Since I started Dream Local Digital 14 years ago, so many things have changed in online marketing. Social networks have come and gone, consumers’ usage of the internet has skyrocketed, and we have helped 65,000 small businesses learn how to successfully market themselves online.
One statistic that has also dramatically changed is the human attention span. In my early presentations, I showcased that humans had an attention span that was only slightly longer than a goldfish, 12 seconds and 9 seconds respectively. Now, in today’s fast-paced world, the average human attention span is shorter than a goldfish. Think about the tremendous impact that has on your marketing. How can you make your message get through to your target audience and resonate? The secret is in your delivery.
Too many companies focus their marketing on the products and services they sell without making it relevant to their target audience. In a world with 8-second attention spans, that means a lot of marketing is quickly scrolled past and tuned out.
In my last post, we talked about narrowing down your target audience to really understand your “who.” As we discussed, the more specific you can be here, the more effective your marketing can become. You need to understand your target audience deeply — and the problem you solve for them — so that you can tailor your messages and offers specifically to them. Consider:
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What motivates them? How does your product or service help them get what they aspire to or the result they want?
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What keeps them up at night? How does your product or service help them avoid pain?
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How does your product or service make them feel?
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What do they do when they’re researching to buy your product or service? What sites/tools/publications do they use?
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What do they think about affordability? Looking for references/reviews?
From here, it’s time to explore how you are uniquely qualified to serve your audience. Sell them on “why you, why now” in all of your marketing content. One of the ways is by showing how much you understand them and their needs, how you effectively solve their problems and/or help them achieve their goals and dreams. What other attributes make you uniquely qualified? Make a list and highlight those attributes regularly. They could include:
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Years of experience
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Retention rates, customer testimonials, reviews
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Any unique products or services that your competition does not have
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Your service
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Geography
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Any awards or recognition you have received
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Method of delivery
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Ease of use, convenience
And finally, to ensure that you cut through the noise and reach the short attention spans of your target audience, be sure to use THEIR language, not yours. First, make sure you aren’t using industry or internal jargon to describe what you do that is different from how a customer would refer to it. Second, consider tone and vernacular: Is your target audience conservative? Playful? Make sure that you surprise and delight them by speaking directly to them in their language. As you prepare your marketing, tailor it to your “who,” describe how you are uniquely qualified to serve them, and deliver your messages in their voice and language. Taking this time to prepare will set you up for success!
