(Photo by Jon Mitchell)

It happens so quickly. You meet someone at the print shop. You notice a flyer on a bulletin board. Colorful packaging catches your eye. An odor catches your attention as you walk down the street. A song plays on the radio. You click on a new link. Almost before you’re aware of it, you’ve already decided how you’ll react. How can this affect your business marketing?

1. Realize you can’t influence everyone. You want only those people to pay attention who want need what you’re selling. So, first focus on these people. What do they look for? What problem are they trying to solve? How do they generally solve their problem? Are they visual communicators?
2. Be consistent. In a blink of an eye we measure a number of inputs. But what catches our attention are things that are out-of-place (wrong color, wrong sound, wrong image, etc.). Either ensure your marketing message is totally consistent or ensure that you’re creating dissonance intentionally.
3. Be honest. If you trick someone into a relationship with you (if only for a few minutes on your website, for example), they’ll remember you for all the wrong reasons. If you have something worth sharing, share it. If you don’t, don’t fake it – create something.

Since it’s hard to look at your own marketing efforts with fresh eyes, consider finding a peer to be your “focus group of one”. While it’s not a big sample, you’re looking for a gut reaction from someone whose professional opinion you value.