In the information age, presence in the minds of customers is becoming more important than being present physically. Access to goods and services can take place by many different means and through multiple channels. Grabbing mindshare, or engendering repute and purveying knowledge has hence become critical to business success.
Mindshare, or seeking a share of the space available in someone’s head is like being heard over the cacophony of a busy Manhattan street. The message has to be striking; simple; brief; colorful; coherent.
Watch out for creating ‘bam, and then it’s gone’ in the brain or body of the receiver. Avoid impact without a meaningful message. Communication sherbet only begets more stimulus with no call to respond. Visual or verbal bites are can be effective in claiming mindshare, but only if they carry meaning.
If we want attention value, then the mindshare we get has to stimulate action. The new media give us that opportunity, but the competition is severe. To get a finger to press the video game controller’s button requires a highly distilled message. It has to be the alcohol, not the fruit.
To overcome inherent sluggishness, the business has to
- stay awake, finding ways to instill mindfulness
- turn on a dime, responding to stimuli as a way of life
- be human rather than institutional, allowing for frailty
- create meaning, convincing participants of its reality
- carry through constantly, ensuring that words and music match.