Mono-marketing – the power of a single focus

In the April 29 issue of the New York Times was an article entitled “Read This Story Without Distraction (Can You?).  You can read it here: http://nyti.ms/26A2S92

The premise of the article was about the lack of ability for many people to focus on one, singular thing, and how the much-heralded ability to multi-task can actually be a hindrance in life and business.

The article got me thinking about how many business owners market their business, and make the critical mistake of trying to do too much (often too soon).  I get many business owners want to get as much for their advertising and marketing dollars as possible.  So they pack in multiple offers or calls-to-action, with the hope that a shotgun approach will yield the biggest bang for their buck.

In my experience, the opposite is true.

Have you ever gone to a local, old-school diner?  The kind with the gum-chewing, smart-talking waitress and the menu is essentially a short book?  You walked in thinking you wanted a hamburger and after going through 10 pages, you’re not even sure you’re hungry anymore.

“A confused mind does nothing.”

Not sure who said it, but for the marketer, this is an important concept that we must constantly remind ourselves of.

Offering too many choices, asking for too much information, asking to jump through too many hoops, etc. can be the kiss of death of an otherwise sound marketing campaign (The one time I typically stray from this way of thinking is when offering different ways to respond, where in my experience the more options you give somebody, e.g. fax, phone, email, etc. the better).

A former client of mine was notorious for writing emails that gave the recipient usually three different calls-to-action (besides requiring multiple scrolls to read).

My advice was always the same. “Keep the copy tight.  Keep the message focused on getting a single action, and only ask them for one simple click.”

A better approach would be to sequence the three calls-to-action with automated follow-up marketing, each focused on the single call-to-action.

Effective direct-response marketing is all about guiding a person along a path and getting them to take a specific action to get them to take the next desired step.

NOTE: How long your copy should be and how much you need all depends on what it is your selling or asking the person to do, so don’t confuse copy length with focus.  Use as much copy as you need to get a person to take the desired action.

I like to use the metaphor of falling dominoes.  One action triggers the next.

In today’s frenetic world, mono-marketing, communicating a clear and singular message and call-to-action can mean the difference between a profitable marketing campaign and a dud.