What does effective marketing to prospects look like?

I ask you this question because many business owners, entrepreneurs, and executives feel trapped. They believe marketing must look and function a certain way.

So, when they create their “marketing,” the end result appears pretty standard.

You see logos… Company names… Lists of services… Product images… Phone numbers… URLs… Prices… Staff and/or office pictures…

As I mentioned here before, this mentality is dangerous because your prospects sense the look and function of marketing too – and when they perceive something as marketing, they often ignore it.

Most do so instinctively. Like you, people have programmed their minds to tune out information that targets a mass audience with an impersonal message.

The fact is, each day thousands more messages compete for people’s attention than just a decade ago. Thanks to the Internet, it’s possible this figure may even reach into the millions.

Anyone can now create and distribute information at little or no cost, which adds clutter to an already crowded marketplace. That’s why it’s essential that you escape the expected with your marketing.

Again, marketing that matches an expected look and feel goes unnoticed.

The mind doesn’t wait. You literally have fractions of a second to demonstrate differences when marketing, whether through appearance or content.

In January 2014, research released by a team of MIT neuroscientists found that the human brain processes entire images in as little as 13 milliseconds (1 millisecond is 1/1,000th of a second).

“The fact that you can do that at these high speeds indicates to us that what vision does is find concepts,” said Mary Potter, an MIT professor of brain and cognitive sciences and the study’s senior author. “That’s what the brain is doing all day long – trying to understand what we’re looking at.”

So how fast is 13 milliseconds?

Well, the average blink of an eye takes 300-400 milliseconds. That’s an eternity when compared to the time the mind needs to process an image.

Time is not on your side.

Keep in mind, too, that you must take into account the different types of buyers. It’s generally accepted among neuroscientists that there are three types of buyers – tightwads, spendthrifts, and those unconflicted about spending.

Here’s the breakdown (image from Help Scout):

Of course, if you target tightwads, your marketing must work a bit harder because they have the greatest buying pain.

However, sometimes these adjustments can be simply a matter of reframing, especially as it relates to price.

For example, how likely are you to buy a product that costs $1,000 a year? My guess is that you’d probably want to know several details before making a decision.

Now, what if I offered a similar product at just $84 a month? Does this amount seem more manageable?

It likely does.

The fact is, though, that $84 a month is the same as $1,000 a year.

So, if your offer targets all types of buyers, make an effort to include options for those tightwads (if you want to reach that audience).

Another thought to consider…

When I pulled the above graphic from Help Scout, I saw a piece discussing a Carnegie Mellon University study that reveals the impact a single word can have on converting your prospects to buyers.

Researchers tested an overnight shipping charge on a free DVD trial. Instead of including the usual “a $5 fee,” they adjusted the wording to read “a small $5 fee.”

Crazy as it might seem, response increased by 20 percent with the one-word change.

The bottom line: the right words can quickly change buying behavior… as can instant gratification.

You see, our brains crave immediacy and the unexpected.

Prospects constantly evaluate how soon they can receive gratification from you, so use your marketing to deliver value right up front – and even go beyond what they expect.

Here’s an example:

I ordered Russell Brunson’s book, DotCom Secrets, because he offered it for free – plus shipping – on his website (he delivered instant value).

The next day, I received the following surprise email:

In effect, Brunson is rewarding me for doing business with him by sharing an unexpected resource.

It’s an incredibly smart strategy that builds trust and makes me eager to receive the book and continue doing business with him.

After all, what other surprises might he have in store for me?

Imagine creating the same feeling with your clients. Once you do, they actually look forward to your marketing, and give it attention that your competitors can only hope for.

By Tom Trush