“Unless you grab my attention fast, I’ll find
someone who can”
Some websites lose millions of impatient customers every week. and the problem isn’t confined to new media. Press ads, street posters, direct mail, tv and radio ads are all bound by the same rule - your message has only seconds to live.
According to Royal Mail, a cold direct mail piece gets 50 seconds of attention, on average. And that’s if it’s well-targeted, selling something that’s already on the reader’s radar.
In contrast, a website has just 4 seconds to do its stuff, says a report by Akamai Technologies. They surveyed 1,058 online shoppers and found that 75% said they would not return to a website if it took 5 seconds or more to load.
But it has always been this way. Admen have known for ever that messages must grab attention fast. Odd, then, how many still ignore this imperative. You still see websites that feature images of a head office, or talk about the company’s philosophy; not the customer’s needs or interests. You get mailers with clever lines; not compelling promises.
And you read brochures and ads that begin by telling you how great and powerful the company’s brand is; not how well it can serve or satisfy its customers.
The fact is, your customers aren’t interested in your business or your brand and don’t care a fig for your mission and
vision - they’re interested in what you can do for them. How you can make their lives easier, more comfortable, more successful, happier or healthier.
So not only will you fail to engage them if you take too long, you’ll also be pouring your budget down the drain if you don’t fit your message to their agenda.
