Consultant Marketing Modalities of Memory

If you are not memorable you will not get the business.

It is that simple. But getting to unforgettable requires that you understand how you can become fixed in a prospect’s memory.

Three kinds of memory.

1. Sensory Memory is generated by environmental stimuli. It is the immediate reaction to sight, sound and touch. The trouble is that is extremely ephemeral.

• What you see stays with you for about half a second.

• What you touch lasts just under a second

• What you hear is stronger lasting 3 to 4 seconds

Selective attention must be engaged in order to push that information into short term memory. If it is not encoded, it is lost.

2. Short Term Memory the selective addition you make to your short-term memory from sensory memory is also subject to loss. Test show that what you hear is more powerful.

•  People remember only 10% of what they see after 72 hours.

• People remember 65% of what they hear after 72 hours.

There is a pattern here which is important. Humans tend to remember what they hear more effectively than what they see!

3. Long Term Memory is where we store the information we want to keep. To use it we must retrieve it from there and put it into short term memory to add to or modify it in another way. This information can be lost due to retrieval failure, interference or simple decay from lack of recovery and use.

You can’t get to trust if you’re not remembered.

How you identify yourself verbally can take advantage of all three kinds of memory. 30-Second Marketing uses a “Hook” to force the person you’re talking with to push your identity into short-term memory. Making that identifying statement unconventional helps get it pushed into long term memory. Remember, sound registers better and longer than the other senses. Many times, a strong “hook” will make you the one they remember long after you introduced yourself.

Visual matters, too.

The reason is that we are inherently visual creatures but our visual memories are not as good as or aural memories. So we need to reinforce visual memories:

• Add a photo of you to your identity program

• Make a video which uses your 30-Second Marketing to embed your hook and add strong reasons for recall.

• Put the words of your promise in the visual, still or motion.

Synergy counts

The parts of the brain that deal with the different kinds of stimuli are separate. Because of that, the current scientific perception is that we may have multiple memories of a single instance which can be accessed via whatever senses reminds us of the environmental stimuli. Thus, the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in Grannies kitchen can take us back to that time. We can easily recall the music that was playing on her scratchy old record player and we can almost see the kitchen counter when she pulls the tray from the oven, but it takes a fresh roll to tickle our taste buds to life.

Your brand needs consistent visuals, verbals and constant restatement of your unique difference to take advantage of the memory cues that continually get the memory of you and your capability to come out of long-term memory slosh around in short-term and get refiled again strengthening your recall.

Specialization pays off.

The more unique you are, the more specialized your services are, the easier it is for prospects to remember you. More importantly, clients are willing to pay a premium for consultants that have a demonstrated expertise in their specialty.

But you have to make it clear in your marketing.

• Do it when you introduce yourself

• Do it on your cards

• Do it on your web site

• Do it on social media

• Do it in speeches and interviews

Just do it!

Use all the modalities to become unforgettable.

Use sight, sound, as well as touch, smell and taste as possible to go from “who?” to “who else?” The more often you trigger memory cues with the same unique differential the closer you will move to a relationship to build the trust that leads to long term engagements.

And so it goes.

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His consulting practice, founded in 1990, is known for on and off-line Trust-based Consultant Marketing and Brand development advice that builds businesses, careers and lives of joy.

Consulting: www.JerryFletcher.com
Speaking: www.NetworkingNinja.com