Here’s the truth: most people form their opinions based on what they see on TV, hear on the radio, or read in the newspapers, magazines, or online. We have a name for these folks. We call them sheeple (or homo ignoramus if you’re into Latin). The simple fact of the matter is, most people are too busy living their lives to be willing to put much effort into thinking, let alone thinking about things that don’t directly affect their daily lives on an immediate basis. If you DO have an opinion about Iraq, and it’s not something that you are simply parroting that you heard on your prefered news channel, then you are likely NOT a sheeple. If you sample information from more than one source, analyze the input, and form your own opinions based on that information filtered through your own experiences, logic, and deductive reasoning, then you are most certainly NOT a member of the sheeple group.

Unfortunately for humanity, you’re also part of a demographic that counts as about 2% of the population.

What can we take away from this, as marketers? Well, gentle reader, to understand the import of this, we have to return to the familiar mantra, Perception IS Reality.

You see, a majority of the general public suffers from information overload. Couple that with a general apathy, and a specific, narcicistic indifference to actually thinking about anything, and you have a recipe for a sound-byte society. From a marketing point of view, this means you have a nifty little paradox on your hands. It’s a lot less work to get people to make up their minds when they’re not interested in doing their own homework. However, it’s a lot more difficult to change perceptions, as you have so much competition in the business of changing perceptions.

Essentially, it comes down to telling your story, and you are in direct competition with every one else who’s telling a story. Everyone out there, from Bill Gates to yours’ truly has but 24 hours in the day. Your job is to get them to spend some time listening to your story. If it’s an engaging, compelling story, you have a chance (and only a chance, mind you) of compelling and convincing someone to buy your story, your product, or your service. If you’re story doesn’t sing, you don’t have a prayer.