Unlock Learning Code #7…HINT: Simplicity is the Key
- Sam Pepin
- May 18, 2024
- 5:40 pm
So, What’s the BIG Idea? The Importance of Putting Concept Before Details.
Our brains are not designed to process isolated details effectively. They prefer to see the whole mountain before deciding to climb it.
You’ll hear us be a broken record on this note because this it’s incredibly important: first impressions only matter if they’re meaningful and memorable. The way information is initially presented can significantly impact how well it’s remembered. Learning Code 7 emphasizes the importance of implanting firm concept networks in the learner’s brain before introducing details. The other way around is simply a recipe for immediate overwhelm and guaranteed imemorability. This approach leverages the brain’s natural preference for big-picture thinking to enhance memory retention and comprehension.
The thing is, our brains are not designed to process isolated details effectively. They prefer to see the whole mountain before deciding to climb it. For the path from base to peak to look realistic, our brain must, for lack of a better word, “attach” to the big idea. Once this happens, concept networks are activated. They trigger large amounts of glucose and oxygen, which fuel the necessary neurochemical processes that allow details to be incorporated into long-term memory. From a marketing perspective, understanding this principle can transform how we design and deliver our campaigns – the path we pave from base to peak – making the details along the climb more memorable and impactful.
The Science Behind This Concepts-First Approach
- Neural Framework: The brain's hippocampus is base camp. It directs details to the correct concept trail or network of trails. The more robust these networks are, the easier it is for new information to be assimilated. This is because the neurons and connections that make up concept networks supply mass, attracting details that resonate with them.
- Energy and Activation: When concept networks are stimulated, they demand significant amounts of glucose and oxygen, which provides the energy necessary to incorporate details into long-term memory. This activation is crucial for ensuring that new information sticks, and the brain has everything it needs to endure the climb from a broad understanding to a granular one.
- Clear Targets for Memory: Activated concept networks provide a clear target for the hippocampus, which supports long-term memory formation by sending relevant details to the correct locations in the brain. Without these targets, details are less likely to be remembered effectively.
Strategies for Implementing Concepts Before Details
To effectively utilize this learning code in marketing, it is essential to structure content in a way that first establishes strong concepts at the top of a funnel-shaped information feed that drips down into details as the funnel narrows. Here are some strategies:
- Start with Big-Picture Overviews: Begin your campaigns with broad overviews that outline the main concepts. This prepares the audience's mind to receive and remember detailed information later. A practical example: A company launching a new app that seeks to aid consumers in becoming more financially literate could start with a high-level introduction to that problem before diving into technical specifications like how the app teaches and automates budget-setting setting, monitors credit score, etc. Those can all wait till after the consumer’s brain has attached to the big idea of better financial stability.
- Use Analogies and Metaphors: Analogies and metaphors can help in building concept networks by connecting new information to existing knowledge. A practical example: A health & wellness brand might compare non-traditional approaches to healing to more familiar concepts like cultivating a garden, where different wellness practices are akin to planting different types of seeds that grow in time into something healthy, whole and fruitful if nurtured properly.
- Visual Aids and Mind Maps: Visual aids, such as mind maps, can help establish connections between concepts and details, making it easier for the brain to organize and remember information. A practical example: An educational platform could use interactive mind maps to show how different concepts in a course are related, helping students see the big picture before focusing on specific details.
- Storytelling: Crafting stories that highlight key concepts before introducing finer details can make the information more engaging and memorable. A practical example: A healthcare company could share patient success stories that first outline the overall journey and impact of a treatment before discussing the specifics of the medical procedures involved.
- Pre-Exposure Techniques: Provide your audience with an overview or summary before presenting detailed information. This primes the brain to understand and retain the details better. A great example of this is the advent of the “TL;DR” (Too long; didn’t read) which many marketers put at the start of any type of long-form content. A quick sum-up of the content should showcase the key points of the article and how the reader would benefit from reading further, and the article itself can then expand on details.
Learning Code #7: Key Takeaways
- Campaigns Must Be Concept-Driven: Always design campaigns so that they introduce key concepts early and reinforce them throughout the customer journey.
- Make Content Educational: Develop pedagogical content. This is a big-word way of saying, practice teaching methods in marketing. Consider how your audience’s socio-political and psychographic contexts might push back against details but might attach to a broader concept they’d be willing to learn more about.
- Use Engaging Narratives: Use analogy-based narratives that provide a conceptual framework for your products or services. Tell stories about the inspiration behind a product line or service, thereby connecting it to broader concepts before discussing specific benefits.
Want to Know More?
Sign up for News & Announcements to receive updates on new, exclusive insights and meaningful content!
Please Share with Your Colleagues & Friends!