Return on Attention
I came across a provocative posting by former McKinsey consultant, John Hagel, in which he coins the term: Return on Attention (ROA).
His premise is that marketers must transition from a world of scarce shelf space (i.e., a relatively finite set of media options/channels through which they can “intercept” potential — essentially passive — customers) to a world of scarce attention.
Marketers can no longer simply go down the checklist of channels, from TV to billboards to blogs, and expect that they can successfully impose their message on the hapless consumer. Instead, the marketer must focus on how to establish to the in-control consumer that their marketing message (and ultimately the product or service behind their message) offers the best possible return to the consumer for the attention (i.e., time) the consumer might choose to give it.
Here's how this applies to non-profit marketers.