You only have three seconds

In my continuing occasional series about entrepreneurs, I present this gentleman, a shoeshine guy at the corner of Sixth Avenue and 47th Street in New York City.  Street vendors often engage in hawking to attract business, but this fellow is a master.  As people walk by, he turns from the current customer's job, makes eye contract, and offers a pithy phrase that is meant to draw business.

"When are you going to do something about those shoes?

"Don't you love her?  What about those shoes?"

"Are you selfish?  Think of those shoes."

When I remarked on how effectively he segmented the market, (i.e., how well he seemed to understand what would work with different folks) he said, "You only have three seconds to make a connection."

It worked on me.  As I walked by, all he did was to shake his head from side to side and say, mournfully, "Those shoes . . . ."