7 Ways to Capture Someone’s Attention (2024)

7 Ways to Capture Someone’s Attention (1)

It’s your most important currency.

March 03, 2015

7 Ways to Capture Someone’s Attention (2)

Your long-term success depends on winning the attention of others. If your boss doesn’t notice your work, how will you get a promotion? If your team doesn’t listen to you, how can you lead effectively? And if you can’t capture the attention of clients, how does your business or career survive?

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Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Leading People. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

What you need to know about being in charge.

7 Ways to Capture Someone’s Attention (6)

7 Ways to Capture Someone’s Attention (2024)

FAQs

How to capture people's attention? ›

  1. 10 Ways Great Speakers. Capture People's Attention. ...
  2. Start with the unexpected. Start with a bang, not a whimper. ...
  3. Make it about them. (What's in it for me?) ...
  4. Keep it concrete at the start. Show a prop. ...
  5. Keep it moving. ...
  6. Get to the point. ...
  7. Arouse emotion. ...
  8. Keep it interactive.

How do you grab someone's attention in words? ›

25 attention-grabbing words
  1. Immediately. The word "immediately" conveys a sense of urgency that you should do something right now. ...
  2. Sharp. The word "sharp" may create different visual images depending on the other words in the sentence. ...
  3. Renewed. ...
  4. Instantly. ...
  5. Invigorated. ...
  6. Unleashed. ...
  7. Unlimited. ...
  8. Personalized.
Mar 10, 2023

What is an effective strategy to recapture someone's attention? ›

Effective strategy to recapture someone's attention is to Lower Your voice. Everyone listens and interprets a little differently is the reason that best justifies the inclusion of third parties in high-stakes conversations. To stop yourself from interrupting is to take notes on what the other person is saying.

How to attract someone's attention? ›

We've summarized the seven triggers you can use to grab anyone's attention.
  1. Automaticity: Activate the senses. ...
  2. Framing: Contextualize your argument to appeal to your audience. ...
  3. Disruption: Break expectations. ...
  4. Reward: Create desire. ...
  5. Reputation: Establish credibility. ...
  6. Mystery: Leave things incomplete.
Mar 19, 2015

What are some attention grabbing phrases? ›

Let's break it down:
  • 1) “So you've got this great idea”
  • 2) “Here's the thing”
  • 3) “Is there some magic way around this mental roadblock? “
  • 4) “You better believe there is”
  • 1) “Great coffee at home — you need 3 things”
  • 2) “Coffee Buying Tips”
  • 3) “Slow down”
  • 4) “Umm, what now?

How do you get a good attention grabber? ›

There are lots of ways to capture the attention of an audience, but here are a few of the most common:
  1. Relay an anecdote. Start by telling us a story that directly relates to your speech. ...
  2. Cite a startling fact or opinion. ...
  3. Ask a question. ...
  4. Use a quotation. ...
  5. Build suspense through narrative.

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