Once is not enough

Research shows the average prospect needs to hear a message seven times before they take action, shares David Grossman. He asserts it is crucial to look at your communications as a process of repetition, not a check-off-the-box activity.

Commentary

Our world is full of redundancy and replication. Educators who research how students learn have studied the importance of replication to influence retention and long-term memory. Publishers measure repetitive content against recognition and marketers measure replications against action. The challenge is to understand how to activate this knowledge.

As curators, we see a lot of information getting pushed to multiple audiences. Much of this information is actionable if one stops scrolling long enough to question, “Who else has seen this or should see this?” Questioning, sharing and confirming are the main responsibilities of an animal health professional. But do we take that seriously?

• Does the front desk person ask the client questions about what the veterinarian said or did to ensure the outcomes were understood?
• Does the retail person reiterate what the consumer is looking for and ask what else?
• Does the new veterinary technician ask the DVM to help renew the understanding of why a process is done in a specific way?
• Does the marketer take time to learn more about the objections being shared by a sales person?
• Does the salesperson ask the client if they have discussed “product X” recently and most important, what they remember BEFORE launching into a detail?

Source: The Grossman Group, October 14, 2020. Link.

Remember that getting information out is just that – getting information out. Nothing more. Was the information received and understood? . . . doing a little and thinking you are done . . . creates a downside lack of information, skepticism, mistrust, confusion, or worse yet, inaction among those you are trying to reach.”

INSIGHTS: While thinking about this post, I was reminded of the training I received when learning to cross the street. Stop, listen, look both ways, then proceed. So many interactions and transactions are built to proceed but not ensure understanding and confidence. Maybe it’s time we slow down enough to stop, question, listen and then verify we can proceed confidently and safely. I think the satisfaction ratings and retention from customers and clients would grow exponentially if we did.