Marketing: Why Audience Is Everything
By Lisa Packer Not long ago I was summoned to Jury Duty. Rather than trying to get out of it, I decided to see what the trial attorneys (AKA “Professional Persuaders”) could teach me about persuasion. In a nutshell, it was a civil case a traffic accident allegedly resulting in an injury. We spent the entire first day of the trial selecting a jury. The lawyers on both sides asked us question after question to make sure they had “a fair and impartial jury.” (Translation: Twelve people they felt they could convince to agree with them.) I was among the first to be seated, which allowed me to observe the selection process undistracted (except by boredom.) The lawyers wanted to know if prospective jurors knew anyone involved. Plaintiff’s attorneys wanted to know if any had prior medical or legal training, or military service. As the defendant was military, those who had served had to promise not to let that experience color their judgment. The defense attorney wanted to know if we felt it was reasonable to judge whether or not an injury was likely to have occurred by the amount of damage the collision caused. (Read that sentence again if you have to: Several people made him repeat the question before they’d answer.) The one person who said “no” was dismissed. Not only did that question help the lawyer seat people likely to agree with his argument, it also used the principal of consistency. He knew that once we had publicly stated we agreed with that fact, we’d have an emotional need to stick with that opinion. Application: It seemed like a waste of time to take the entire day choosing the jury. Once we were chosen, (since we couldn’t talk about the case yet) it was one of the main things we the jury did discuss on breaks why it took so long, how boring it was to sit through those questions over and over. And did you see that even the judge seemed to be getting annoyed? But in reality, it was time well spent, and the attorneys knew it. Getting the right 12 people meant they didn’t have to waste their time trying to persuade someone who would never see things their way. Who you market to is just as important as what you’re marketing. It’s far more important than a great headline, or even an emotional appeal. If you’re using direct mail, spend the extra money to whittle down your list. Choose wisely when it comes to placing print or broadcast ads. It may cost more time and energy up front, but choosing your audience wisely will give you a much greater Return On Investment than just scattering your message to the wind. Does your marketing forge an emotional connection with your prospects? It can. Lisa Packer, author of “The Power Of Emotion: 6 Triggers That Turn Prospects Into Customers,” specializes in copy that does just that. Get your own FREE copy of this resource, and find out how Lisa can explode your response rates today at www.lisapacker.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Packer http://EzineArticles.com/?Marketing:-Why-Audience-Is-Everything&id=352470 no faxing notelecheck cash advances quotation difficult paycheck depends upon it personal loans for military how much get taking out of my paycheck
