Psst! I'm talking to YOU! Almost 8 hints to cut through the noise

Machines run our lives today. They ring. They beep. They vibrate. They unfailingly demand our attention. And if you're like most of us, you readily give in to their insistent electronic demands. That we can still function despite all the electronic distraction is a testament to our capacity to multi-task.

Multi-tasking is both an amazing intellectual skill unique to humans and the bane of a marketer's existence. For to be successful in marketing, you've got to get someone's attention. And that means cutting through all the cacophony of electronic noise that fills heads today.

As a marketer, you know the first challenge is to make your message heard above the noise...to make people stop, listen and respond to your message. But it isn't as easy as it sounds. "Psst! I'm talking to you!" has never been more difficult.

But hey! You're in marketing, and you're up for a good challenge. So here are a few techniques to help you combat the multi-tasking madness:

1. Repetition. If they don't hear you the first time, say it again. How many times a day do you hear ads for McDonalds? It's about getting someone's attention and cutting through the clutter. And coincidentally about selling a burger or two.
2. Choose your Audience carefully. Studies show that 40% of your success is based on the list you use. If the audience is wrong, your message—even a brilliantly creative one—will fail.
3. Personalization. Catch your recipient's attention—at least momentarily. Call them by name. Refer to their last purchase/donation by date or dollar amount. Mention their hobby or passion. Make your message about them. After all, everybody likes to talk about themselves.
4. Timeliness. Make your message pertinent to your recipient. It is no coincidence that Super Bowl ads often have football themes.
5. KISS it. Keep it short and simple. Attention spans are shortening. Recipients only have so much time they will expend on your message. They've got to get back to their texting, after all.
6. Make it amusing. They may not have much time, but everyone likes to laugh.
7. Experiment. If your message or audience isn't suited to one media, change your message, change your audience or change your media. Find the combination that yields best results, then "work it."
8. Repetition. Successful marketing today is a lot like voting in old-time Chicago. Market them early and market them often. And yes, I am repeating myself.

You get the picture. Marketing in this noisy environment is not for the faint of heart, but there are techniques that will make you more successful.

I could go on, but Dancing With the Stars is starting soon, I've got to check my email and the phone is ringing.

I know you understand.

Make Your Marketing Mahvelous, Dahling!

In the dating game, first impressions are critical. Having your lipstick under control, your handshake firm, and your fingernails clean count for a lot.

You know this. EVERYBODY knows this. It's not really that complicated.

Marketing is no different. In many cases you're addressing someone for the first time, and you rightly know those first impressions are critical. Unfortunately, in the heat of battle-for-the-buck some folks lose sight of the basics.

Experts agree that just a few things control your marketing destiny. Get 'em right and your marketing is mahvelous. Get 'em wrong and you're mud.

Yet it can be damnably difficult to get the perfect balance, the perfect tone. Even years of practice doesn't make perfect. That's why marketing is so exciting. You never really know how you did until the results are in.

Here, then, in the generous spirit of Community Service, I proffer five common sense marketing "rules" based on years of our professional predecessors' trial and error.

#1. → The List. A great list can make even a mediocre marketing effort sizzle. But a poor list can doom even great creative. That means you need to put a lot of thought, time and yes, money, into ensuring you've got the right list for your message.

Corollary: Trust but Verify. 15% of the public moves every year. Ignore that fact, and you can guarantee the crippling double whammy of reduced response rates and wasted production costs. Ouch! Clean your data regularly. Dedupe it. NCOA it. Ensure address accuracy. Clean data to extends a list's useful life.

#2. →The Look. The first thing that catches the eye is the look of your piece. Are the colors bright? The type bold? The design attractive? The headline intriguing? The font readable? Is there a focal point to draw the eye? If you're boring your audience from the get-go, your message won't have a chance. Ho Hum = horrible.

Corrollary: Keep it Clean. Control your type fonts. Just because color is "free" doesn't mean you should use it willy nilly. Use white space to let the eye and mind rest as the reader absorbs your message.

#3. → The Message. Keep your message clear... Concise... Compelling. Vary sentence and paragraph lengths to make the presentation interesting. Tell your audience exactly what you want them to do. Don't make them guess; don't bury your call to action. Use an "expire-by date" to drive action, ie "We need to hear from you in the next week... "

Corrollary: Avoid distractions. Keep the message — and design — focused. Ruthlessly edit unnecessary words. Use bullets to emphasize critical points.

#4. → The Timing. You're probably running behind schedule. Production has been delayed. You're getting anxious to launch. But wait! Is there a killer snow storm approaching? Better hold up; as tough as waiting can be, your audience will be more receptive later.

Corrollary: Accept your fate. You can control lists, message and design, but you can't always control timing. Unexpected things happen every day. 911. Massive fires and floods. Wars break out. If a cosmic event throws off your response rates, chalk it up to fate. And try, try again.

#5. → Step and Repeat. Be persistent... and consistent. Send your message several times. You'll never know if your target was having a tough day when your first message arrived. Maybe you'll get his attention the next time.

Corrollary: Don't give up. Keep on keeping on, as we used to say circa 1960. Keep the look and the message consistent to build your branding. Mix it up too much and you'll be mixing up your audience, too.

So there you have it. Five common-sense rules to let you go forth and prosper.

Here's to Mahvelous Marketing, Dahling!