Want new customers - get their attention! (Stand Out)

Getting peoples attention is the first step in getting them to engage as a customer.  Many people don't know that you exist or that you have a product or service that can help them out.

The key is getting those people to stop and look again at what it is that you have on offer.  If you have a product or offering that is just like everyone else's then you'll need to try really, really hard to get their attention.

If what you do is a little uncommon then you have a great chance of really engaging.  Like Seth Godin talks about the growth areas are on the outside of the circle, not in the middle.

So how do you do it?  How do you get people to stop? 

1. Take a simple example from a complex method or process and explain it to people.  In the past week I used some little wooden shapes to get peoples attention and explained to them how wood processing works.  I also had a number of plant specimens and a microscope for people to look into.  Then I was able to explain to them what we do in plant biotechnology and science.
2. Aim at people who aren't your target customers.  With the wooden kiwis I had I would look for older people (novelty value) and young kids (toys) to give them to.  Then with the older people I know that they will tell their family and friends about what they have and the kids get their parents to come and have a look at our stand and talk to me.  Its that simple.
3. Get in peoples way.  This is the same as the two points above but more active.  Position yourself in such a way that people see you by chance and want to look at what you have on offer. 

The key is to get people to stop, talk and think about what you do.  If you can achieve these three things then you really are well on your way to gaining new customers.

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/annagaycoan/3897152533/)