Takes too long

I am so tired of those LONG video pitches when I just want to know what the product is and where can I get it. I sometimes get the feeling that the longer the pitch, the less likely that it is any good! 

I went on line the other day to find out about a writing program. I got so tired of the pitch that I left in the middle of the video. I didn’t need endless testimonials on how well someone else did with the program. I didn’t need a bunch of stories of how ‘so-and-so’ got to travel to ‘wherever’ for free. They could have had my money if they had just made their point and taken me to checkout!

Recently, I was watching a video about improving my eyesight. I was pretty interested in the product and I would have purchased it just to try it, especially right after they mentioned the money-back guarantee. Well, alrighty then, I’m sold – take me to the product! Didn’t happen. I’m gone. An unsatisfied customer.

Who told these people that long pitches worked? I’m not a Millennial, but my attention span is pretty short for commercial advertising pitches. You want to sell me something? Tell me what it is, tell me what it does, tell me how much it costs and show me to the checkout button! I don’t need to be ‘convinced.’ 

And what’s up with these videos that don’t have the tracking control bar so I can fast-forward the story? There’s no way to get to the end. If I’m sold, I don’t need the rest of the hype, let me zoom through. Take my money, I'm out!

If I think you’re a snake oil salesman, I’m not even going to check it out. If I’ve clicked on it, I’m interested. If I stay through the “what it Is, what it does, and what it costs” – I’m pretty much in. I can accept a few minutes of details and testimonials – 10 minutes? No thank you! Who watches 10 minutes of the same commercial? Anybody notice that even the best commercials are not more than 2 minutes long? Sheesh! After two minutes, I don’t have that kind of time to spend watching a commercial! Two minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. Minutes can be precious.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with this famous quotation:

“If you want to know the value of one year, just ask a student who failed a course.

If you want to know the value of one month, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby.

If you want to know the value of one hour, ask the lovers waiting to meet.

If you want to know the value of one minute, ask the person who just missed the bus.

If you want to know the value of one second, ask the person who just escaped death in a car accident.

And if you want to know the value of one-hundredth of a second, ask the athlete who won a silver medal in the Olympics.”

― Marc Levy

Every moment counts. 

I realize that this is basically a rant about annoying promotional videos, but it applies to your life as well. 

There is no reason to spend another minute on a failed project. Let it go, pick up the pieces and move on. 

There is no reason to spend another hour waiting in line for technology that is new but not different. 

There is no reason to procrastinate going to that monthly event next month, go today! 

Finish what you started. Do what comes next. Now.

If you want me to buy it, where’s the checkout button?