For years I have been reading that our attention span is shrinking.
It’s my fourth day in business. Is this good or bad news?
All this ADD, ADHD, and whatever else is out there scares the hell out of me. What am I going to do with this mess? Oh, yeah I forget, I was in the advertising game for a couple of decades over a decade ago. Yes, that is a total of 30 years. Wow, I am getting freaking old. Back then we had under 30 seconds to tell a story. Surprisingly, TV spots are still 30 seconds long.
What am I worried about? I know this game.
But wait, I have no money to advertise or promote my new studio. Luckily people still use emails—every day. Well, I dusted off my brand-new MacBook Pro and got to typing. Yes, cold email is the game plan for now. Heck, it’s a product that my business offers to clients. With a little help from an app called Apollo and my trusty cohort in Germany, the company is up and running.
We did an A/B test run yesterday and lo and behold we had some interest. No, they weren’t that obvious. But as sneaky as those prospects thought they were, I found out who opened the emails and clicked around. Something is definitely working and I’m going to find out with follow-up emails.
No, they weren’t that obvious.
I’m very excited to be starting this new venture. I am in a strange place in my life where I am fearless—very strange. I am sure it is due to the lessons I have learned these past few years from works such as Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, and the YouTube videos of Alan Watts. I have been an avid student of the Stoics and Zen masters. I truly want to help people. And businesses are full of them.
How does the 8–10 second deficit help you?
Hmm… now there is a thought to ponder. Actually, it forces you to be smarter quicker. If you know that we all have the attention span of a gnat, then you have to be super-clever and upfront in your storytelling.
The benefits of storytelling.
- Number one, storytelling has always been an organic form of persuasion. It is perfect for the social media age. This is great news for a startup.
- Number two, everyone can become a good storyteller. Now that I’m writing it down it sounds like another service I can offer—coaching.
- Number three, if you have the gift of gab you won’t have to spend too much on advertising if any.
This strange new world of constant distractions is actually great news for a new company/brand.
The competition is playing the old model of shotgun advertising and marketing. One shoe size fits all. Let them keep doing it that antiquated way. Allow them to delve into bankruptcy. You on the other hand need to become an incredible weaver of tales that educate, entertain, and inspire. With that superpower, you will always have the home-court advantage in your court, their court, and everyone else’s.
Turn 8–10 seconds into profits?
So, how do you become a great storyteller?
I will tell you what I’m doing and maybe it will help you as well. I’m watching a ton of stand-up comedians for one. Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein have an advertising agency that proves that I’m on the right track. Their work spans decades telling one joke after another in advertising campaigns that have become icons. Who do you think were the guys behind the got milk? campaign? Humor pays in the millions!
Then there is Wieden+Kennedy, the agency that gave us the Nike Just do It campaign. That is a whole different kind of storytelling. But you get the picture. Telling a great story levels the playing field for any business. You don’t have to be a giant to compete, you just have to entertain with great tales. It’s what I’m doing, but with a time limit of under 5 seconds, just in case. I’m thinking billboard advertising strategy—applied everywhere.
In conclusion:
I have a budget of $50 per month, 0 clients, and a goal to reach of $10K for the month of December.
Will I reach it? If I tell great stories I will!
I share what I learn, observe, and experience. perezamigos.com