The Science of Forgetting and the 3-Step Startup Marketing Framework: How Memory and Marketing Connect

The Science of Forgetting and the 3-Step Startup Marketing Framework: How Memory and Marketing Connect

In our fast-paced world, it's no surprise that forgetting is the default state of our brains. According to Norman Brown, a cognitive psychology professor, everyone forgets everything all the time. Forgetting is a natural part of how our brains function. But have you ever wondered why we forget certain things more easily than others? And how does this relate to the way businesses approach marketing?

Our brains have three phases for memory: encoding, consolidation, and retrieval. When we encounter new information, our brains encode it by making changes in neurons in the hippocampus and other memory centers. These changes create a physical memory trace known as an engram. However, much of this information is lost unless it is consolidated during sleep, making the memories more stable and long-term.

During memory retrieval, the memory trace neurons in the hippocampus and cortex are reactivated. Our memories are centered around our life stories and what affected us personally the most. However, the more new memories we create, the more difficult it becomes to capture all of them. New events interfere with memories of older events, making them harder to recall.

Interestingly, memories of uniform events are also harder to remember. When events are similar, our brains tend to group them together as one event, resulting in unclear memories. This could have implications for how we remember significant events like the covid pandemic. As a society, many people may not want to hold onto their covid memories. We tend to view the future more positively than the past, which limits our inclination to remember past events.

This leads us to the concept of memory preservation. While parents pass down their knowledge and family history to their offspring, these memories only last for a few generations. Without cultural artifacts like books, movies, and museums, memories of significant events like the pandemic may be consigned to the dustbin of history.

Now, let's shift gears and explore the 3-step startup marketing framework created by the team at KISSmetrics. When starting a business, it's crucial to answer three big marketing questions: How do you identify your target audience? Where can you find them? How do you engage them?

At KISSmetrics, they realized that they needed to get specific about their target audience. Building a business on assumptions is never a good idea, and their assumptions were not specific enough. They needed to identify an opportunity to listen, learn, and provide value.

The idea behind content marketing is giving value for free. KISSmetrics wanted their marketing to be valuable for marketers, so they developed a tool that provided actionable metrics. Their marketing strategy had to be scalable to match their business goals. They turned to Twitter, which was growing rapidly in 2008.

By using hashtags like WeFollow and measure, KISSmetrics was able to gain new followers who were marketers. They also shared other marketers' content to spread goodwill and build their own Twitter audience. Their Twitter strategy paid off, leading to a boom in referral traffic to their website.

Now, let's connect the dots between the science of forgetting and the startup marketing framework. Just as our memories are influenced by the salience of events and the frequency of recall, marketing success relies on identifying underused opportunities and finding emerging trends.

In both memory and marketing, it's essential to focus on the users that matter. Engaging with your target audience and delivering value should be the primary focus. Don't waste time on followers or customers who aren't interested in engaging with your brand.

To implement the 3-step startup marketing framework effectively, follow these three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Identify underused opportunities in the selected platform: Look for untapped areas where you can provide value and engage with your target audience. Airbnb and Snapchat are examples of companies that identified unique ways to reach their target customers.

2. Focus on a single channel at a time: Trying to be everywhere at once can spread your resources too thin. Instead, concentrate on one method that works and invest your efforts in that channel.

3. Focus only on the users that matter: Not all followers or customers are equal. Your time and resources are best spent on those who genuinely want to engage with your brand. Don't waste effort on those who aren't interested.

In conclusion, understanding the science of forgetting and the principles of effective marketing can help businesses create successful strategies. By identifying underused opportunities, focusing on the right audience, and delivering value, businesses can build lasting connections with their target customers. Just as memories fade without preservation, marketing efforts can disappear without a thoughtful approach. So, remember to remember and market with intention.