The 95% You’re Ignoring
Don’t push people down a funnel. Be there when they’re ready to jump. Create a brand that stays top-of-mind, so they choose you when the moment arrives.
I recently heard something that quantified years of marketing intuition.
Preston Rutherford, co-founder of men’s apparel brand Chubbies (acquired in a nine-figure deal), shared the ’95-5 rule’ in a recent interview. It’s simple but profound: Only 5% of your potential market is ready to buy at any given moment.
Pause and think about that.
All that sweat over ad optimization, conversion tweaks, and sharper hooks… and 95% of your audience isn’t even in the market. They’re not saying no. They’re saying not now.
The old playbook said: Target. Convert. Repeat. It worked, until it didn’t. Now, algorithms shift. Ad costs soar. Consumers yawn.
The new playbook? Be memorable.
Build a brand that sticks. Create content that resonates. Foster a community that lasts. Don’t push people down a funnel. Be there when they’re ready to jump.
It’s not about the perfect ad or the sharpest hook. It’s about being unforgettable.
Because when that 95% is finally ready to buy, they won’t search. They’ll remember. And they’ll choose you.
