“Location, Location, Location.” That’s the number one rule in real estate. When it comes to getting the word out, should “repetition, repetition” be our number one rule?
It takes at least seven or eight viewings or hearings for the audience to hear and process a commercial, promotional or fundraising message
I am, in no way a numbers or data guy. I know that 7 + 7= 13, but that’s about the extent of my numbers knowledge.
A radio station Program Manager told attendees at a conference that his station has a “one month rotation” policy. In other words, If they play Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on September 1, the station’s listeners won’t be able to hear it again until October 1st.
Cary Smith, who is a numbers and data guy, stood up and said,
“This means your core listener will likely only hear Beethoven’s 5th Symphony only three or four times in a year.”
Now, you might say that if there’s a one month rotation, listeners could hear Beethoven’s 5th 12 times a year. That’s true, but will they be listening to the radio each of the 12 times it’s played?
Remember Cary is a numbers and data guy, and that’s how he came up with that listening formula.
That means, if your concert promotion message, tantalizing video that took four days to create, or fundraising message is heard only two or three times, basically no one will hear it.
The same data applies to your next concert season announcement, where you encourage your audience to get season tickets in advance.
If that message is only seen and heard three or four times, no one will know about the upcoming season.
The two primary push backs for repetition are,
1. I don’t want to piss off our audience.
2. Our audience is loyal – they don’t need to be reminded.
My push back:
1. Posting a message 7 – 8 times is not going to annoy your audience. Most of your audience won’t really hear it until the 7th or 8th time.
2. Everyone needs a reminder.
a. We live in a hyperactive media landscape, where blasts of information, important and not so important, invade your space nonstop every day.
Creative and compelling content, repeated effectively is one powerful way to break through those informational blasts.
b. Why do most people, including your loyal audience, wait until the last moment to buy tickets or respond to your fundraising message?
Please see A above.
3. Looking to reach new audiences for what you’re doing? Posting or emailing your message or video 2 – 3 times means that potential new audiences will not hear it or see it.
Fortunately, there are ways (proven best practices), that can be used to effectively connect with the audiences that will minimize any potential audience fatigue.
Would you like to talk it over with me?
It’s one of my favorite topics especially because the work you’re doing is important, and people will miss it if they don’t know anything about it.
As the song says,
And He shall reign forever and ever. King of kings! and Lord of lords! And He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! and Lord of lords! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
