Blue Elevator Blog

Rules of Seven

At Blue Elevator™, we are going to share our top secret Rules of Seven.  These Rules of Seven are tried and true business principles.  Whereas practices change, solid business principles don’t.

And so, it is our pleasure to reveal to you a handy set of principles we call the Rules of Seven.  In our book, there are three Rules of Seven:

1. You have 7 seconds to make an impression.
2. It will take 7 impressions to create brand awareness.
3. You need to engage in at least 7 channels for marketing and sales.

7 Seconds

In general terms, you have about seven seconds to garner someone’s attention.  When people hear or see a message, you must pass their initial scrutiny within seven seconds.  Whether it is an introduction, a handout, a marketing flyer, a business card, a website, a landing page, etc., seven seconds is all the time you have to work with to make an impact.

If you capture people’s attention, you will earn the right for a longer look.  For homework, we recommend whittling your 30-second elevator pitch down to seven seconds.

7 Impressions

In general terms, it usually takes about seven impressions to build brand awareness.  Whether it is your business card, a Facebook page, a commercial, etc., it usually takes seven impressions for people to recall your brand.

Your website, social media channels (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), marketing brochures, etc. are all great tools for making impressions.

7 Channels

There is an old saying, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.”  There is also this gem of truth:

Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.  Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.  Ecclesiastes 11:1-2

This suggests that it is important to try different channels because you don’t know which one will be the best.

This principle is of compound benefit, as it includes elements of diversification and risk management.  But, in addition, moving your marketing message through a multitude of channels also helps create impressions.

Also, not all channels are created equal.  If you are a Member of the Blue Elevator™ Group, stay tuned for our additional advisory on picking (or creating) the best channels for your business.

The Synergy of Seven

In essence, the goal of business is to provide value for its customers.  Innovate something that customers will value and promote it in at least seven different sales channels.  In doing so, you should create a multitude of positive value-based impressions.  This is the essence of synergy.

Innovative Nurturing

At Blue Elevator™, we are of the mind that we are no longer in a transactional economic model.  To be successful, you must engage as The Relational Business.  As such, we promote “nurturing” (e.g., a relational approach) vs. marketing (e.g., a transactional approach).

The idea here is that … IF you have innovated something of value and …

• if it makes an impact in seven seconds
• if you promulgate it through seven channels
• if you create at least seven impressions

… THEN properly nurtured prospects will buy – when they are ready.

Conclusion

Blue Elevator™, Blue Elevator™, Blue Elevator™, Blue Elevator™, Blue Elevator™, Blue Elevator™, Blue Elevator™ .  In all seriousness now, don’t forget the Rules of Seven.  We’d love to hear from you.  Contact us here!