Why Is It So Difficult To Grab Someone’s attention?

A moment in the past is stoned into my melon, “Students, you’re average attention span is 7 seconds” bellowed the professor of humanities in 2012.  I was stunned to hear this realization. But a google search reveals it’s 8.25, just under a goldfish; classic over sell!  But what does it take to be heard in an environment that is full of blast, buzz, commotion, and calamity?  I ask myself this question today because I’ve embarked on the line to create a sales funnel for my artwork. 

I bought an e-book and videos for creating a spot on ‘the green river’ to fish so to speak.  After reading the 103 pages I attest there was some valuable information between the fluff and sales pitch.  I’m no stranger to MLM, get rich quick, or business opportunities but this seemed like the non-traditional route with not an artist but a salesperson.  So after buying the book for $3 and not taking the 70% discount on the videos, I suckered myself in for $100.  Why not the art show was $700 and a ton of time promoting and setting up to no avail; but hey, good party! 

After I encountered local artists on 1^st and 3^rd Fridays, I found they had the same mindset of what the man preached, ‘starving artist.’  From my limited time in their waters of competition I kept asking myself where would a buyer be for original artwork be?  Talking to over 10 artists they said they mostly sold prints, which they disliked.  Walking downtown W-S I didn’t see sales being made, that is until I met a couple who traveled the southeast 32 weeks a year.  They had sold a piece for $1,500 that night and were good.  They said, “Zapplication” an app to get you in at all shows. 

But then another mantra rang true that I read in the book, Instagram.  “Follow me on the gram,” was heard from multiply artists and swore to its decree.  An article written last year in Style testifies IG as the minor leagues of Art Basel, the success stories, and NFT’s.  I would agree that the platform is smoother for art as a medium and has reach; but how many goldfish and seconds can be found there?  Too many.  So how can an artist attain more then 8.25 seconds against an algorithm per person? 

I really identified with the author’s need to tell your story.  Not just point A to B but really opening up transparently to give credibility and value to your work.  And yes, he was inspired by a woman on IG who he admired and was doing well because of it.  But who wants to hear our story?  Remember the old, I believe it was a Navy commercial, “If someone wrote a book about your life would anyone want to read it?”  Well I can attest that some have read my work, even strangers who enjoyed it but it’s been super difficult.

I’ve done radio shows, promotional videos, ads, free promos, celebrity endorsements, author fairs, and writing groups but the response has been minimal.  To get someone’s attention and make a lasting connection for recall needs to crack their list of what’s important to them.  Because people make time for that they cherish and hold dear.  But how to break through the noise of everyday life in a world that prays for a moment of serenity is quite a challenge.

In my sales days whether knocking on doors, making cold calls, or pitching in person we always relied on the numbers, law of averages.  If I talked to ‘X’ amount of people I would make “X” of sales, simple math that you could count on when emotions were lagging after another ‘no.’  But artists are not these types of personalities, I should know after I had 4 cancelations at my show that was free for them.  I learned they were uncertain about their work and to be ‘naked’ in a sense terrified them.  Or they simple forgot.  Not to mention asking for money, the hardest part of the sales game.  When selling high end water purification or lotion sets on the street an individual must believe in the product or no value will be transferred to the customer.  Without conviction and faith attention is fleeting and the call of bullshit is absorbed. 

Because I know sales and marketing so well, golly; do I really have to rope you in on a sense of urgency?  Of course, ‘I’ need emotion of fear of missing out!  An average person is set on subliminal program, for example, “Hey, how are you? Good, you” how many times was that said last week when in a store; so breaking that requires an intentional first strike that I believe can be directed as a pure energy weapon without everything I’ve seen over the last 2 decades and I like this gentleman’s approach. 

I am not giving away his process but I found I knew exactly what he was thinking as it was on par with a program I myself and my peers worked on at USF for a floral business.  When he asked me what my biggest hurtles were into market, I said “finding my niche, the tech, and funds.”  Anything outside of your comfort zone induces growth, there is no other choice and so I embark on a voyage with a map that needs to be reread and given study, in order to grab and hold attention to arrive at the destination.

Over the last year I’ve been asking a handful of people, “What could you say to an upset individual that stopped their thoughts, resulting in receiving your information without bias?”  If you know of any email me but I had this hilarious notion for people of a certain age.  From the motion picture White Men Can’t Jump, when Rosie says to Woody, “I too know what’s like to be thirsty, I too know what’s like to have a dry mouth. I want you to connect with me through sharing and understanding through dry mouthiness.”   His response, “this was all in the same magazine?”  Try it out let me know Stu-focus group of 8.25. 

With commercials being a thing of the past unless you’re a Prime member who’s getting squeezed, a message needs to hit hard emotionally and within seconds.  When I recount past commercials “cha ching” and “Sunny D” come to mind, why, I was the target audience for fast food and artificial juice.  Finding the correct market segment is like closing out the bulls in cricket, takes some triples before you reign the winner. 

Personally, I’ve just liked to keep producing, creating, and throwing things against the wall but maybe it’s time to be more precise in my strikes and avoid collateral damage.  Some tasks I find I’m very weak at but there are tools for leverage.  I still can’t spell or get my grammar correctly out at times, but the vision presents itself regardless of my shortcomings. To get another to consider, think, and absorb your thoughts, message, or work entails a deeper connection beyond common interests.  But it’s a good place to start.  As Morgan recounts Timmy saying, “that’s all it takes really, time, and pressure. That, and a big goddamned poster.”