How to keep your marketing ideas ruthlessly focused on driving results

Your marketing needs to clear more of a bar than just earning a, “that looks good” or “it’s a really clean layout.” Your prospect isn’t going to tap “Apply” simply because the layout is clean. Maybe that clean layout is clean because it leaves out features that matter to most prospects. Maybe it looks good to you simply because it’s different than what you’re used to seeing.

Articulate the “why” in three succinct reasons

When evaluating creative concepts, you should be able to name three strategic reasons why each would work. And those three reasons need move beyond superficial observations about the layout. A clean layout should be the punctuation on the strategic reasons – not the reason itself. Another way to think about it – if you can’t name three strategic reasons why the concept works, is it the right concept to move forward?

The “three reasons why” isn’t a formula. It’s a discipline—a way we hold ourselves accountable to the thinking behind the work. It’s not for the customer. It’s for us and for our Clients. Speaking from experience, the three reasons should practically write themselves if the creative is done well. In fact, it can be a great tool to stop and ask during creative reviews of work in progress to keep discussions ruthlessly focused: What are the three reasons we think this would work?

Why we do it

We often get asked in presentations which concept is our favorite. And our answer is the same both internally and externally – we think they all will work or we wouldn’t share them. Our Clients don’t hire us to create things that look pretty – we’re in the room to drive performance. Period. So we make it a point to put our “three reasons why” in every initial presentation. It helps our Clients understand why we made the choices we did and most importantly, why we think each would work in driving performance.

The exercise sounds simple, but it forces rigor. We’ve seen that in large financial organizations, good ideas can sometimes get lost in preference debates rather than strategy debates. Identifying the “three reasons why” arms our Clients with specificity in order to avoid that. It gives the team a way to stay focused on what actually advances the goal at hand—not what looks good in a deck or feels clever in the moment. Each reason ties back to the business problem we’re solving and the strategy that got us there.

It’s not about selling harder. It’s about showing the logic. When we articulate the thinking behind the creative, Clients and stakeholders can engage faster. The discussion moves from subjective—I like it—to strategic—I see why it works. That’s what keeps the process lean and the outcomes sharper.

What the “three” do

They distill the strategy behind the idea. Each reason clarifies intent and eliminates ambiguity. One reason might point to how the idea builds on what the brand already owns. Another might show how it overcomes a competitive sameness in the category. The third might reflect how it makes the customer feel seen or understood. Together, they form a short, strategic narrative that explains why this direction was developed.

It’s not prescriptive. The reasons don’t follow a template. They change from concept to concept because every problem—and every solution—is different. But the intent never changes: keep the work ruthlessly focused on purpose.

How our Clients experience it

Clients don’t see a framework. They see confidence. The “three reasons why” summarize the thinking in plain language—no jargon, no fluff. It shows that we’ve done the hard work of translating strategy into creative decisions. It helps them see the connection between insight and execution without us having to over-explain every move.

That clarity builds trust. It makes the review process faster because everyone can see the logic. There’s less room for misunderstanding, and more room for collaboration. When the rationale is this clear, approval becomes alignment—not negotiation.

Three reasons why we think the “three reasons why” framework works

1.     It sharpens our own thinking before we ever share a concept, and it sharpens the conversation once we do.

2.     It’s how we make sure we’re not just showing a new layout—we’re showing work that’s been thought through the lens of performance.

3.     It’s the difference between decoration and direction. The former fills space. The latter drives impact.

Advice to act on: During your next creative review, ask your team for three clear reasons why each idea earned its place in the room. If they can’t articulate it, it’s not ready. Clarity is the fastest way to focus.