4 Ways to Get a Prospects Attention Fast

Can you remember the last dozen advertising messages beamed at you today? Can you remember even one of them? Most people can't.

This illustrates a major obstacle you need to overcome before you can successfully promote your product or service. You have to capture a prospective customer's attention in the first few seconds or your sales message will be ignored. This is especially important on the Internet where a visitor can simply click away from your website ...forever.

Here are 4 proven techniques you can use to quickly capture a prospect's attention.

1. Make a Dramatic Statement

Did you ever write a headline for an ad, web page or other sales message? You probably used a dramatic statement. It's the most obvious way to get someone's attention. For example:

"Lose 8 Pounds in the Next 2 Weeks without Dieting" "My Doctor Uses These Nutritional Products" "Increase Your Sales and Reduce Your Advertising Expenses

Tip: Your dramatic statement will be most effective when it describes a major benefit for your prospect.

2. Surprise Them with Something Unexpected

Unexpected surprises always attract attention. It's often negative attention caused by something going wrong. But you can also use an unexpected surprise to attract positive attention. It happened to me last week.

The office supply company I use sent me a letter announcing an automatic $50 deduction off my total bill for this month. I immediately placed an order for items I was not planning to buy for another month or two. I even stocked up on several items I normally buy elsewhere.

Their unexpected surprise got my attention and generated a large order at a time I hadn't planned on buying anything.

3. Ask a Provocative Question

I once saw a direct mail letter that began with the question, "If you're such a smart executive why aren't you making a six figure income?" Not many executives could resist reading that letter, especially if they are not making a six figure income.

Provocative questions startle your prospects and compel them to find out more. Here are 2 more examples of provocative questions:

"Why are you paying so much for your health insurance?" "Do you really expect to get rich working for somebody else?"

4. Get Personal

Personalization also attracts immediate attention. Your personalization can be individualized or group oriented.

Use "Individualized Personalization" when you are communicating directly with one person by email, postal mail, telephone, etc. Use your prospect's name. It's the number one attention grabber.

For examplem merge the name into the subject line and the opening line of your email message. Do the same in your postal mail. Include any other personal information you know about them in your communication.

Personalizing with a name is easy when you are communicating directly with one prospect. But how can you get personal with a prospect visiting your web site, reading your ad or listening to your radio commercial?...

Use "Group Oriented Personalization" when you are not communicating directly with one person. You can get personal by referring to known characteristics of prospects in your targeted market. For example, use phrases like:

"When you started your business..." for business owners. "Your favorite NFL team..." for sports fans. "Every mother knows..." for women with children.

Group Oriented Personalization is not as effective as using a person's name. But it still attracts attention because your prospect can react to it with, "that's me".

Take some time today to plan how you can use these four proven techniques to attract more attention to your sales messages. The results will probably surprise you. So will the increase in your sales and profits.

Copyright 2005 Bob Leduc http://BobLeduc.com/

Bob Leduc spent 20 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase sales. He just released a New Edition of his manual, How To Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards ...and launched *BizTips from Bob*, a newsletter to help small businesses grow and prosper. You'll find his low-cost marketing methods at: http://BobLeduc.com or call: 702-658-1707 After 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV



A Simplified Marketing Plan that Works!

When I started my first business in 1981, I researched... Read More

Dont Think Like A Package Designer - Think Like A Customer

Some of the most successful package introductions have come from... Read More

Importance of Endorsements And How To Use Them

Customer endorsements are an inexpensive and easy sales tool, particularly... Read More

A Perfect Partnership for Business

Too often we small business owners get caught up in... Read More

The Marketing Funnel: Simple, Effective Marketing Strategy

No matter if you're publishing your first book or producing... Read More

Beware of Magazine Style Yellow Pages Ad Design.

I have been designing Yellow Page ads for the past... Read More

Fundraising Letters Are Easier To Write With AIDA

Learn a lesson from professional direct mail copywriters. They follow... Read More

Direct Mail Response Rates Low? Eliminate These Mistakes

Are your direct mail response rates lower than you expect?... Read More

Non-Profit Success Requires Ongoing Marketing

In a crowded marketplace of ideas, it is important for... Read More

Psychology of Setting Prices

Pricing is one of the four major components of marketing.... Read More

Time for A Marketing Tune-up

If you have been in business any length of time,... Read More

Did You Know Your Mind-Set IS Your Problem?

How To Save Yourself From The Pits of Marketing Cyber... Read More

Leverage The Power Of Using Flyers To Advertise Your Online Product or Service Offline

One commonly overlooked method of advertising offline is flyers. Flyers... Read More

First to Market Theory

AGE OLD QUESTIONBusiness scholars throughout the planet keep asking the... Read More

4 Steps to Successful Offline Drawings

There are many different ways to market offline, each important... Read More

Small Business Bonzai Marketing

Do you own a small business? Do you wish to... Read More

Creative Online Marketing For Salespeople and Business Professionals

New to a sales career? Want to market yourself but... Read More

How To Start With Absolutely Nothing And Create Wealth online in 30 days or less.

Without a doubt, if you asked me, Shane if there... Read More

A Tool For Selling New Ideas!

Imagine tossing a pebble into a crystal clear pond on... Read More

Five Tips for Trade Show Success on a Small Budget

No matter how small your marketing budget, your business can... Read More

How to Measure the Benefit Your Product or Service Offers

Measuring the benefit of your product or service means putting... Read More

2 Little Words That Work Marketing Magic

In his classic best-seller, "How To Win Friends And Influence... Read More

Networking Events ? Lose the Fear and Gain the Benefits

"Kevin, are you saying I need to go to Networking... Read More

Are Corporate Awards and Corporate Gifts Beneficial for Your Business?

With the increased challenges that all companies are faced with,... Read More

Name the Top Cable Network

When Cable began as Community Antenna Television in 1948, all... Read More

If you'd like to keep up-to-date,
please complete the form below and we'll put you on the mailing list
to receive our twice-yearly newsletter for supporters

* Your email address:
* choes your language: