Monday Morning Marketing Tip - January 31, 2011

Rob Eagar's Monday Morning Marketing Tip

is written to help authors, publishers, and organizations

spread their message like wildfire.

This week's focus:

My wife and I recently attended a performance by the Blue Man Group. It was an enjoyable evening that combined music, comedy, and multi-media into a sensory experience. However, as we discussed the event driving back home, we both agreed that the performance suffered from one issue...too much downtime.

There were too many instances during the show where a sense of dead space and lack of energy occurred for several minutes. For example, sometimes it seemed to take too long to change out set pieces on the stage. Other times, the actors took too long to comb the audience for a volunteer. This downtime made the show occasionally lose momentum. When you're paying high ticket prices for an event of this caliber, that kind of downtime can leave a bad taste.

How does this issue apply to you and me? Be careful to avoid creating unnecessary downtime when people interact with your message, such as a book, product, or service. For instance, if you're an author, examine if your book has parts where the material loses momentum for several pages. Do you keep readers riveted with suspense or value-laden information? If you're a business owner, does it takes too long for customers to find a particular product online or in your store? If you provide a service, do you make your clients walk through unnecessary steps that break their momentum? In rare situations when downtime is inevitable, make your customers aware so that their expectations can be adjusted.

You have more power than you think over a customer's experience with your message. If you want to create a marketing wildfire, you've got to keep the flame stoked or it will burnout. Likewise, once you've got people engaged, keep the momentum strong by avoiding unnecessary downtime and keeping them focused on your value.

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© Rob Eagar 2011. All rights reserved.