DON’T FORGET ME WHEN I’M GONE
ZIEGARNIK EFFECT
A tendency to remember incomplete or interrupted tasks more than completed ones.
We can vividly picture our to-do list but struggle to recall details of the last book we finished. Why?
Our brains treat “in-progress” activities differently. We park them in short-term memory – a place that is easily accessible but offers limited storage.
Anxious to free up space, our brains repeatedly resurface the task (causing that nagging feeling) to compel us to finish what we started. Once marked “completed”, it’s archived and up to 90% of the details are discarded.
SO WHAT
We usually remember unfinished things and quickly forget completed things. So, disrupting a task can in fact improve a person’s ability to recall it later.
NOW WHAT
Stretch a message across several emails or social posts; “interrupting” the story boosts recall.
Leverage teasers and cliffhanger endings to keep your message top of mind.
Create experiences with steps to completion, such as loyalty programs and progress bars.
MARKETING IMPLICATION
Infusing your brand into to consumers’ activities will accelerate resonance and recall. How does your audience spend their day? When are your most opportune moments to connect?
People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.
- Maya Angelou