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“May I Have Your Attention Please?!?!”

By Tom Stanfill

It’s getting harder and harder to cut through the chatter and get your messages to the right decision-makers. Between their email, advertising exposure, voicemail, and 100+ TV channels, it’s nearly impossible to capture the attention of your audience and get your messages noticed. But don’t lose heart! The problem is not the clutter of the marketplace, which you simply can’t control, but the content of your messages, over which you have absolute control.

The solution lies in understanding the real problem. You may not be aware of it, but you receive, on average, 5,000 messages per day. Way too many to process. Some make it past your unconscious filter, but most do not. The key to getting noticed is to first understand the brain’s filtering system. This can best be illustrated by a commercial I saw the other day.

I was sitting in the lobby of a hotel engrossed in writing a proposal. I had found a pretty quiet spot except for a very loud television. I managed to ignore the noise and continued working on my proposal until I noticed a commercial about tires.  These tires were supposedly more durable than all others, and they reduced the number of flat tires. I can’t tell you one other thing I heard on that TV during the prior hour. I had somehow ignored at least 20 commercials and everything else that had aired on the TV. How did this particular commercial break through my subconscious and grab my attention? The answer lies in understanding how the brain works.

Decision-Maker Neurology 101

You have what is called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) in your brain (I know, I know…hang in there with me for a second as this gets interesting!). The RAS is the automatic mechanism inside your brain that brings relevant information to your attention.  It’s like a filter between your conscious and subconscious mind. The RAS takes instructions from your conscious mind and passes them along to your subconscious mind. You have to process so much information on a minute-by-minute basis that your brain has cataloged information and decisions you have already made in the past.  This mental catalog in turn allows you to respond automatically without (consciously) thinking. For example, if you walked into your garage and a bear was eating out of the trash can, you wouldn’t analyze the situation by saying to yourself, “Wow, that bear certainly looks large. I wonder if those claws are sharp? I wonder if he could eat me? Why is his face so wide?” No, you would just run. That’s because your brain already has the answers to these questions. And this is the core of the problem you face when trying to break through the noise and reach the decision-maker. She has already made a decision about who you are (a Sales Rep), and therefore her brain doesn’t fully and consciously engage. She just deletes the email.

So what can we do about it? The key is to understand more precisely when a decision-maker’s RAS kicks in and alerts them to pay attention (a la the television commercial). Drum roll…there are only two reasons our brain will cull through our daily 5,000 messages and bring a piece of information to our attention: 1) Something we know we need appears or 2) something that is completely out of the ordinary or unexpected presents itself. So how do we apply this to break through the clutter and reach the decision-maker? It’s simple, make sure your email, introduction, or voicemail message specifically addresses a problem/need with which the decision-maker is grappling. The reason I tuned into that commercial is that I have had six flat tires in the past three years and more recently I blew out two tires, which caused me to miss a very important appointment. Everyone you want to reach has a “flat tire” issue with which they are dealing. If you send an unexpected message to the decision-maker that addresses their very specific need(s), it will get their attention.   The message has met both criteria for getting noticed. More specifically (beyond impressing your friends at parties), here’s how to use your newfound knowledge about the RAS in order to get more meetings.

Apply It Today

When reaching out to the decision-maker, whether directly or indirectly (email or voicemail), you must:

• Research the account to determine the “flat tire” issue. Everyone has a to-do list based on their perceived needs, and if the purpose for the proposed meeting is not on their to-do list, you won’t get noticed. If it isn’t feasible to spend the time necessary to uncover what’s on the decision-maker’s agenda, then make an educated guess based on the typical challenges faced by the decision-maker’s role and their industry. Again, make it as personalized as you can. Remember, generic communication equals deleted email.
• Say something unexpected. A high percentage of emails follow the same protocol:
  A marketing message in the subject line about increased revenue or cost reduction, a case study, blah, blah, blah. Predictability determines impact. Look at what everyone else is doing and do something different!
• Customize, customize, customize. Every time you reach out to a decision-maker, regardless of medium, you should strive to include details that communicate that this email is not canned.
• Lastly, focus on one thing. As James Carville, Campaign Manager to President Clinton, once said in order to help his most famous candidate get elected, “If you say three things you say nothing.” I know that your product or service has an incredible amount of benefits, but the sheer quantity of benefits won’t get you noticed. Pick the one thing you believe will have the most impact on your decision-maker’s to-do list. If this first item doesn’t work, then move to your next priority message.

Conclusion

This is all good news!  I’m sure you realize that only a small percentage of Sales and Marketing professionals actually take the time to tailor their customer communications to today’s oversaturated marketplace.  By using the above techniques and remaining attuned to the RAS, you stand a fantastic chance of bulldozing through the chatter and having your audience listen to your messages with rapt attention.

About Aslan

Aslan Sales Training and Development is a global training and consulting firm that offers customized inside sales training, field sales training, and sales leadership development. For over 15 years, Aslan has helped internationally recognized brands, such as FedEx, Oracle, Xerox, GE, Apple and others, improve the performance of their sales reps and managers. Aslan recognizes that selling, managing customers, and prospecting over the phone require a unique skill set. As a result, the company has developed a total solution that includes hiring strategies, transitioning managers into coaches and leaders and improving overall performance.