Robert Skrob: Stand out and get noticed

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You and I are bombarded by commercial messages.

While Consumer Reports estimates the average American receives 247 commercial messages each day, it seems like I get more than that in emails alone.

Each of us has to adopt a coping mechanism to get through the day without spending all of our time reading and listening to advertising. You and I ignore most of it. We delete the email unopened, we pass by the billboard unread and I bet you are even ignoring the ads in the right column next to this article. Of course, it’s the only way we can get through our day.

Each of us focuses on what matters to us. If it doesn’t seem important at first glance, it’s immediately ignored.

Our customers are making those same judgments. Each time you and I send an email, display a web advertisement or send a direct mail piece, our customers are giving it a quick glance to decide “is this important”?” If not, it disappears so they can move on to what they do judge as important.

Thus, you and I are in a constant battle to establish ourselves as important, fighting for attention and to stay in each customer’s consciousness.

This is one of the reasons why product launches work so well. These events create huge spectacles: dozens of affiliate partners sending their customers emails focused on one event, live web casts with interesting guests that customers want to see. All of this makes the marketer seem larger than life. And most important, it gets attention. It captures the imagination, and potential buyers tune in.

Another tactic to appear larger than life is to create custom names for your process. A profile of James McAnally, DDS, in the Info-Marketing Library describes the sales process he created and promoted to cosmetic dentists called “Big Case Marketing Sales System™.” Dr. McAnally started in the info-marketing business a few years ago in the same place you and I did, with no customers or notoriety. In addition to a lot of marketing, one of the smart things he also did was to name all of his processes.

One component of his “Big Case Marketing Sales System™” is “The Pathway to Yes™ Case Acceptance System.” Case acceptance is the dental industry’s term for a sales presentation. Dr. McAnally is really teaching a sales presentation and closing system. However, by creating his own name for his process, he’s the only one in the industry who can teach the “Pathway to Yes™.” Using unique names like Dr. McAnally does makes customers curious because it’s not something they can categorize in their minds. They have to spend time investigating, giving the marketer a good chance to get even more attention.

A third great way to break through the clutter and get attention is to host your own events. Only the most important people have events—so if you host one, that makes you important. While the truth is anyone can rent a hotel room, pay for a coffee setup and stand in front of the room, hosting an event still gives you a lot of credibility in your business niche.

I know many info-marketers who are hosting large events today who started with only 15 to 25 people at their first one. That’s right, they marketed their event and ended up with only 15 people. Yet for every person who attended, there were four or five who wanted to come but couldn’t break away. There were dozens more who were interested but wanted to see how it turned out.

If your first event is small, take heart. As you publish testimonials, produce audio programs and host a second event, more customers will take notice and attend. Your events will grow, as will your reputation.