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I had a meeting today with a company from Canada (Advanced Inc.) about web stuff. The client came out with a gem which I haven’t heard before but love:

"If people don’t know that they don’t know, they don’t know what they don’t know."

Don’t worry, I had to think about it for a bit, but… it makes perfect sense.

Too often, we assume that certain things are a given when in fact, that is one hell of an assumption. This is especially apparent on the web with the way information is structured and the classic one - what we name buttons.

It reminds me of the old Two Ronnies sketch about assuming: "Never assume, it makes and ass out of u and me.

Hey Stupid!

Of course, the other element of complicating any marketing or sales message behind gives you two major problems:

1. They may not get it
2. They may feel stupid for not getting it.

So, in an over-cluttered marketing culture, full of adverts and snappy acronymed phrases you need to keep it simple. You also need to make sure it makes sense and is contextual.

• Do you sell nuts (and bolts) or nuts (monkey)?
• Is this section for jobs (vacancies) or jobs (things that need doing)?
• Does that button take me home (home page) or to the (home) furniture section?

And maybe, when people see your message, if they don’t know what they don’t know, you have offered enough clarity for them to ‘get it’.