How Does Your Brand Get (and Keep) Your Customer’s Attention?

July 20, 2017

We all know that great products and customer service will make your business stand out. However that is typically only evident after a customer has made a purchase. The challenge, no matter what kind of business you run, is to find ways to stand out and attract those new customers to begin with. Plus doing it consistently because your pipeline is dependent on it.

So what is the best way to get your customers’ attention?

Be where they are. Connect with them in a way they are used to connecting. It could be social media, it could be email marketing, it could be Google ads, it could be YouTube. Know who your customers are and what sandbox they hang out in before you decide the best way to get their attention.

Stand out. Do something they are not expecting, but something they will appreciate. Your marketing is about standing out and not following the pack. When everyone zigs, you need to zag; it’s much more likely you will get noticed when you’re doing something to lead them down a different path.

Give them something they can value. This doesn’t mean you have to deliver a physical item; it could be an experience or a feeling.

Ask for their attention. Just because you build and launch a product/service suite doesn’t mean they will flock to it without effort. There are plenty of others online vying for their valuable attention. Make them interact with you. Don’t wait for them to realize you have something of value; tell them about it.

It’s a combination of those aforementioned things that determines how our brand comes across and how brands are perceived. Are we believable, trustworthy and credible? The ability to connect the dots for our consumers is paramount. The majority of times most of us decide if we “like” and to some extent, trust someone quickly, very quickly. But before any of those things can happen, they have to become attracted to your brand and then their attraction maintained.

For instance, when I give a presentation one of my primary goals is to establish attention immediately. You need to capture your audience in the first minute or their minds will wander and move on. That is just a true reality.

The same is true for most types of communication including webinars, emails, ad campaigns and social media. So, you need to make certain you have your collective attention-grabbing credibility act together.

People will remember when they have been visually and emotionally branded. So it is a MUST to do that exact thing with any form of communication your brand sends out into the world. I suggest that in order to quickly attract attention and make a memorable impression keep these things in mind.

Prepare. Do your research. Understand your audience’s needs, their competitive landscape, the challenges they face and what motivates them.

Put yourself in their shoes. Once you have a good understanding of your customer’s situation and needs, think of how you would feel if you had to face the same issues and challenges. What tools does your brand offer to resolve them?

Use your imagination. Come up with a hook, whether it’s a quote, an image, a sound bite, a headline, a story, anything that will work to quickly attract their attention and touch upon the “pain” faced by your audience; something to which they can relate.

Set the hook. We humans have short attention spans. So, once you have the right hook, build on it and refresh it with pertinent details you gathered from your research. When relevant, use case studies, testimonials and personal experiences to reinforce the points you want to make and why what you offer is the solution to their problems. Translate what you have to say into benefits to the customer. People will seldom ignore what you are saying, if they believe there is something in it for them.

Enhance your credibility. Make sure you give them quantifiable benefits to reinforce the value that your business product or service can provide. When you combine those things, the more emotional connectivity your hooks will have and the more memorable the points you make become, all of which will work to enhance your credibility.

Be memorable (in a good way). Unless you write headlines for the tabloids don’t go about attracting attention in a superficial way. I guarantee that will backfire and damage your brand’s credibility.

What makes a business stand out?

Make a list of all the features of your products or services and their benefits. Now put yourself in the position of your customers and look at the list. Which things are important? What do you do, or what about your business offerings could be perceived as being different and desirable? Those are the things to promote to get attention.

Then be enthusiastic! If you are not excited about your product or service, how can you expect your customers to be very interested? Be animated! Be lively! Give your customers reasons to listen to you! Add a little POW into your dialogue.

Once you have your consumer’s attention, how do you persuade them to buy, download, or otherwise convert? Well, it’s simple (sort of). If their attention is retained, there is a high probability the information will be shared, in effect creating brand ambassadors and raving fans who are excited to share your content within their social circles.

To solidify my messaging around getting your brand noticed and the importance of recognizing that you can’t sell anything to anyone unless you can first get their attention, take a little walk down memory lane with me and hear how the Godfather of the entertainment industry, Ken Kragen, who managed the careers of Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Trisha Yearwood, Olivia Newton John, Burt Reynolds, The Smothers Brothers, and many more turned them into mega stars.

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In my recent Brand by Kelly™ Brand Crush Brand Chat listen to how Ken created, produced, and launched the We are the World album in less than 30 days (during Christmas and New Years) and corralled 45 A-List musicians to do what he wanted them to do… what to everyone at the time seemed impossible. Ken’s brand and business insights are invaluable. Grab a beverage and enjoy the show!

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