Attracting the distracted generation

 
By John McGory

A long-held principle is the Law of Attraction. It is simply like attracts like.  If you are negative, then you will attract negative.  If you are positive, then you’ll attract positive.   

The law’s basic logic makes sense in many ways.  People feel much more comfortable being with people like themselves.  That is why clubs, organizations and gangs are popular.  It is people hanging with others who think and act alike.  It makes life comforting whether it is the Goths, the Crips or the PTA.

Let’s take this concept and turn it toward the business world. What emotion does your brand send out?  Who does your message attract when you send them out via advertising, public relations, social media or branding? 

Keeping the concept of like attracts like in mind is crucial when developing your attraction messages. 

Now let’s take another piece of information from a University of Texas study.  It said that people read, hear, see and do things every day.  Thirty days later they will remember 10% of what they read today, 20% of what they heard and 30% of what they saw. 

But people will remember 90% of what they DID.

So if like attracts like and you mostly advertise via written materials such as post cards or emails, then you attract readers.  The chance that they will remember your ad in 30 days is 10 percent.  Radio spot listeners recall ads 20 percent of the time after a month and television or video ads bump it up to 30 percent.

If you attract customers through doing things such as events, then your chances of being remembered skyrockets to 90 percent. 

Remembering anything today in the blur of information we all face is a challenge.  We live in the Distracted Generation.  The distracted are everywhere.  At the mall, at the movies and at restaurants, texting, gaming and watching videos while carrying on conversations and watching a football game on the big screen.   The distracted keep each other busy even while ignoring who is right in front of them.

But the distracted do like to do things.  That is their problem. They like to do numerous things at one time.    Businesses best chance at attracting the distracted is by giving them things to do.  Events, the crazier the better, have a much better chance at attracting the distracted.  That is your best shot. 

Plus, if they are amused, they are guaranteed to distract others with your message.  That would be attraction by distraction.  So maybe the principle should change to the Law of Distraction where like distracts like.

We’ll talk more about this in coming blogs.  And, I just want to say, I only checked my email three times and sent a couple of texts during the writing of this blog.  Not bad.

John McGory is the founder of FYF Events, a central Ohio promotions/event company that attracts the distracted.  We create, partner, organize and manage events for business and pleasure. Contact us at FYFEvents@gmail.com.  Check soon for our website at www.fyfevents.com or on Twitter @FYFEvents.