Is your message like a jingle?

Like us, our customers also have a very limited attention span of just 8 seconds because there are thousands of messages that are trying to get their attention.

Hence, it is very safe to assume that most of our customers do not like to read through a long email, brochure, article, media coverage etc to arrive at a conclusion as to whether our service or product is useful or relevant for them or not.

Our objective to share the material with our customers in the first place, is to elicit a response which could be to call us for a meeting or even place an order. But that is the nth step because unless they read the article/email/ad, it will not go any further.

But how do we get an entry into their mental door? By making our message as memorable in the first few seconds like a radio or TV jingle.

But why like a jingle? By using a combination of lyrics, music and the script, the jingle maker has less than 15/20 seconds to imprint the product/service into your mind. There is no second chance.

Take for example, this interaction on LinkedIn itself. At a given point of time there are hundreds, if not thousands of articles trying to catch our eye. Surely, we cannot read all & so we filter based on such criteria like the author (especially famous or considered an authority on this subject) or the headline. When you are not a famous author (yet), your only hope of getting someone to read is by a 'catchy headline' accompanied by an arresting image, when possible.

This is like getting your prospect to pick up your brochure and read it. Does your brochure header/email subject  scream for the prospect's attention, especially when you're  not a well-known brand?

Let's remember that the headline or image can only get someone to click on the link. The content needs to be as good as the title, if not better, for otherwise it just takes a click to move away, forever.

Many businesses do a great job to get their prospects to read their brochure but then miss the plot by making the content difficult to read or digest like very technical & lose the attention. Else they focus on the features than on the benefits like our  friends

You have now got a view but that is not enough. But when someone 'likes', it means that you have made quite an impression because only a fraction of those who read, actually get to click on the 'like' button. So far so good.

And when one of those few people decides to write a comment, that is certainly a breakthrough even if it is 'great' or 'good' especially from someone who is not known to you. A strong comment either in favour or against, is a very good indication that the article has struck a chord with the reader, for otherwise he/she wouldn't have invested the time and effort to record their response.

But if the reader has taken the next step to 'share' it is a very high compliment because that reader has endorsed your views, not in private but publicly. It doesn't matter whether the sharer is a friend or a stranger because by doing so that person has attached his/her credibility to your article.

In a customer-facing scenario, the '  share' is the most prized of all assets:  a referral. When prospects or customers  share details of your product/service to their near and dear ones,  even without your asking, you have done a great job. Congrats

Occasionally, when the article has made a significant impression, it is quite natural for the reader to become curious about the author and hence may read the profile. By following the author or by asking to be connected to the author, the reader has paid the highest possible tribute because he has chosen the path of a relationship that goes well beyond this article.

This is quite akin, to the customer  calling you for a meeting or  place an order online, which incidentally was your original intent. Great show

While it appears that readers/customers move from one position to another in a sequential way, in reality it is an unconscious smooth flow of events from noticing an article/reading your brochure to following the author/ordering online.

So, if you notice that there is a  huge drop off in the entire prospect funnel  from the time they read your email  to ordering, it's perhapstime to  revisit your message to see if it is as  compelling throughout as a jingle

Here's to your success in attracting & winning customers in plenty

Cheers, Happy Reading

Gagan Malhotra