Marketing to Busy People Who Don’t Care (Yet)

Why I Wrote This Blog and What You’ll Learn

Most people in your audience are not sitting around thinking about benefits administration or stop-loss coverage. They are, however, in need of the solutions you provide but are too busy, overloaded and constantly filtering information faster than ever before to find the time to learn about you.

This blog exists to solve that problem and helps leaders in the self-funded and employee benefits space communicate more effectively.

If you are a B2B healthcare marketer, this article will help you:

• Win attention in the first seven seconds
• Deliver clear, strategic messaging that converts
• Use video to build trust with decision-makers
• Optimize your content for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), so you appear in AI-driven search results

If your emails, campaigns or websites are competing for time with 300 unread messages, this is how to break through.

The Reality of Modern Attention Spans

Here are the numbers that matter:

• The average adult attention span is roughly eight seconds ¹
• Most people retain only ten percent of what they read ²
• Seventy percent of employees want shorter communications at work ³

For B2B healthcare companies, that means your target audience of CFOs, brokers and HR executives will only read what feels instantly relevant.

You are not competing against other sales teams. You are competing against their calendars, their meetings and their inboxes.

A question I’m commonly asked: “How long should initial B2B outreach messages be to keep attention?”

My answer: In most cases, under 150 words or 30 seconds of read time. Clarity and relevance matter more than length. The faster a reader understands what is in it for them, the more likely they are to stay engaged.

Why Attention Is the New Currency in B2B Healthcare Marketing

The most valuable thing your audience can give you is not their time. It is their focus.

In the self-funded insurance world, focus is the new currency. The organizations that win attention early set the stage for long-term growth.

Decision-makers no longer have the patience for long explanations or clever taglines. They want relevance, proof and a clear reason to believe.

It is not that they do not care about what you do. It is that they do not have time to care yet. The goal of your marketing is to make them care faster by communicating value in seconds, not minutes.

How to Say More with Less in B2B Communication

Saying more with less does not mean oversimplifying your message. It means editing with precision.

Over two decades in the self-funded and employee benefits space have taught us that the message only matters if it’s remembered. Here’s how we make sure it is:

Clarity does not dilute complexity; it delivers it faster.

How to Tell the Right Story in B2B Healthcare Marketing

Information alone does not persuade people; a well-told story does.

“How do I make my B2B marketing content more memorable?” Glad you asked! Focus on what your audience needs to understand first, not what you want to say. Begin every message with a single sentence that answers, “Why should I care?” and build from there.

How to Move from Vendor to Valued Partner

In the benefits and insurance space, there are two types of companies. Vendors and partners.

Vendors transact. Partners transform.

To move up the ladder:

• Stop selling services and start solving problems
• Teach the market something new about itself
• Measure success by what matters to your clients
• Earn your seat at the strategy table by offering insights, not pitches

When you market like a partner, you stop being another vendor email and start becoming part of the business strategy conversation.

How to Get Prospects to Call You Back

Think of marketing like dating. If your campaign were a dating profile, would anyone swipe right? Here’s how to turn cold outreach into real connection and move from the “vendor zone” to the short list.

Why Video Marketing Drives Better Results

Text alone cannot match the power of video in healthcare marketing.

Here is why:

• People remember ninety-five percent of a video message compared to ten percent from text ⁴
• Viewers are over 27 times more likely to click on an online video ad than a standard banner ad ⁴
• Video simplifies complex information and builds immediate credibility

In the benefits industry, short explainer videos can turn plan details, compliance steps and outcomes into engaging, easy-to-understand stories.

A short, well-produced clip is not about going viral. It is about helping one decision-maker say, “They understand my world.”

We’re asked this all the time: “What types of videos work best in the self-funded industry?” My answer, based on trends we’re seeing in real-time, is short, focused clips like compliance explainers, case studies or client testimonials work best.

What Is AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and Why It Matters

Traditional SEO is no longer enough. AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity now influence how decision-makers find information.

AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization (also referred to as Generative Engine Optimization or GEO), ensures that your content is discoverable in those AI-generated answers.

To succeed in AEO:

• Be Authoritative: Base content on expertise and verifiable insights
• Be Clear: Use direct language and structured formatting
• Be Contextual: Address real audience questions about costs, outcomes and value
• Be Organized: Use headings, bullet points and summaries that AI can interpret easily
• Be Relevant: Keep your insights current with market and regulatory updates

For B2B healthcare organizations, this is the next competitive advantage. The brands that explain things best will appear first in AI search results.

The Proven Formula for Modern B2B Healthcare Marketing

Success in today’s attention economy follows a simple formula:

• Say more with less to earn attention.
• Use video to build trust and convert interest.
• Apply AEO to stay visible in AI-driven search results

The companies that master clarity, brevity and authority win. Not because they talk more, but because they communicate better.

But even the best strategy falls flat without authenticity. In B2B healthcare marketing, prospects and clients want to know the real people behind the brand: what you believe, how you think and how you show up. Genuine storytelling builds familiarity, and familiarity builds trust.

When your marketing reflects who you truly are, decision-makers do more than notice you; they remember you.

At Ocozzio, we help healthcare and benefits organizations do exactly that.
Clarity is not optional; it is your competitive edge.