How to STOP the scroll.

A few days ago, I came across a really interesting statistic and want to share it with you.

The average person will scroll through 300 feet of content every day.

A 300-foot-long scroll? That’s almost a football field’s worth of words! But I don’t think the sheer volume of content is the most interesting part of this statistic. Instead, pay close attention to one key word: scroll.

Not stop and read.
Not even skim.
Just scroll.

That one little word is a death knell when you’re creating content. Why? Because it means your message runs the risk of becoming part of the long, meaningless blur as the reader (or not reader in this case) keeps on keeping on.

How do you stop the scroll?
The short answer is, you have to connect with your audience. Here’s the catch – you have to do it FAST. Readers decide in milliseconds if they’re going to give you even a minute of their time…or not. The best way to make the connection that stops them in their tracks is to remember this two-part statement:

I get you and I’ve got you.

There’s a lot to unpack in this little sentence (spoiler alert: we’ll do said unpacking here) so for today let’s focus on the high points.

I Get You.
We listen to the people we trust. That’s Human Nature 101 so that’s where you need to start.
Validate your reader’s feelings.
Give them helpful information you know they need right now.
Demonstrate genuine understanding of their situation, position, conundrum, pain point.
When you start from a position of “I get you,” you establish common ground, which establishes rapport, which establishes trust. Is this a long game? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. But if you skip this step, you won’t move your reader to the next one.

I’ve Got You.
This small statement offers big reassurance, doesn’t it? We all want to know that our concerns and hopes are being held in caring, capable hands. Bring your most authentic self and tell readers how you will do just that.
Maybe your coaching practice can align a troubled team.
Maybe your financial service will help the reader’s company grow.
Maybe your technology can free up valuable time to focus on higher priorities.
Whatever your offer is, don’t frame it as an offer. Tell them “I’ve got you,” and prove that you do.

As you do your own scrolling over the next few days, notice what makes you stop. How does it make you feel to read content that seems like it was created with you in mind? That’s the feeling you want to bring to your readers. “I get you and I’ve got you,” will get you there.