I’m not exaggerating here, this is 100% true…The envelope had a logo that is instantly recognizable to any grown adult in America. The envelope appeared to be from the I.R.S.

Here’s where this gets interesting – do you remember in my previous messages when I discussed the first job of marketing? Interrupting or getting attention through the use of the brain’s automatic search engine called the Reticular Activation System (RAS)?Well, this story illustrates that process perfectly. See, if you remember, the RAS is constantly looking for items of priority around us. In other words, things we really want, things we really want to avoid, things that are dangerous, familiar or problematic.

When this happens, it’s impossible to ignore taking some sort of action.

But before I continue on that subject, let me finish this story because it illustrates a very, very, very important point in sales and marketing.

See, the creative geniuses at Parenting Magazine thought they were being super-sneaky by making the envelope appear like it was coming from the I.R.S. But, like so many other advertisers, they neglected to consider what happens when the recipient figures out they’ve just been duped.

Sometimes I wonder…Has that ever happened to you? I’ll bet it has at one level or another. Most savvy marketers know that they must get attention for their ad to work. This is why you see talking frogs, cute kids, screaming people and other odd things so common in advertising. The advertiser wants your attention and most do a great job of getting that far.

Interruption only lasts for a few seconds, you now need to engage them into the remainder of the advertisement.

In your case, interrupt them based on problematic situations or desires surrounding self-storage.

So, the first 2 of 4 steps to the marketing code are: Attention/Interrupt, then Engage/Interest.