Sales people like to talk. The good ones listen. Marketers, on the other hand, tend to be verbal but more focused on reading and writing. They wind up working on the copy for websites, PR releases, direct mail, email, literature and whitepapers. The problem is… no one reads any more. So much of this activity is wasted. Too bad. What are you going to do about it?
It’s time to consider a couple of things. Getting your ‘prospect universe’s’ attention and then finding the best way to communicate with them. This doesn’t mean that marketers can stop writing, thinking, generating relevant content and being creative at getting attention. Just that the medium might change.
To illustrate the point, one extreme example of this change is the movement from posted advertisements above urinals in men’s rooms to flat screen video. (I hear women read more than men, but I don’t know what goes on in the other side.) Or another example is tweeting.
Let’s get use to the idea that our attention span is limited. We have so much competition for our attention, we want our information pre-digested in bullets so we can determine whether it’s worth another 30 seconds. Many marketers slave over written case studies trying to satisfy this need. Don’t waste your time. No one reads case studies anymore.
Instead, try using the 30-second client testimonial video. This is especially important at the point in the sales cycle that requires proof, especially in the “tornado” portion of the market (see my post on Crossing the Chasm). Buyers in the mainstream want to know who else has your product and service, how are they using it, and what it’s done for them? Since buyers today are much further down the sales path before they call or contact you, they often need this information before you even know they exist.
Here’s an example of 20 seconds from the CFO of a small company:
Now imagine a library of 200 of these videos catalogued by customer experience, benefit, savings and service. I know one company that accomplished this and there are more.
There’s nothing more credible than a customer saying how much you’ve done for them. Many marketers will tell you how difficult it is to get a client or customer on camera. It’s less difficult than you think, and I’ll cover the “how” in my next post… I mean video.
Lee Stocking
Prairie Sky Group
Driving Sales Through Customer Focused Marketing
lee.stocking@gmail.com
651-357-0110 (Cell 24×7)
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