In today’s crowded media environment, attention is hard to come by. You may be selling information, goods, or your ideas, it all needs attention. So how can you capture someone’s interest?
When you can do the common things in life in an unusual way, you will attract the attention of the world. – George Washington Carver
1) Storytelling: the best way to maintain attention is through Storytelling. You have to stimulate creative ideas or innovation and stick with them while keeping the focus with a powerful story. The younger generation believes in being triggered by actions that allow the brain to focus on just one thing and thus maintain attention. For example, when playing a video game, one is glued to the screen for endless minutes or hours playing without being distracted. These games continuously activate the orientation response, keeping the user’s attention glued to the screen. Through Storytelling, you can immediately connect with people by including them in the story, and consequently, you will have the power to convince your message. Use your emotions and make it personal.
“The most basic way to get someone’s attention is this: break a pattern.” -Chip Heath
2) Quality content: Another method to attract attention is through Content. “Content is king.” Post only good quality and useful content. A useful benefit must be associated with a good read and the use of your content must be beneficial to the reader. Focus on quality and consider the target audience for which the content is being prepared. If the content expands to an unrelated topic, then the focus is diverted, so keep track of the audience in mind. As much as possible, include current events or news that are helpful to the reader and follow the old KISS principle “Keep It Simple, Stupid.” The content should be transmitted directly in an easy-to-understand format rather than using fancy words. A confused mind does not pay attention.
3) Make Others Turn Around: If someone shoots a gun, they are likely to turn around, or if a hiker is wearing red, they are more likely to pick her up. Likewise, find ways to tap into people’s instincts to get attention. Not necessarily yelling, but perhaps treating your customers to hot coffee could help them notice.
4) Mystery: Have you ever wondered why we can’t put down a good book or stop watching a fascinating movie? Our memory is tuned to remember incomplete stories and we don’t like uncertainty either. So we try to narrow it down by all means possible, and you can use this to your advantage. For example, tell or assign a customer a task that you will complete it, only when he does. This compulsion to complete will annoy you and you have that Attention.
5) Reward: the rewards that we can touch, experience or even visualize have a greater impact on our attention. For example, if the incentive is a party, then instead of saying it, if you could send photos of delicious food and the atmosphere, it would instantly turn heads.
6) Disruption – People often pay attention when expectations are violated. The more disruptive a thing is, the more interesting it becomes. Do the unexpected or surprise them. For example, exceed the deadline that is very difficult, call a friend or colleague for a walk instead of coffee, etc.
7) – People consistently rate experts as the most trustworthy people of any celebrity. It is believed that if an expert gives advice, then the person listening blindly follows it because the brain slows down in making decisions and makes him feel that the expert is always right. Therefore, the credentials, your experience in the field, and your reference for knowledge on the subject at hand are absorbed with full attention.
8) Repetition: If you really believe in getting a message across, try repeating it. Exposing subjects to the same statement can make them believe it.
It is a common phenomenon in which children remember things that are repeated frequently and therefore adults are also more likely to see a thing or an advertisement that is repeated over and over again.
9) Acknowledgment: Create a feeling that you care about them and this feeling will capture their interest and they will reward you. All mammals need attention, but humans are the only ones who need recognition. So give them a sense of belonging to a community that cares about them and you will surely get that much desired attention.