Want To Power Up Engagement? Use Key Words You Clients Look For.
https://pixabay.com/users/johnhain-352999/
July 31, 2021
Reticular Activating System. Write it in a piece like this and it will mess with your Flesch-Kincaid score. But, learn what it does and it will improve your marketing results considerably.
How does it work? Consider this experience I had many years ago.
My RAS key words saved me from missing out on a weekend camp in Florida
Back in the mid-90s, before pocket cell phones were invented, I flew from Wisconsin to–hmmm, I don’t remember–let’s call it Destination, Florida. I was excited about attending a weekend Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu camp. About a half-hour before we landed the pilot announced we would be landing in A Different City, Florida instead of Destination. No explanation why, just that there was a change. Sure enough, we landed in A Different City.
I had no idea where I was. I picked up my bag and began the process of figuring out where I was and how I might get to Destination. People were waiting to pick me up and take me to the camp. Some camp. Somewhere.
My master instructor had flown down earlier. She didn’t have a cell phone either.
For a good 20 minutes I looked around the airport hoping to find a map of Florida. At least I could figure out where I was and which city I was supposed to be in. Maybe I could find a payphone. But who would I call? I didn’t have any phone numbers.
Then, in the midst of hundreds of people talking in the airport, and the music and announcements coming over the sound system, I heard someone say, “Master Johnson.”
Master Johnson was the Jiu-Jitsu Master running the camp! I looked around. A group of four people came down the escalator, talking about going to the camp.
What’s that got to do with high-quality writing for your marketing efforts? Lots.
The RAS filters the deluge of words wanting our attention
An October 4, 2018 article in the Washington Post reviewed, “Reader, Come Home,” by neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf. The Post reporter, Jennifer Howard, wrote, “One of many useful studies [Wolf] cites found that the average person ‘consumes about 34 gigabytes across varied devices each day’ — some 100,000 words’ worth of information.”
Each day!
Additionally, 2015 researchers found we hear about 20,000 – 30,000 words each day.
With so many words bombarding people’s eyes and ears, how will you get your message across to them? How do you get their attention?
By learning the words they listen for. The name, “Master Johnson” stood out to me in all the noise of the airport. My Reticular Activating System (RAS) filtered through the multitude of sounds and sent a message to my conscious mind.
I had found a way to get to my weekend workout. More accurately, the RAS at the base of my brain, got me directed toward the answer I needed. I introduced myself to the group and hitched a ride with the other martial artists to our weekend adventure.
What is the Reticular Activating System?
The RAS is a small bundle of neurons at the base of the brain, just above the spinal cord. It’s a little thicker than a pencil and about 2 inches long.
It is the collection point for the data our senses pick up. (Except for the sense of smell. Those stimuli go to an emotional center in our brain.) What we see, hear, taste, and feel goes straight to the RAS. The RAS filters the information, then sends it to the conscious mind based on our habits and preferences.
It seems to work forward and backwards. Stimuli come into the RAS. It filters what the conscious mind cares about, and sends it on. In reverse, like my experience at the wrong airport, my conscious mind was busy searching for an answer. My RAS triggered the solution for me.
Tap into the RAS to engage your prospective clients more effectively
So, what particular language do your customers have? What words do they listen for? What words trigger their RAS filter when they read the subject line of your emails?
How does your business help them find what they most desire?
It’s a matter of getting to know them well. What drives their decision-making? What do they care about? Which words do they use in their speaking?
In my research, I look for Professional and Personal recurring words my prospects use. What language drives their passion in their job? What are their hobbies? Do they have a favorite sports team? Where do they live? Where did they go to school? What are their favorite movies? Do they like live theatre? Concerts? If I can find something in common with them, then we have a starting point for a conversation and a relationship.
How do you find those trigger words?
Read the same material your clients tend to read. Participate in online groups where they hang out. What is the recurring language in their social media posts?
Is your work in the spirituality or self-improvement field? Your clients might use words such as “mindfulness” and “soul” and “intention.” (The RAS filter is an important factor in accomplishing our intentions, BTW.)
If you’re a coach in the personal development world, your clients might be searching for help using words like “focus”, “high-performance”, “successful” or “life purpose.”
How do you ethically use these important words for your prospective clients?
- Make sure you use those RAS trigger words in your email subject lines. You know how many emails you delete each day without looking at them, right? Your prospects do the same thing. You’ve got to get their attention.
- Do you write case studies or bonus articles for your website? The title needs to include a key RAS trigger word. Then, of course, the rest of the report expands on the point of interest.
- Include the trigger words in your blog titles and URLs. Those words are likely the ones they will put into the search engine looking for an answer to their question.
If your business can fulfill people’s needs, the best way to position yourself to assist them is by showing up with the language they are looking for. Tap into their RAS triggers so you can be there when they need you.
Would you like help using the right words for your clients or customers? I’m Carmala Aderman and I’d like to visit with you. Please contact me at carmala@carmalaaderman.com or on LinkedIn.