Marketing 101: Attention

Marketing is about reaching the right people who need the product or service you offer. To reach them, you have to get their attention.

People's attention is scarce and short, so your efforts must be clear, concise and quick. In this blog article we'll talk about the essentials for getting people's attention.

One: Find the Best Source
A source can be anything from a radio commercial, piece of mail or a social media ad. There are many sources that act as a bridge for you to reach people. The key is knowing which source is the best one to reach the kinds of customers you want for the budget you have.

Most people will only spend 2-3 seconds reviewing your marketing message before deciding whether to give you another 10 seconds or to ignore you. So as a rule of thumb, the longer you can capture their attention span, the better chance you have of enlightening them with your offering.

Keep in mind, platforms that reach more people with longer attention spans will cost more money. Radio commercials are much more expensive (costing anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 per month) because they reach a larger audience with a more captured audience. Facebook ads on the other hand reach a lot of people too, but attention spans are much shorter. The cost on the other hand is much more affordable, costing a minimum of $3 per day.

When looking for the best source, keep your budget costs in mind.

Two: Concise Messaging
Because you're dealing with shorter attention spans, your marketing message should be as concise as possible. Avoid fluffy content and unimportant details. Below are some bad and good examples of a Facebook ad message for a house cleaning service:

Poor Example:
"Are you tired of coming home to a dirty house all the time? Do you never have time for yourself to do the things you love? Why not hire a cleaning service to do the work for you? Contact ABC Cleaning services for a free quote on house cleaning today. We do everything from deep cleaning, maintenance cleaning and weekly cleaning. Our staff is friendly and trained to meet all your cleaning needs. Let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to serving you!"

The example above sounds professional enough but it's simply TOO LONG. most people will not get through the whole thing. Instead, a more concise way of communicating this could be:

Better example:
"If you're tired of a dirty house, call ABC Cleaning services. We offer free quotes, professional team members and everything from deep cleaning to weekly visits. Contact us today!"

This is concise and to the point, making it easy for the reader to consume the content. If the person is interested in what you offer, they will visit your website to learn more information. If you're going to capture people's attention, you need to make the marketing message concise.

Three: Multiple Touch Points
On average, a prospect needs to see your marketing message about 7 to 10 times (depending on the industry and offering you're selling) in order to take action. People will probably forget they saw your marketing message if they only saw it one time. If you're able to keep your offering on the front of their mind multiple times, then you increase the chances of them contacting you.

An example of having multiple touch points is by running a marketing campaign targeting the same zip code using the following strategy:
- Touch point 1: Place yard sings of your business on key street corners
- Touch point 2: Purchase a postcard mailing to target the same neighborhoods
- Touch point 3 - Run a Facebook ad that targets the same area
- Touch point 4 - Run a Google Ad campaign for people in this area searching for your product or service

If a potential prospect sees these touch points multiple times in a single month, you'll be able to capture their attention much easier.

Conclusion: You need to Get Your Prospects Attention
In today’s fast-paced world, grabbing and holding attention is no small feat. However, by focusing on three key elements—choosing the right sources, crafting clear and concise messages, and creating multiple touch points—you can significantly improve your chances of reaching your audience.

Effective marketing isn’t just about getting noticed; it’s about making a lasting impression. Whether it’s selecting platforms that fit your budget, simplifying your messaging to resonate quickly, or ensuring potential customers see your brand multiple times, each step builds a stronger connection with the people you want to reach.

Attention is a scarce resource, but with the right strategy and consistent effort, it’s possible to stand out in the crowd and make an impact.