In 60 Seconds
- •The Ego Trap: Marketers think customers wake up thinking about their brand. They don't.
- •Low Involvement: Most buying decisions (even expensive ones) are low-attention processing. We want the 'satisficing' choice (good enough), not the perfect choice.
- •Habitual Loops: We buy what we bought last time because it requires zero thinking.
- •Don't Disrupt: Good marketing fits into the habit; it doesn't try to force a 'deep relationship'.
- •Make it Easy: The easier you are to buy (Physical Availability), the more habits will form around you.
Marketing meetings often discuss "Brand Engagement", "Deep Connections", and "Storytelling." Real life involves "I need toothpaste," "I need a plumber," "I need lunch."
The Low-Attention Economy
Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman described System 1 (Fast, Instinctive) and System 2 (Slow, Deliberate) thinking.
95% of buying is System 1. It is low-attention, habitual, and fast.
- You don't analyze the toothpaste ingredients. You grab the blue box you grew up with.
- You don't interview 5 plumbers. You call the one your neighbor used.
The Goal: Being the "No-Brainer"
Your goal is not to force customers into System 2 (Deep Thought). That uses calories, and brains hate using calories. Your goal is to be the obvious System 1 choice.
How?
- Be Familiar: Using Distinctive Assets (Colors/Logos) so recognition is instant.
- Be Simple: Messages like "Same Day Service" require zero decoding.
- Be Present: If you are physically available (Google, Ads, Mail), you reduce the search cost.
Breaking Competitor Habits
If a customer habitually buys from a competitor, you have to disrupt the low-attention loop.
- Trigger a New CEP: "Hey, did you know your current guy doesn't do X?"
- High-Visibility Interruption: A really bright offer or ad that forces a split-second of attention.
But once you win them, you want them to go back to sleep. You want to be their new habit.
[!TIP] Stop "Educational" Marketing Don't force your customer to get a PhD in your product. Just tell them you solve the problem. "We Fix ACs. Fast." beats a 5-paragraph essay on compressor efficiency every time.
Read Next in This Hub:
- CEP Triggers - The interrupts.
- Physical Availability - The result.
Related System:
- Local Visibility Systems - Being present.