How To Get My Attention

September 4th, 2009

by John R. Sedivy

your voice How much information do you receive in a given day that you actually care about?

I’m not talking about the stuff that you are forced to care about through responsibility, or a false sense of caring to save the feelings of another person. I am talking about the information that you genuinely care about and look forward to receiving.

If your e-mail inbox looks anything like mine first thing in the morning it has at least a few unsolicited messages that I care nothing about. Actually it is more than a few – sadly it’s the majority. Most get deleted without my even having looked at them.

Personal messages aside, there are a few great messages that I do look at.

While reading Permission Marketing by Seth Godin the author had identified three characteristics of permission marketing:

1. Anticipated: People look forward to hearing from you.
2. Personal: The messages are directly related to the individual.
3. Relevant: The marketing is about something the prospect is interested in.

Although Permission Marketing applies directly to marketing, upon further reflection I found that it can equally apply across any communication. I will use e-mail as an example of the application of this idea because it is a forum that is widely familiar (and unanticipated, impersonal, irrelevant e-mail is a problem that many likely have) and e-mail is the first thing that caught my attention when rolling out of bed this morning. For more information on permission marketing refer to my article Asking Permission, or better yet read the book.

Yesterday in How To Sell Your Idea I had mentioned that in order to be receptive to your message the audience or consumer must care. But how do you make people care? How do you compel people to take action?

Easy – by making your conversation with the customer anticipated, personal, and relevant. Here’s how to do it.

Are You Anticipated Or Merely Tolerated?
There is a big difference between the answer to this question. Anticipation generates excitement and a positive call to action. Being tolerated induces a lackluster, if any response.

Communications that I request – such as a subscription to a blog or a request for more information about a newly discovered product or service is anticipated.

Personally I like the example of my Barnes and Noble e-mail which often contains a coupon towards a new purchase. In the overall scheme of things we are not talking huge savings here, but it usually prompts me to take a trip to the bookstore to make a purchase.

I am probably behind the times by being a blogger who still goes to a physical bookstore rather than an online store. However, I enjoy physically browsing through books, discovering new items, and just the overall experience.

This call to action makes the message – and therefore the communication is anticipated.

Establish A Personal Connection
Personal relationships almost always get attention – this is, in my opinion, the most effective way to clear through the clutter. People care most about people with whom they have a personal, vested interest.

The same applies to business. You can have the best technical and business skills, however if the receiver of your message doesn’t like you it really doesn’t matter. This is an ugly truth that many attempt to deny, but people like to do business with people whom they like and have a personal connection.

Find a sincere, authentic rapport with the individual whose attention you are wishing to attract and the rest will take care of itself. Do not be tempted to establish a false rapport – that technique has the opposite, devastating effect.

Consider the e-mail example again. Other than coupons, I also receive messages which inform me of new books released by authors whose books I have purchased in the past with my membership card. This may seen intrusive to some, however I have given this permission – my interests and reading are varied – it would be quite a daunting task to keep track of my favorite authors. It’s nice to have someone do this for me!

Crafting a personalized, individual message for each customer gives them a personal stake in your message.

Is Your Communication Relevant?
Should I care about your message to me? Most times the answer is a resounding no. Many marketers and business owners are spammers – they purchase a list, draft a boilerplate message and send the message to the masses. Sure they get some nibbles off the line, but most really don’t care. Furthermore, the nibbles they do receive are not very strong – they are from the fickle bunch who will trade sides at the first scent of a better deal.

Consider the alternate approach. Carefully crafting a relationship built upon incremental permission built over time. True you will not reach as many prospects, or as large of an audience with this approach, however you will firmly cement personal relationships that are extremely strong over time and can withstand even the most trying of circumstances. These are the consumers who will not leave you for the next big thing – they value the relationship because it’s personal and relevant.

Keeping it relevant is tough. It’s tempting to move off track and send non-relevant information to your customers in the hopes of a random sale. However, if your communications are consistently relevant you will gain credibility over time and your messages will be anticipated which will have a more profound result over time.

A Circular Relationship
Upon thinking about the theory of permission marketing I believe this relationship to be circular in nature. One aspect affects the other two. Each action in each category either further builds or cripples the other aspects. This continuous feedback creates a circular relationship of sorts among the various entities whose attributes I represent by questions above.

Providing your audience with consistent, relevant information over time will gradually increase your permission level to provide more information. Your credibility increases, and with it your shared perspective on market trends, products, and services.

The personal nature of the relationship provides a strong foundation which can withstand turbulent conditions – both personal and economic. Personally involving the audience gives them a personal stake in your message and as a result increases their attention.

Continually providing your audience with relevant information with a grounding in a personal relationship will lead to anticipation of your communications which will increase the likelihood of positive action which will be beneficial to the both of you.

Anticipated, personal, and relevant communication will get you the right attention!

-John R. Sedivy of Cape Cod Branding