Interrupting the prospect is the first step in marketing and you could also say sales especially when discussing cold calling.
Interrupting or getting the attention of the prospect is the usually function of the headline or the value proposition in selling. The job of the headline is, and I quote Eugune M. Schwartz’s great book “Breakthrough Advertising here:
“Your headline has only one job—to stop your prospect and compel him to read the second sentence of your ad.”
It is obvious of course that if you don’t get the reader’s attention, if you cannot get them to read about your offer, you will not get their business.
Typically attention is gotten by stating something that is: familiar or connected to the reader, something unusual, strange, unusual, or abnormal, or by things that are threatening, dangerous, or problematic.
Any good marketing piece must start buy getting the prospects attention or interrupting them. This goes for a website, a brochure, a cover letter, or your LinkedIn or other social media profile.
Learn the art of interruption and you will earn the right to tell your story. This is actually the key to cold calling in sales and most certainly a key factor in on line marketing.
It would be great if you could provide some examples of interruption in cold calling.
Sorry, But I completely disagree. Marketers’ job is not to interrupt. AT ALL. Only because marketer’s interrupted consumers we have things like “Do Not Call list”, we have SPAM folder, we have “remote controls” , we have “popup blockers”.
Marketer’s job is to respect consumers, understand needs and time when they start looking for information. and be ready with it to serve the same.
My view : http://tiny.cc/vit8v for completely opposite views.. and why the views differ http://tiny.cc/bgjb4
Regards
Satyam´s last [type] ..Marketing Interruption
Satym
I am sorry but your comment and the first article (link) uses the wrong definition of the marketing concept for the word “interrupt.”
Though it is true the TV commercial interrupts the program that is not what this marketing term is concerned about.
The concept in the article is that of “interrupting” someone as in speaking before they are finished, or as a commercial interrupts a TV show. The marketing concept of interrupt is one of getting someone’s attention. The marketing concept is content, not timing driven.
The concept of “interrupt” in advertising is the concept of getting ones attention.
In Richard Hershaws great book “Monopolize Your Marketplace” he designates “interrupt” as the first stage of the marketing equation.
“The marketing equation has four main components:
*Interrupt: This is simply the process of getting qualified prospects to pay attention to your marketing. Simply to say, but often difficult to pull off unless you hit their emotional hot buttons.”
In Breakthrough Advertising, Eugune Schwartz says “Your headline has only one job–to stop your prospect and compel him to read the second sentence of your ad” — once again we see that we are talking about interrupting their attention with content and not barging in on them at a inconvenient time.
These two cites show that it is the content and it’s relationship to the thoughts and thinking of the prospect that get his or her attention.
[...] a significant advancement in potential of a marketer to reach masses and convey the message. This continues even today! Bulls eye: Computer, unlike a TV, has a unique physical address. It was a question among [...]
I don’t know if the article above was written in response to the concept that the first job of a networker is to “interrupt” readers and get their attention.
But this sentence…
“On Social Web, interruptions do not result in sustainable conversations. ”
And the conclusions that follow it are incorrect as they apply the WRONG definition of “interrupt” to the concept of marketing one’s self in a social media environment and specifically LinkedIn to which my articles was addressed.
In the marketing formula there are four key phases of the engagement:
Interrupt ►Engage ►Educate ►Offer
This is a classic formula developed by the pioneers of marketing and best explained in my opinion by Richard Hershaw in his great must-read book “Monopolize Your Marketplace.”
Interrupt in this formula is getting the prospects attention and simply refers to getting the prospect to look and take notice.
It has nothing whatsoever to do with the definition of interrupt you use in the sentence
“But its high time, marketers should learn to respect consumers and not interrupt them. ”
Which follows this Webster definition:
1 : to stop by breaking in : halt, hinder, or interfere with the continuation of (some activity) : prevent (one) from proceeding by intrusive or interpolated comment or action
This is different than the marketing definition which implies “getting the attention of the reader or prospect.”
Interruption in the social media environment used in a marketing form is in the same vain as a headline in an advertisement.
The headline’s purpose is to simply stop the reader and compel him or her to read the next sentence in the ad.
In the social marketing space, such as LinkedIn one needs to use this concept in two ways — first to get someone to notice your mini header and second to get them to click through to your profile.
There is nothing rude or intrusive here but and act of “connecting” with the reader in such a way that they do stop.
The concept that an advertisement is an interruption and the concept of interrupt in marketing are two completely different things. They are not related.
If you are confused or not sure about my comments I highly recommend that you read the book above, and you’ll understand. It is absolutely a must read for anyone engaged in any kind of sales or marketing. It’s also a great read.
Flyn, your website is brilliant. Just love the content and the amazing wealth of information you are. Please join us on CEO TV. Warmly Julie