Advertising is one of the key ways to attract buyers today, but if you don't engage them, it's like shouting into the void. Businesses today face a number of obstacles when trying to attract customers, with over-awareness being the main blocker of attention. Attention spans have begun to shorten significantly due to instant gratification and quick fixes.
Thanks to their rules, marketing professionals are able to skillfully diagnose the problem and propose the best solution. Here are a few pro "shortcuts". Can you do a validation test for your product?
- Find out the needs of your target group
Do you know what they think? It's very important to understand, what your audience is specifically thinking about when they engage with your product or your advertising. Getting feedback and seeing the world from their perspective is essential to reaching busy consumers.
2. Clarify your uniqueness
Or even USP (unique selling proposition), where there are many marketing practices and they represent the key essence of branding, but in fact you can answer this question quite simply if you keep total honesty: what makes you and your product unique? Why should a customer want you and only you? How are you better than your competitors? But really honestly. Put your customers and their needs at the center of your product and its profit. Clearly and distinctly express your uniqueness and how you best serve to address your customers' needs.
3. Attract attention with quality content
In marketing to (not only) busy customers, the most important trick is: no trick. Offer them content that piques their interest and curiosity so much that they'll be happy to give you their attention. Don't waste their time with useless stuff. Be purposeful, clear, concise. And use photos, videos, infographics - material to support the message.
4. Make your message clear and meaningful
Always assume that the target audience receives hundreds of pieces of information per day and therefore has limited attention span. Your message must not only be clear but also meaningful. When crafting your message, always start with a question: What's in it for them? Why should they want it? This will allow you to make those priorities crystal clear.
5. Evoke an emotion
Evoke an emotion that will help capture and keep your customers' attention. Whether you make them laugh with a joke or surprise them with an extra discount. Harnessing emotional excitement is a tool commonly used to make people remember a message better, and works particularly well in marketing.
6. Provide a "different" kind of message
Provide a message, that is different from the usual topics. For example, try offering the reader your insights or analysis instead of the usual data. Include visuals that are easy to digest and attractive to a wider target audience.
7. Respect the five-second rule
and shorten your main message to 15 words or less. And if you want a real and quick practice of this rule, then practice it straight in the elevator as an elevator presentation in front of a stranger.
8. Use humour
It's a great communication tool. Captivate your audience with something witty and over the top, and then keep them engaged with a valuable, relevant message they need to hear. We're mostly exhausted these days and everyone appreciates an "extra laugh".
9. Focus on the key message
and adapt it to the customer. When crafting your message, skip the marketing doctrines and focus only on the key benefit. Then, deliver the message in the right place and at the right time (e.g., offer a point-of-sale discount announcement at the OC/prior to entering your store). The consumer only cares about one thing: "what's in it for me?" and your message should express this clearly and right from the start.
10. Get closer to the goal
Journalists and copywriters often spend hours on headlines, not for nothing, it makes sense. After all, if you manage to make the first message appealing to the target audience, chances are the reader will read more.
11. Do not use automatic solutions,
if you don't know if they are solving your audience's problem. Sales pitches in the form of a phone call, text, email or LinkedIn often come across as cold and without the overall context, they don't convert if they only resemble an automated message instead of addressing someone's specific need. Do more homework about your potential customer.
12. Create and publish engaging videos
Create and publish videos that grab attention. Keep your message short, simple and honest. When posting videos on social media, avoid the old-fashioned "hard sell" approach, which is more likely to frustrate your customer.
13. Use bold and bullets
Be short, cut to the chase and add a call for action. If possible, use an infographic: it's worth a thousand words.
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