How Advertising Makes Us Buy [Infographic]

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According to a recent study from Microsoft, people lose concentration after eight seconds. To put that into perspective, that's one second less than the attention span of a goldfish.

Now factor in the absurd amount of ad exposure we encounter everyday, and it's no wonder why so many businesses are struggling to get their message heard.

As marketers and advertisers, it seems the odds couldn't be any less in our favor.

So what's the solution?

Well, the answer breaks down into four parts. To learn more about each, check out the following infographic from WebpageFX on how businesses are using this approach to convince people to buy.

27 Tweetable Quotes From #INBOUND15's Most Inspiring Sales Influencers

This post originally appeared on HubSpot's Sales Blog. To read more content like this, subscribe to Sales.

Working in the marketing industry requires a lot of willpower. Between trends changing and attention spans shrinking, doing your job well is no easy feat.

The same can be said about sales. Quite simply, it's a constant grind. And while marketers may not always be in the trenches with their sales reps to see it, that doesn't make it any less real.

Aware that aligning your sales and marketing departments is critical to improving your organization's output, we've compiled a list of inspiring tips and advice from some of the top sales rockstars speaking at #INBOUND15 to help marketers better understand the world their reps are living in.

From Jill Rowley's tips on social selling to Daniel Pink's insights on how to influence people, there's a ton of good advice to be had from these knowledgeable speakers.

Want to hear these speakers at INBOUND15? Now's your chance -- book your ticket today.

27 Tweetable Quotes From Sales Rockstars Going to #INBOUND15

Daniel Pink (@DanielPink)

Daniel Pink is a keynote speaker at INBOUND.

1) “Anytime you’re tempted to upsell someone else, stop what you’re doing and upserve instead.”

2) “In the new world of sales, being able to ask the right questions is more valuable than producing the right answers.”

3) “Clarity on how to think without clarity on how to act can leave people unmoved.”

4) “If you need me to motivate you, I probably don’t want to hire you.”

5) “Think about the essence of what you’re exploring -- the one percent that gives life to the other 99.”

Jill Konrath (@jillkonrath)

Jill Konrath will be leading "Optimize Me: Insanely More Productive Sales Strategies".

6) “Think about the most important points of your story -- from your customer’s perspective, not yours.”

7) “When you keep it simple, you make it easier for customers to buy from you.”

8) “Be your buyer’s resource center.”

9) “As sellers, if we’re going to be successful landing the big ones, we need to expand our thinking about what’s possible.”

10) “Today’s prospects want to know the truth, so don’t shade it.”

Trish Bertuzzi (@bridgegroupinc)

Trish Bertuzzi will be leading "7 Sales Development Hacks to Jack Pipeline".

11) “You have to believe in what you sell and you have to care about your industry.”

12) “It is the cold that is dead -- not the calling.”

13) “Buyers won’t engage with sales reps who pitch product, but they will give access to trusted advisors.”

14) “What if you let your customers do the talking?”

Jill Rowley (@jill_rowley)

Jill Rowley will be leading "Social Selling: How to Connect With the Modern Buyer".

15) “Your network is your net worth.”

16) “LinkedIn is no longer an online resume. It’s your digital reputation.”

17) “No one really likes and trusts the quota crusher.”

18) “Common sense isn’t optional. Don’t do stupid.”

Tony Alessandra (@TonyAlessandra)

Tony Alessandra will be leading "How to Read a Person Like a Book".

19) “Unless you ask the right questions, you won’t uncover the right needs.”

20) “Your customers aren’t just part of your job. Your customers are the reason you have a job!”

21) “Enthusiasm, not apathy, makes the world go ’round.”

22) “Trust and reputation are not discretionary. They are as necessary in business as the people in whom they reside.”

23) “In selling as in medicine, prescription before diagnosis is malpractice.”

Craig Rosenberg (@funnelholic)

Craig Rosenberg will be leading "6 Sales Hacks That Actually Work".

24) “Takers are going the way of the dinosaur.”

25) “You can’t propose a mutually beneficial business relationship if you can’t understand their business.”

26) “Your job is to not only help but to strive to give more than you get back.”

27) “Create great content until the cows come home.”

Looking for even more inspiration? Join the Malala fund at #INBOUND15 and support their mission to provide quality, free, and safe secondary education to girls worldwide.

10 Tips That Can Drastically Improve Your Website's User Experience

In today’s changing marketing landscape, your website has become a more powerful tool than ever. As a 24/7 salesman, your website has the potential to be your most powerful asset and the centerpiece of your marketing efforts.

However, rapidly changing technology can make your website feel old and outdated. While sometimes a redesign might be ideal, you may not have the time or money to invest in such a large project. If you're one of the folks that falls into this boat, we have put together a list of 10 simple ways you can improve your website to make it more helpful and useful.

1) Use White Space

On more than one occasion I have heard clients complain that there was too much white space on their site and that this unused real estate ought to be used for advertising more of their services. However, white space is essential to good design. White space makes your content more legible while also enabling the user to focus on the elements surrounding the text.

According to Crazy Egg, white space around text and titles increases user attention by 20%. White space can also make your website feel open, fresh and modern and if your branding is consistent with these then it can help you communicate that feeling to the user. One downside of white space to keep in mind, however, is that it does indeed take up space.

If you’re trying to get a lot of content above the fold (above the part that is immediately visible without scrolling) having too much white space might be replacing some valuable information. The key is to find the balance between what is most important to communicate at the top and surround that with some space to highlight the image and/or text.

A great example of effective white space usage is http://www.sessionm.com/. In this example the white space surrounding the title “One Platform. Many Applications” allows the reader to focus his attention on the meaning of the phrase and the screenshot, and the supporting paragraph helps the reader feel a sense of openness and clarity.

2) Page Speed

One of the most frustrating experiences for users of the web is waiting for a page to load for too long. With the rise of the mobile devices, people are accessing content all over the world on many different platforms. While browsing online at Starbucks or while watching TV on their laptop, they expect a fast result for the content that they want.

When they don’t get it, they usually bounce. Slow page load is an interrupting experience for the user and it can be a source of frustration and often users simply don’t have the time to wait. Need some proof? A 2-second delay in load time during a visit results in abandonment rates of up to 87%.

So where do you go from here? Get your score. Google offers a free service where you can get information on your page speed. Google will also offer you some suggestions for improving your load time on Mobile and Desktop.

A great example of speedy load is Barnes and Nobles. No matter what device your own Barnes and Nobles loads quickly. Taking the extra caution to load some important elements first so that you know that the content is on its way. Try it yourself http://www.barnesandnoble.com/.

3) Use Attractive Calls to Action

Your customers are already accustomed to following visual cues to determine which content is important to them. Calls to actions that are clearly marked with an action word enable your user to more easily navigate your site and get to where they want.

In creating buttons for your website you should think about color and the psychology of color. In a study done by Maxymiser, researchers are shocked to find that hey achieved an increase of 11% in clicks to the checkout area of the Laura Ashley website, by testing color variations and action messaging. Different colors evoke different messages. Think about the message that you want to evoke for a user (trust, experience, intelligence) and choose your colors wisely.

A second thing to consider is the actual words you use for your buttons. The words should include a verb or an action word that excite the user to do SOMETHING. Choosing the right words or psychological triggers is highly determined by the level of emotional identification that word prompts. No emotional connection means no action. So make your words bold, time sensitive and action-oriented.

A great example of the good use of calls to action is WUFOO. Their entire page is action oriented and uses buttons to encourage the user to go to the next step. At the end of the page you’ll also see the use of time sensitive language like “Sign Up Now” and action oriented language like GET STARTED. These are active action words that prompt and guide the user.

4) Use Hyperlink Differentiation

When you add a link to any page you are saying you want the user to click there. Make sure links are easily identifiable by visual cues. Underlined text and different colored text, draws the attention of the reader and lets him know that this is a link.

In a study done by Karyn Graves, she shows that the regular web user sees blue-and-underlined text as links and knows to click on them. Exploiting user expectations and what they already know about using the web is tantamount to success. When it comes to hyperlink differentiation you do not need to reinvent the wheel. Sticking to convention can be your best ally here. A simple way to test how effective your links are is to blur and remove the color from the design and see what stands out.

When hyperlinking, also stop to think about the length of the hyperlink. The longer the link titles the more easy to identify they are.

For example: To check out the GE Website click here. vs. Check Out the GE Website here.

5) Use Bullets, Bullets, Bullets

Bullets will enable the user to quickly get all the information they want: benefits, ways you solve their problem, and key features of a product/service-- all in a short amount of time. This will make your propositions more attractive and will enable the user to get all the information they need. Additionally you do not have to go the traditional route with a simple circle.

With tons of cool icons out there you can also get creative with your bullet and help the reader further with images that represent your point. This is also useful because it will force you to isolate the most important points you are trying to make without getting caught up in terminology or specifics.

One great example of non-conventional bullets comes from http://www.one.org/us/about/ . On this page they use icons as bullets to highlight their accomplishments in a way that is easy to read. Also, notice the white space surrounding the bullets that allow you to focus on each section.

6) Use Images (But Use Them Wisely)

People across the Internet are getting smarter and faster at judging company websites. When they first visit your site they are easily able to pick out a generic stock photo that they have already seen elsewhere or that resembles the non-personal style of stock photography. Using stock photography can decrease trust and also stand out as generic and non-unique. Unfortunately these associations carry over to your business as well.

In a case study done by Spectrum, Inc. of Harrington Movers, a New Jersey and New York City moving company, they were able to increase conversion on a page by simply replacing a stock photo with an image of the actual team of movers. They got the same increase in conversion and confidence to the page by adding a picture of their actual moving truck versus the stock photo. (Read the full study here.) Just like this one, there are many studies that support that while stock photography can be high quality, it fails to create a connection between the user and the company/brand.

Ultimately, no stock photography will be as capable of conveying YOUR brand, services, and products the way that you want to. Only your own actual images can do that while also speaking clearly to your potential customer. Use images strategically and place them in your website to support the content and allow the users a visual break from text, but make sure they are relevant and non-generic. Check out this infographic on real images versus stock photography.

7) Include Well-Designed and Written Headings

Your headings and content should be driven by what your potential customers are looking for. Including keywords in your title is also very important for targeting your message and attracting the right audience.

Search Engines typically give headings more weight over other content, so choosing the right heading and making it stand out can significantly improve your search ability. But more importantly, headings guide your user through the site, making it easy to scan through and find content that speaks to them directly.

A great example of well-designed headings with consistent content comes from Tilde. http://www.tilde.io/ Here you can see that the headings stand out in size and color and accurately describe the content that follows.

8) Keep Your Website Consistent

Consistency means making everything match. Heading sizes, font choices, coloring, button styles, spacing, design elements, illustration styles, photo choices, etc. Everything should be themed to make your design coherent between pages and on the same page. In order to provide your user with a beautiful experience as they navigate through your site, it is important that they know they are still in your website. Drastic design changes from one page to the other can lead your user to feel lost and confused and to lose trust in your site.

“Am I in the right place?” Is a question I often find myself asking when navigating through inconsistent sites and when I do - I usually end up leaving! Inconsistencies in design lower the quality of the products and services you are providing in the viewer’s eyes.

Winshape Foundation is a great example of consistent design. All of their pages follow one common pattern: navigation on the right, big header, sub header with a background image and some content below. I know no matter where I click, that I am still in their website as all their styling is consistent. Check it out http://www.winshape.org

9) Catch Your 404s

While search engines don’t punish you severely for soft 404 errors (page not found), a user will! When a user approaches a link or an image they are expecting this link will take them to the next place they want to go.

Encountering a 404 will make your user annoyed and have them re-think spending their time on your website (when they probably could go elsewhere for a faster solution). Next to slow page load time, running into 404s another highly frustrating event for a user and it completely disrupts their journey throughout your website.

To check if you have any 404s you can set up Google Webmaster tools on your website and check crawl errors. (Here’s how) you can also use this free 404 check.

As an additional resource, you can also make sure that when your user lands on a 404 it provides them with the option to get back on track. Check out these cool examples of 404 pages.

10) Be Responsive & Mobile-Friendly

Our technologies have advanced to meet our needs to be mobile. Websites are also a significant part of this evolution. It is imperative that your website is mobile-friendly and easy-to-navigate no matter the screen type through which it is being accessed.

Recently, Google started penalizing sites that aren't mobile optimized, making the need for responsiveness even more crucial. This is probably the single most valuable way in which you can improve your website’s usability. If you are not sure whether your website is mobile, you can use this free tool.

I hope these tips have given you some ideas on how you can revamp your website to be more user friendly without shelling out the dollars on a complete redesing. To see more examples of useful websites, check out our free guide below.

6 Science-Backed Playlists for Improving Your Productivity

When I first started at HubSpot I was welcomed with a fresh pair of orange headphones. Not to be dramatic or anything, but I was so excited you would have thought they handed me pure gold.

You might be thinking, "They're just headphones. So what?"

Well, for me -- and many others -- listening to music while working is the secret to my productivity. All it takes is the right Beyoncé track and I go from idle to uber productive. (Seriously, it works like a charm.)

Trouble is, finding the perfect playlist isn't always easy. With endless possibilities at my fingertips, it can be hard to nail down just the right tunes to get the wheels turning ... so I did a little research.

As it turns out, there are a ton of studies that explore the influence of specific types of music as they relate to your productivity levels. So to help you find just the right mix, I've carefully curated six Spotify playlists designed with specific studies in mind. Whether you're into Mozart or Jay Z, I've got a feeling you'll find something that will do the trick.

Note: Some of the playlists contain explicit language that might not be suitable for the office.

6 Psychology-Backed Playlists for Improving Your Productivity

1) Classical Music

One of the most frequently cited studies related to music and productivity is the "Motzart Effect." This popularized hypothesis that listening to Mozart would improve the intelligence of the listener stemmed from research conducted in the early nineties by researchers Gordon Shaw, Frances Rauscher, and Katherine Ky.

Their original study, which appeared in the October 1993 issue of Nature, employed 36 Cal-Irvine students who were divided into three groups. Group one listen to a Mozart selection, while group two listened to a relaxation tape, and group three endured 10 minutes of silence. Afterwards, all 36 students were issued the same test, in which the Mozart group averaged an eight to nine point increase in their IQ compared to the remaining groups.

Since then, many researchers have gone on to explore the mental benefits of listening to classical music. For example, according to a 2013 study from American Journal of Occupational Therapy, listening to classical music improved the visual attention of stroke patients dealing with unilateral neglect (UN).

Think classical music might work for you? Check out this classical-influenced playlist to find out for yourself:

2) Video Game Soundtracks

Whether you're a hardcore gamer or you've never picked up a controller in your life, video game soundtracks might just be the solution to your concentration woes.

Think about it: Playing a video game requires a lot of focus. To make it to the next level, players commonly have to avoid traps, dodge obstacles, and escape a handful of "near death" experiences. As a result, the music selection for video games is often very strategic, in that modern soundtracks tend to reflect epic, inspiring cinematic scores rather than just basic sound effects.

While studies have revealed mixed results, there is evidence to support that gamers can experience improved performance by playing a game with the volume on. For example, research from psychology professor Siu-Lan Tan and her colleagues John Baxa and Matt Spackman specifically honed in on the game "Twilight Princess (Legend of Zelda)" and found that participants who played with both music and sound effects off performed worse than those who played with it on.

Of course, the level of influence a video game soundtrack has on performance and concentration will vary from person to person. To find out if you benefit from the accompanying sounds of Halo or Legend of Zelda, check out the playlist below:

3) Nature Sounds

According to psychophysical data and sound-field analysis published in The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, listening to "natural" sounds could enhance cognitive functioning, optimize your ability to concentrate, and increase your level of satisfaction.

Think: Waves crashing, birds chirping, streams trickling, etc.

The research suggests that these sounds function similarly to white noise, which is often used in offices as a sound masking system. To explore the productivity benefits of these soothing sounds, tune into this nature-themed playlist:

4) Pump Up Songs

After realizing that many athletes arrive at the stadium wearing headphones or listen to music in the locker room, Kellog School of Management professor Derek Rucker and three of his colleagues -- Loran Nordgren, Li Huang, and Adam Galinsky -- set out to answer the question: Does listening to the right kind of music make us feel more powerful or in control?

By using a rating system to determine which "empowering" songs they'd used to conduct the experiment, the researchers deemed Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” 2 Unlimited’s “Get Ready for This,” and 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” as the winners. To gauge how the music would influence their behavior, they asked participants to listen to the music and then determine whether or not they'd like to go first or second in a debate. As it turned out, those who listened to the high-power playlist volunteered to go first almost twice as often as those who listened to a less powerful playlist.

The lesson?

"Just as professional athletes might put on empowering music before they take the field to get them in a powerful state of mind, you might try [this] in certain situations where you want to be empowered," explains Rucker.

If you're looking for some empowering songs to help you power through you next big meeting, presentation, or interview, check out this carefully curated roundup:

5) Instrumental Songs

A recent study by Carol A. Smith and Larry W. Morris of Middle Tennessee State University revealed that students who listened to "sedative" music during a test scored higher than those who listened to lyrical music.

This isn't to say that it's entirely impossible to cross things off your list while listening to songs with words (I actually prefer lyrical music), but if you're finding that the lyrics are becoming too distracting, you may want to experiment with some instrumental options.

For those times, check out these lyricless tunes (I swear they won't put you to sleep):

6) "Feel Good" Songs

Buried in projects? Feeling trapped in a seemingly never-ending social media scheduling session? Not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel? Sometimes the best remedy for productivity loss is a solid dose of "feel good" tunes -- you know, the type that makes you reach for your hairbrush microphone.

Scientifically speaking, when you're listening to music, it's possible for your brain to release dopamine during peak moments of emotion arousal.

That said, I enlisted the help of my colleagues to curate a playlist that blends positivity with tunes that will motivate you to GSD (get stuff done). Here's what we came up with:

What are your favorite songs for getting work done? Let us know in the comments section below.