Today I attended a networking event hosted by the Ontario Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Today’s discussion seemed to focus on marketing and getting your business’ message out. I’d like to share some insight with you on this topic.
Individuals in North America are bombarded by messages everyday. From the moment we wake up to the moment we go to bed, we receive thousands of messages. For the sake of our sanity, we tune most of these messages out ; we thus retain very few of them. When promoting your business, it is vitally important that your messages get through the filters and be retained by your audience.
What gets past through the filters, and what does not?
First, you must attract your audience’s attention. This can be done in several ways. You can attract attention with different methods, such as humour (a joke), flattery (a word of praise), fear (a threat), or desire (a gift). Most marketers suggest that you stay on the positive side because negative messages may backfire if it’s not handled properly.
Second, you must sustain your audience’s attention by piquing their interests. You will have to identify your audience and cater your message to them specifically. People generally are interested in a few things: current affairs that they can relate to (gossips, TV shows, movies), the common good (help conquer cancer, fight AIDS, save the planet), special occasions (Halloween, birthdays, holidays), and self-advancement (money-saving tips, how to become more efficient, how to lose weight).
By attracting and sustaining people’s attention, your message will more likely find its way to your targeted audience.
