085. Marketing to Goldfish (Opinion)

As much as we may want to deny it, technology has created a fish tank. We’ve all become Goldfish. With attention spans that last anywhere up to 6 seconds if that, stay with us for this…

“How do I market to someone who won’t give me the time of day?”
Well, when it comes to capturing the attention of potential customers, there are still steps that your business can take to stay ahead of the competition.

Speak clearly

We know it isn’t always easy to explain what it is you do in a few lines, and it’s even more difficult telling the story of what makes you the best at what you do in a fleeting moment. Unfortunately for businesses, that’s how it is.

We would advise championing clarity – avoid industry-specific jargon. If somebody is looking for a graphic designer in Manchester, they want to know – How long have you been designing? Who have you designed for? What makes you unique?

What you hold back is as important as what you say. Clients don’t need to know the high tech equipment you possess or your qualifications unless it’s necessary for the industry. In general, people don’t expect to hire an architect who is an English language specialist, or a content writer who has an architecture degree. So hold on to that info…for now.

Use helpful prose that guide the customer to the information they are looking for, be clear and concise. Clarity is critical!

Breaking up the key stuff

As all good marketing agencies will advise, your front and centre content is the key to interacting with the modern-day audience. As the hoards of potential customers sit lifelessly scrolling through their devices, what is going to make them stop and communicate with you?

Your content! Whether it’s the professionally-shot photos of your business going about its daily routine, or the images of the recent graphic design work you completed, get it out there.

But…here’s the key, break your content up into manageable bites.

Your most valuable asset is far too important to be wasted all at once. The same goes for blog content, if someone is visiting your website to read your opinion on something, then use this opportunity to feed into something else.

For example, mention to your reader that you also have a blog about what we think will be the significant marketing trends of the coming year and link them to this blog post too…

See what we did there… That is exactly what you need to do. Make the most of your best content. Even if that means releasing the same images on multiple occasions over a period of time (if you do this on Instagram make sure you only post the image once on your feed, any repeats should be on your story), as capturing attention is vital.

Can we join in?

Everyone wants to feel a part of something, and this will never change amongst the current crop of potential clients/customers. Therefore having ad content that is not only creative but also interactive, can elevate your business to the next level.

Interactive campaigns are much more memorable than those that aren’t. Could your paragraphs be turned into a quiz? Your customers could then interact with your business, making what you offer more memorable.

In some industries, the virtual ‘try me on’ feature is becoming increasingly popular. If you’re a retailer of designer sunglasses, why not allow your customers to superimpose the frames of their choice on to a picture of themselves? Increasing the chance of purchase.

Unfortunately, attention span is something we are stuck with, and in the marketing sector, it can either be embraced or hated. But we love the challenge, so if you are after advice from our Digital Marketing team, send us a message, give us a call or come and meet us in our Stockport / Manchester office.