Why Your Best Designs Might Never Make It to Market

Why Your Best Designs Might Never Make It to Market

ReBorn Designs / Read Time: 7.3-minutes

Not all Sketches get made.

When I worked at Hush Puppies, I spent over a year and a half designing their rubber waterproof ballerina shoes. 

I worked on everything down to the last detail and endured every possible delay –development hiccups, material sourcing, headaches, and the slow crawl of product turnaround. But the concept fell off the calendar and died.

Until our new president walked by.

She spotted the sample on a desk, slipped it on, and—without a second thought—continued her day. Meetings, calls, errands. By evening, she was convinced. The comfort was undeniable, and suddenly my forgotten project became a priority product for the season.

We leaned into the bold colors and waterproof technology for marketing, but comfort was the real star. The Hush Puppies Brite Pops went from abandoned sample to commercial success.

I was lucky my design got noticed.

Around 30-40% of designs in many companies get dropped.

That’s a harsh reality to face for many designers.

• Material isn't commercially viable.

• Too expensive to produce.

• Factory can't make this.

There’s more to design than the sketch: It’s a three-part equation

Creating beautiful shoes isn't enough. Creating technically advanced shoes isn't enough. Even creating comfortable shoes isn't enough.

The difference between a forgotten sample and a commercial hit? 

That third piece of the equation: sales and marketing integration.

If you're ready to complete your product equation and transform great designs into commercial successes, book a free 30-minute discovery call today.

The other half of design that no one tells you.

When I started my career, I thought my job ended with the tech pack handoff. 

Design the shoe, make it technically sound, ensure it meets margin requirements, then let sales and marketing handle the rest.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

50% of product success relies on marketing. Yet most designers are completely disconnected from how their products will be sold.

This disconnect creates a dangerous gap:

• Designers create features no one knows how to market

• Marketing invents stories that don't match the product's real strengths

• Sales teams lack confidence explaining technical benefits

The result?

Even brilliant designs gather dust—both on sample shelves and at retail.

What (actually) sells footwear: Turn Features into Stories

The waterproof ballet flat taught me a crucial lesson about bridging this gap. 

Here's how we ensured technical features actually translate to sales:

1. Design with the Story in Mind

Start with the question: "What's the headline for this shoe?"

For the Brite Pops, we knew the story needed three components:

• Technical achievement: 100% waterproof ballet flat

• Comfort benefit: All-day wearability despite technical materials

• Visual differentiator: Vibrant colors that pop against wet environments

Every design decision supported one of these storylines. The material choices weren't just about function—they were about creating a narrative the sales team could tell.

2. Create Demonstration Moments

Great features need demonstration opportunities. For each technical element, ask:

• What visual cues signal this benefit to consumers?

• What simple test proves this feature works?

• How will this be shown on the sales floor?

For our waterproof ballet flat, we created a simple water beading demonstration that sales associates could perform in-store. The bright colors weren't just aesthetic—they visually signaled the product's uniqueness and made the water demonstration more dramatic.

3. Arm Sales Teams with Talking Points

The final step is ensuring everyone who sells your product understands and believes in its story.

For each product, we now create a single-page "Selling Story" that includes:

• Three key features with consumer benefits

• Customer persona and use case

• One demonstration suggestion

• One competitor comparison

This simple tool transformed how our sales teams approached new products. Instead of focusing just on price points and margins, they could confidently explain why customers should care.

For Hush Puppies, we successfully launched globally with Hush Puppies and DSW, resonating with the target audience.

Check it out here: HUSH PUPPIES - Brite Pops Collection | Reborn Designs

How to Create Products That Sell Themselves

At ReBorn Designs, we've developed a comprehensive process that integrates all these elements. We don't just design shoes—we integrate strategy, design, and development into one seamless experience.

1. Define the technical achievement - What can this shoe do that others can't?

2. Identify the comfort story - How does this technology improve the wearing experience?

3. Create the visual signature - What visual element signals these benefits at first glance?

4. Design the demonstration - How will sales teams show (not just tell) this benefit?

5. Craft the consumer story - What emotional connection does this create?

When all five elements align, you don't just have a good shoe—you have a product that markets itself.

The Brite Pops succeeded because every element of the equation worked together. 

The technical achievement (waterproofing) supported the comfort story (all-day wearability in any weather). The visual signature (vibrant colors) created demonstration opportunities (water beading on bright surfaces).

And all of it tied to a consumer story about confidence in unpredictable conditions.

5 Questions That Will Transform Your Next Design

Next time you start a design project, ask yourself:

1. What's the headline? - Define your key marketing story before you start designing.

2. Who's selling this? - Consider how sales teams will present your product.

3. What's the demo? - Create a simple way to demonstrate your key benefit.

4. Where's the comfort? - Ensure technical features enhance, not detract from, wearability.

5. What's the visual hook? - Design an element that telegraphs your key benefit.

Don't just design something beautiful—design something that moves both literally and figuratively. Design products that sales teams get excited about, marketing can tell stories around, and consumers immediately understand.

Shoes with a compelling story sell 40% faster. The science and art of design is only half the equation. The other half is ensuring your creation connects with the people who sell it and the people who buy it.

That's the complete product equation.

See you next time!
Erin

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