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Need an Audience’s Attention? Try the Startle Factor

By Bonnie Budzowski
President, InCredible Messages, LP

According to Granville Toogood, author of The Articulate Executive, most people decide within 8 seconds if you, as a speaker, are worth listening to. We can quibble about the precise number of seconds you get to make a good impression, but experts agree that you get precious few.

You know from experience, of course, that most speeches begin with predictable phrases, like “It’s an honor to speak to you today….” or “How about those Steelers?” or “Thank you for the opportunity….”

No one faults a speaker for saying “thank you,” and no one leaves a presentation because the speaker is courteous. Even so, predictable openings waste some of the most important seconds of a speech. Toogood makes the point bluntly, “Opening amenities are opening inanities.”

Chances are you would feel uncomfortable about skipping the “thank you” at the beginning of a speech. We are used to the amenities. It seems impolite to eliminate them.

You don’t have to delete the pleasantries, but I do suggest you delay them. Use your first 8 to 30 seconds to grab the audience’s attention, to say something memorable, and then thread the “thank you” or a word of praise for the audience into the speech shortly afterwards. Strive for an opening that is unexpected and commands the audience’s attention. Try the startle factor.

Following are three strategies for opening a presentation in an unpredictable way. Pick an approach that feels comfortable to you and is appropriate to the occasion.

Connect your subject to dollars and cents.

Some topics, like time management or good communication skills, can seem peripheral to the success of a business. Connect any intangible to a concrete business measure.

I found a striking opening on the website of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce (of all places). The opening would make almost any audience member want to hear what comes next. Here’s an excerpt:

…[N]ew research shows that…[the cost of poor English to business] can be calculated right down to the last cent….

In December last year, Mind Your Language (MYL), a specialist in improving English language communication, conducted a study for two of its clients to determine how much time their senior staff spent editing colleagues' work. The findings will make anyone who is interested in the bottom line sit up and listen.

Startle with a statistic.

An unexpected or sobering statistic can capture the audience’s attention and start things off with a bang. Here’s an example:

Companies that begin outsourcing tasks overseas expect to save about 70 percent. Most studies show these companies actually realize a savings of 20 to 25 percent. At least that’s what Bob Markley from Corporate Solutions reported in an interview with the Pittsburgh Business Times.

Use a stop-em-dead quote.

I frequently give presentations or seminars to technical professionals. Some of these individuals assume that the ability to write well is a gift that nature simply didn’t bestow upon them. I open with a quote by Anne Lamott, successful novelist and writing teacher. The quote startles the audience and lays the foundation for the perspective that writing is a skill, not a gift. Here’s the quote:

For me and most of the other writers I know, writing is not rapturous. In fact, the only way I can get anything written at all is to write really, really shitty first drafts.

When you use a quote, be sure to memorize so you don’t have to read the quote. The basic rule is “never read what you can say.” Reading cuts off your eye contact and diminishes the power of your delivery.

Observe these words of caution.

Some people recommend a rhetorical question as an effective way to open a presentation. This strategy works if the question is profound. Unfortunately, many people begin presentations with rhetorical questions that are predictable and flat. If you don’t have a really good question, don’t use one.

As an opening, avoid using a joke. Few people have the ability to tell a joke well enough to launch a presentation with energy. Radio personality, Jack Bogut, says, “If you go for a belly laugh, you might get a belly flop.” Humor is great. Jokes are risky.

A story can be a powerful opener. However, a story also has the potential to steal your show. Make sure any story you use is clearly related to the central point of the presentation. Otherwise, your audience might remember the story and forget your point.

Today, more than ever, we need ways to capture the attention of busy people. Remember that audience members are generally distracted and overwhelmed with tasks and information. You have roughly 8 seconds to grab their attention and start your presentation with a bang. Use those seconds wisely: try the startle factor.

Permission is granted to reprint this article when the following contact information is included: © 2011 by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. For more free articles, go to www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com.

When it’s time to create “killer content” in a book or speech that establishes credibility and boosts your revenue, Bonnie Budzowski is the perfect resource.  An expert in communication, Bonnie specializes in coaching authors and speakers to organize & express thoughts in ways that capture attention, sell their ideas, and move people to action.  Bonnie helps her clients build content with less time and angst than they dream possible. 

Bonnie Budzowski is Founder of inCredible Messages, Past President of the National Speakers Association, Pittsburgh Chapter, and Past Managing Editor of Speaker Magazine.

If you’d like to sell your ideas, boost your influence, or advance your career through a book or presentation, call Bonnie at 412-828-1629, bonnie@inCredibleMessages.com or visit her website at www.inCredibleMessages.com. 

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