I don’t have time to read

When I was in newspapers, one of the responses we always received on our readership studies was a semantic jigsaw puzzle.

“Don’t have time to read.”

I remember the research consultant I learned from: Willis Duff. He wore tweed coats, a vest, tortoise shell glasses. And, he shared a piece of wisdom with us.

“Do you know what that really means? I am sorry to tell you folks. It means ‘I don’t have time to read THAT.” Points to our newspaper. Silence. That!

We were just told our product was bad.

You see – what Willis explained was that people have more time than ever to read. I firmly believe, he is more right today than ever.

I’m not out chopping firewood to make sure I survive the winter. I’m not plowing the field like Pa on Little House. Heck, I barely have a commute anymore because of COVID, I simply walk across the room to my office and start my day.

I have. You have. More time than EVER to read.

So here we go Marketers. We need to give them a reason. Enough quality. To read our words and thoughts.

It needs to be valuable. And, that. That is easy to say and difficult to pull off.