Costco switches its placement every few weeks.
~ In March, you see backpacks, water bottles, and walking sticks as you enter
~ In June, you run into BBQ equipment plus charcoal at the entrance
~ In October, you hit boxes of candies and treats
~ In December, you wander through the dazzling decorations first
So… why go through all this trouble reordering the layout every month?
It’s because of Attention Fatigue.
Humans are creatures of habit.
The first time we see something, we think:
“Woo, that’s cool.”
*cha-ching*
(purchase +1)
The second time we see the same thing, we say:
“Hmm… yeah, that’s a good product.”
*cha-ching*
(50% chance purchase +1)
The third time we see that thing…
…
…
Nope, we did not see it. Ignoring the promotional displays standing right before us, we’ve developed a routine.
I see this same effect in all marketing campaigns.
Ads. Emails. Advertorials. VSLs.
If you hammer people with the same hook—over and over again—people learn to ignore it very fast. (also, if you promote the same product to the same people for too long, people learn to read your marketing while ignoring the CTA)
Hook and CTA fatigue.
I saw this in a recent promo I ran for my clients.
I wanted to test –
If I have a very (very) rare and prestigious product, can I focus SOLELY on the “rarity” as a hook? The result:
Yes… and no.
Yes, I still make sales with every email—even if I beat the same dead horse.
But I also experience a significant marginal return.
$4,300. $3,500. $1,700. $1,500.
I notice this pattern over and over again.
(at least for this e-commerce client)
I get the best results by repeating one hook—for two emails—and pivoting into a different hook for two emails. After 4 emails, I move to promote a different product—for 4 emails.
THEN
I can come back strong—repeating this cycle.
Talk soon,
– WYH
PS – Everything requires context…
But this is especially true for low-to-mid-ticket e-commerces.
Unlike high ticket coaching/courses, a < 100 buckaroo purchase is closer to an impulse buy. If a prospect does not act in the first few exposures, it usually means they need a different hook (or are waiting for the right timing).