A Message That Breaks Through The Clutter

Tuning out ads is something the newest generation does well. The 20-somethings are used to the blurred combination of editorial and advertising. Are they just simply used to ignoring a lot of content, no matter what the message is?

There’s so much distraction and noise out there. Screens are split between content and scrolling bottoms giving sports scores, stock prices, news bits, and ads. When you watch a sporting event, every phase of the game has a sponsor. When you download a video you usually endure a 10-20 second commercial. When you comb through FB posts or blogs, there are ads galore. It goes on and on. How many of us are numb to it all? How good are we at separating paid content from legitimate content? How good are we at seeing the difference between editorial and opinion-filled news?

It’s getting harder to promote and sell a book, not just because books compete with so many free or interesting content products -- music, movies, etc — but because there are so many messages being thrown at us. Our brains are cluttered and bombarded by a constant flow of information, solicitations, and demands. I have a headache thinking about it.

So how do you break through the clutter when promoting a book?

1.      First acknowledge the reader-consumer is truly overwhelmed, distracted, and flooded with choices. Keep your message simple, targeted, and easy to embrace.

2.      Say something that gets people’s attention and then back it up with something substantive.

3.      Make your pitch with the understanding that people are overexposed to information and offers. Make your content memorable and fresh. You can’t merely deliver something similar to others—you must be better!

4.      Connect with people at a time or place where they are more open, and less guarded. People are used to being sold something. Come at them in a way you don’t seem to be selling anything.

5.      Make yourself for one thing. Don’t try to be all things to all people. Instead, go with your strength and keep sticking with a core message that resonates with others.

      Lastly, don’t contribute to the problem of clutter. Elevate standards and only produce quality content that gets attention and helps others. When you say or do something just to get people to pay attention, you may have spent too much time on making an impression, rather than trying to help others.

      Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014