resistant to change. All technical departments need to embrace to the approach outlined in this book for their communications with their stakeholders." Peter Bulko, Fixed Income Risk and Analytics, Royal Bank Securities

• Acknowledgements xAbout the Author xiiAbout the Content xiiiAbout Frame Concepts xivDedication xvForeword xviReferences xviiPrologue: A Call to Visual Action xviiiABOUT THE AUTHOR AND THIS BOOKFirst-Hand Knowledge of Communication Challenges and Visual Solution 2Presented from the Perspective of a Business Person, not a Designer 3ABOUT THIS BOOKThree Main Sections 6INTRODUCTION: NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUNDMy Career Life Is Symptomatic of Our Business Communication Challenges 10My First Business Communication Lesson: Explaining the Business Value of Preventative Maintenance11Academic Complex Communications 12Corporate Training 13Wall Street 14The Startup Laundry Machine 16A Lot at Stake with Startups 17Some Visual Light at the End of the Tunnel 19A Sketch Helps Business 20Netting It All Out 21PART 1 – WHY VISUAL SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSWHY IS THERE A BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONPROBLEM?Is Business Communication Important to the Bottom Line? 26So Why Is There a Communication Problem? 29Information Overload 31Information Economy 32Attention Deficit Syndrome 32Innovation Requires New Understanding 33Differentiation in a Crowded Space Very Nuanced34Offerings Becoming Increasingly More Specialized35Buyers Have No Time 36Media Consumption Increasingly Visual in the Media/Consumer World 37SOLUTION: INFORMATION DESIGNGraphic Design Vs Information Design 40Illustration vs Information Design 41Technical Communication Vs Information Design 42Copywriting and Stock Photo Sourcing 43So How is Information Design Different? 43The Ingredients of Information Design 44Pencil Sketch: Driving Visual Ideation 46LEVERAGING INFORMATION DESIGN FOR BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS: A PERFECT STORMThe Audience Already Enjoys Visual Communication in Media and Consumer ChannelS 50The Rise of Content and Inbound Marketing 51Data Analytics has Become Mainstream 52Value and Solution Selling haVE become the Norm 53THE ARGUMENT FOR VISUAL-CENTRIC APPROACHWhy Are Visual Solutions So Effective in Business Communications? 56Visuals in Business: The Psychological Argument 57Visual Solutions in Business: The Marketing Metric Argument 58Visual Solutions in Business: The Organic Argument 60Opposing the Financial (or Luxury) Argument 61PART 2 – ONBOARDING, PLANNING AND MANAGING THE VISUAL SOLUTION PROCESS STRATEGY – SCOPING IN VISUAL SOLUTIONS TO YOUR ORGANIZATIONWhere to Start? 66Considerations 67It All Starts at Home 68On to Content Marketing 70Validating your Approach and Your Solutions 71Sales Tools 71Getting Everyone Onboard 72SELECTING VENDORS: THE LANDSCAPETraditional Options 76Visualizing Visual Options 76Do-It-Yourself Tools 78Infographic Freelancer 79Community Site of Infographic Designers 80Traditional Marketing or PR Agency 81Ad Agency 82Technical Writers 83“Explainer” Video Shop 84Evaluating Information Design Agencies 85MANAGING VENDORS: A REPEATABLE CREATIVE PROCESSGetting the Best Creative Within Predictable Timelines88Pre-Delivery: The Outline 90Concept Sketch: Ideation Begins 91Partial Render 94Final Stage: Full Render 86Extending from Static to Interactive, Animation, and Data-Driven Visualization Application 97Interactive Storyboard 98Animation Storyboard 100Data-Driven Visualization Process Storyboard 103VISUAL SOLUTIONS IN BUSINESS ACTIONThe Short Answer Is That Visual Solutions Can Be Applied Everywhere 110A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words 111Visual Solutions Are Being Applied Everywhere 111Visual Application Samples Category 112INFOGRAPHICSFinancial Data Innovation Lab Wants to Visually Showcase Innovation Output 116Large Digital Media Company Needs to Shake Up Advertisers During Ad Week with Ecommerce Metrics 118Predictive Analytics Firm Uses Infographic to Debrief Analysts 120INBOUND MARKETING PROGRAMSNetworking Vendor Scope Visual Strategy Around Their Differentiated Offering 124Reputation Consultancy Gets Existing Clients to Appreciate Value of Delivered Offering 125Small Business Health Index Iconic Design Is Integrated with Infographic Content Program 126VIDEOEnterprise Software Animation Takes the Audience to the Sea with a Compelling Data Management Visual Animation 130Client Virtualization Gets an Animated Journey with an Infographic Bonus 131Enterprise Firm Lets Traffic Analogy Drive Data Management Research Key Findings Home with Animation 132SOLUTION PICTOGRAMSTrading Communications Platform Use Visual Pictogram to Contextualize Offering in Trading Lifecycle 136Video Analytics Firm Applies Pictogram to Case Study Program 137Networking Solution Company Applies Pictogram to Case Study Program 138INTERACTIVE SOLUTION PICTOGRAMSSocial Recruiting Platform Gets Interactive Visual Explanatory Lift 142Construction Field Software Startup Shows Efficiencies Improvement in Visual Before and After Pictogram 143Trading Communications Platform 144DATA-DRIVEN VISUALIZATIONS AND APPLICATIONSNuclear Spare Parts Division Needs to Visually Cause Their Clients to Order Spare Parts 148An Accounting Association Celebrates 125-Year History with Tablet Data-Driven Visual Timeline 150Healthcare Managed Service Provider Trains Its Stakeholders the Best Service Delivery Framework with Visual Interactive Card Training Game 151STARTUPS ORGANIZATIONS VISUAL SOLUTIONSLarge Construction Projects Software Startup Engages with Interactive Pictogram 154Meeting Software Platform Startup Shows Business Inefficiencies in Traditional Meetings 155Innovative Startup for Movie Industry Showcase New Model 156AGENCY ORGANIZATION’S VISUAL SOLUTIONSSEO Agency Leverages Infographic to Drive Their Client’s Traffic 160Marketing Automation Consultancy Automates the Understanding of Their Processes 162Branding Agency Leverages iPad Dynamic Timeline Data Visualization 163NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS VISUAL SOLUTIONSChildren and Widow Charitable Organization 166Architectural Association Showcases Value to Community 167ENTERPRISE ORGANIZATIONS VISUAL SOLUTIONSNuclear Energy Spare Parts Provider Engages its Clients with Data-Driven Visualizations Tools 170Financial Data Firm Showcases Financial Data Innovation with Infographic Series 172Network Performance Monitoring Solution Visualizes How Process Delivers Business Value 173TRAINING AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT VISUAL SOLUTIONSManaged Health Services Provider Trains Its Staff with Interactive Application 176Trading Analyst Training Agency Leverages Pictogram to Show Competency Gaps 177Sales Training Consultancy Shows Transition to Solution from Product 178OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT VISUAL SOLUTIONSCanadian Telecommunications Provider Enables Its Clients to Appreciate Its New Platform of Integrated Data Services 182Data Reconciliation Offering Gets Its Clients Onboard with Integrated Visual Solution 184Video Analytics Firm Demonstrates the Social Effect of Super Bowl Ads with Data Visualization 185SOCIAL MEDIA AND PR VISUAL SOLUTIONSOnline Real Estate Gets on the Wall Street Journal Blog 188New Name for California Credit Union Calls for a New Infographic Social Media Play 189RESEARCH VISUAL SOLUTIONSEnterprise Software Vendor Showcases Innovation with a Three-Part Infographic Series 192IT Hardware Provider Puts Viewer on Client Virtualization Journey 194Innovative Green Startup Showcases Energy Savings Research 196SALES AND MARKETING VISUAL SOLUTIONSLeading Reputation Consultancy Markets Their Insight Workshop 200Social Media Recruitment Platform Visualizes Steps in Sales 202New Product Release in the Enterprise Risk Space Gets a Visual Product Brochure 203PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMMERSNuclear Spare Parts Provider Wanted to Dynamically Visualize Spare Parts 206Pension Fund: Security Impact on Bottom Line 207Innovative Media Analytics Platform Unifies Online Television Metrics on One Dashboard 208CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSShowcasing an Innovative Tablet Construction Solution on a Tablet 212Green Energy Startup Showcases Approach and Savings with Infographic 213214 Real Estate Infographic Goes Wall Street Journal Viral 214EDUCATION INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSVisual Engagement for Literacy Learning Application 218Tablet Vendor Shows How Tablets are the Next Generation Classroom 219Higher Education Gets an ROI Visualization 220ENERGY INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSDynamically Displaying Spare Parts Status 224Green Energy Startup Showcases Approach and Savings with Infographic 225Dynamically Displaying the Control Room in 3D 226FINANCIAL SERVICES VISUAL SOLUTIONSShowcases New Trading Communication Platform 230Credit Union Drives Distinction Between a Bank and a Credit Union 231Insurance Brokers Association Showcase Their Membership in Numbers 232VISUAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRYNew Community-Based Delivery Model Gets Visual 236Offering Interactive Training Game to Showcase Managed Services 238Dental Kits Distribution Visualization 239HR AND RECRUITING INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSSocial and Mobile Recruiting Solution Gets Interactive and Visual 242Social Employee Referral Program Gets a Visual Sales Slide Presentation 244Pharmaceutical Merger Visually Translated into Improved Employee Experience 245IDEATION AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSFinance New Credit Approval Process: Storyboarding Ideation Phase 248Innovation Lab Rolling Out New Financial Data-Driven Solutions 249Collaborative Tool Goes Through Visual Ideation Phase 250IT/NETWORKING INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSPredictive Analytics Firm Debriefs Analysts Visually 254Large Networking Vendor Visualizes Best Practices for Setting Up Network 256IT Network Data Visualization: Top of Mind for CIOs 258MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSReputation Consultancy Visualizes Results Against Bottom Line 262Management Consulting Firm New Corporate Performance Model Gets Visualization 263Marketing Consulting Firms Gets Clients Onboard with Automation Process 264Digital Media Company Disturbs Ad Week with Infographic Series 268Independent Film Platform Startup Shakes Things Up with Pictogram 270Analytics Firm New User Interface Integrates TV and Online Metrics 271PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONS274 Large Pharmaceutical Merger Leverages Pictogram to Get Staff Onboard276 Improving Prescription Delivery with Tablets278 New Allergy Over-the-Counter Drug Gets Interactive EngagementPROFESSIONAL SERVICES INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSMarketing Automation Firm Visualizes Its Marketing Automation Process 282Architecture Association Poster-Foldout Shows Community Value 283Accounting Association Visually Celebrated 125th Anniversary with iPad Dynamic Visualization 284RESEARCH INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSResearch Infographic Showcases Best Practices for New Construction Network Deployment 288Data Visualization Highlights Management Consulting Firm Research on New Business Performance Model 290Financial Data Firm Small Business Health Index Research Report Gets Iconic Treatment 291RETAIL AND ECOMMERCE INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSDigital Media Firm Visually Shakes Things Up at Ad Week Trade Show 294Tablet Maker Showcases How Tablets Are Reinventing the Retail Customer Experience 296Translating Super Bowl Ads Metrics to Social Channel Performance 297SOFTWARE INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSGlobal ERP Software Vendor Engages with Shipping Analogy 300Large Enterprise Software Vendor Showcases Productivity in Cloud 302Security Software Vendor Shows Right Approach to Patch Management 304TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSLarge Computer Hardware Vendor Showcase Benefits of a Converged Infrastructure 308Demonstrating Business Value for Tablets 309Big Data and Social Business 310TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSAlaskan Telecommunications Firm Showcases an Engineering Marvel 314Canadian Data Services Firm Visually Launches it New Platform of Business Data Services 315Verizon Engages Engages with an Infographic Rich Media Ad 316TRAVEL INDUSTRY VISUAL SOLUTIONSLarge IT Airport Solution Provider Infographic “Facts” Showcases Impressive Numbers and Innovation 320Student Travel Agency Visually Demonstrated Differentiated Value 322Cloud Services in an Airport Industry Context 323IN CLOSING: A SOBERING AND A POSITIVE NOTESobering Note 326Index