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[C588]Children Short Attention Span

by Gerrard Boclaire, Ger

Probably not, as it wouldn't really make sense to do so. It would also be a major inconvenience and just plain troublesome. There are many people, though, who simply, either by necessity or by choice, feel the need to be connected to everything and everyone at all times. Or maybe, some of us have such a short attention span that we simply can not focus on something without the pull of music or video games to lure us away from whatever we are supposed to be focused on.

There are devices which, depending on your viewpoint, either prey upon our 24 hour need to be entertained, or merely feeds an appetite shared by many. The iPod Video can play music, videos, and show and display pictures. The Playstation Portable can play video games, as well as music, movies and more. Cellular phones do much more than and and receive calls – they are complete media centers in and of themselves. Today's technology, in one sense, is far greater than the sum of its parts.

But, do we really need to have every form of entertainment with us everywhere we go, all the time? If items such as the iPod or the PSP were never developed, would society then, fret over the fact that we can't watch our favorite movie on a 2” screen while riding the bus? Or would we just not even think about it, since the capability and accessibility to do so would have never been developed?

Maybe, because we are able to bring literally thousands of songs with us wherever we go, and always access the internet from our cell phones, that now we are addicted to convenience. We need to be able to surf, listen, burn, upload and download while waiting in line to see a movie. We have to spend our time between commercials text messaging friends from our cell phones, lest we have a free moment to do…nothing.

There is always a great hue and cry about whether or not children are over stimulated when it comes to extra curricular activities like soccer, swimming and piano. But what about when it comes to media exposure? Better yet still, what about teenagers and adults when it comes to the accessibility of entertainment? Is the new normal text messaging your friend for the time to meet up when before, you would pick up the phone and call or actually visit the friend?

When email first came out, it was hailed as the breakthrough that would free people from their desks. Now, people are frantic about checking email all the time. With the iPod, it was the ability to bring your music with you at all times. Now, music isn't good enough, so you need video games, movies, pictures and more. If the ability for all this technology to do so much only results in asking for more and more, then is it really good for us in the first place?

No matter how fantastic a sales person you are, no matter how much training you have had, no matter who you work for or what you are attempting to market or sell, there is one thing that cannot be changed: Across all business segments today, and within each of those business segments, both products and services are available in an ever widening array of choice.

Consumers can "have it their way" today and they are! A customer can customize a hamburger, an ipod, a car, a computer, and a non-fat-mocha latte brewed at 110 degrees! Customers are wide eyed for new choices and opportunities in the marketplace. They are savvier than ever, and have the resources necessary to find what they are looking for easily. The internet has increased the consumer's ability to source from around the globe in a matter of seconds.

But this is not all! It gets worse, much worse. There is a rarely thought about but very important phenomenon that has grown to epidemic proportions today in our society. Noted psychologist and author, Jon Kabat-Zinn, in his book, Coming to Our Senses, states, our society suffers from what we can call a "consistent and a constant state of partial attention."

Ask yourself this question: If you are on the beach and you are talking on your cell phone, are you really fully and completely at the beach? If a consumer is at the mall in a store shopping, but is on the cell phone at the same time, is he really present and at the store? The implications of this are immense as we try to garner the wandering eyes and minds of the consumer and direct it to what we have to sell them. Dealing with this is a challenge, and if you choose to ignore it, your company's success will wither on the proverbial vine of consumer choice and attention deficit disorder.

A noted creative director from GSD&M Advertising, who has handled the likes of Southwest Airlines, Wal-Mart and others, made an important observation. The criteria for measuring effective creative advertising these days have changed. In the new world, a message on a billboard on the side of the freeway must be able to immediately and completely convey an intended message to be effective, otherwise, it is useless.

What this should immediately spell out for you as a salesperson tasked with marketing your products and services is: DANGER.

A state of constant partial attention, combined with a plethora of choice in both products, services and from whom they are consumed, means that your chances of being noticed in an ever deepening "sea of competition" are not only slim, they will continue to get slimmer in the future!

So no matter what you are selling, gaining and keeping customers will become significantly more challenging in the years to come. This is especially true for products and services that typically are sold mainly on price, with no thought GIVEN to OTHER qualities that YOU and the BRAND contribute to the transaction.

Is it that we are doomed to competing on price alone and diminishing sales and margins if we sell highly commoditized products and services? The answer is YES---IF---we don't understand one simple fact. Just about every firm selling a heavily commoditized product or service has something very real, unique and critical to brag about.

Where sales consultants fall short, is: they are not given a thorough understanding of the total brand value the firm delivers in the marketplace. Therefore, they cannot effectively compete on anything other than price.

Article Source : Statistics A Guide To The Unknown

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Both Gerrard Boclaire & John Males are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Gerrard Boclaire has sinced written about articles on various topics from Kitchen Home Improvement, Entertainment Guide and Yoga Practice. Gerrard Boclaire is always interested in how media affects society, and visit versa. Visit Millennium3000 for great deals on ,. Gerrard Boclaire's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.

John Males has sinced written about articles on various topics from Dogs, Entertainment Guide and Social Issues. With more than 20 years experience in corporate turnaround environments, John Males brings expertise to clients in the areas of management, sales and negotiations. His customers include some of the world's most successful firms and recognized brands. John. John Males's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.