presentation attention grabber examples

12 Effective Attention Getters For Your Speech

Any audience decides within the first 60 seconds whether or not you have something interesting to say. After that, they zone out and it is difficult to win back their attention. This is why there is always so much emphasis on attention-grabbing openers.

Once you take up the stage, you need to establish a presence straight away. There is no time for slow introductions. If you watch some of the more successful speakers, you can notice how they utilize their first 60 seconds of stage time. All the experts are well-versed in the art of engaging the audience right off the bat.

An attention-grabbing introduction must check the following boxes:

• Grab the audience’s attention.
• Establish any credibility or relatability.
• Outline the thesis of the speech.
• Give the audience a reason to listen.
• Clear transition into the body of the speech.

Table of Contents

Ask a Rhetorical Question

Make a bold statement, state the importance , shocking statistics or facts, credentials, paint a picture, give examples, everybody loves a good story, show enthusiasm: , build relatability: , acknowledge the audience: , bonus: effective transition, “the dictionary defines” , hello, it’s me, “good morning/evening”, wrapping up,, 12 attention getters for speeches.

There is a misconception that floats around public speaking. Many people believe that their core material is sufficient to get the audience’s attention. However, without a solid introduction, chances are that the listener will already be distracted by the time you get to the main message. Public speaking is an art-form of persuasion and you will need to be aware of the technical aspects that make a great speech along with writing good content. Here are some attention getters that you can utilize for your introduction.

Questions are always a good way to pique interest. We are automatically wired to respond to a question by either having a response in our minds or being curious to hear the answer. Either way, it keeps the audience active and listening for what’s coming next. This is also a great way to establish relatability. You could begin with something along the lines of “Have you ever wondered whether school uniforms are stifling creativity?” You might connect instantly with a large portion of the audience with a similar thought process. Similarly, something like, “Is religion a dying concept?” can make for a very intriguing beginning that might catch the interest of people on both sides of the argument.

Bold beginnings make for memorable and powerful speeches. No one can deny that the infamous “I have a dream!” left a mark on millions worldwide. A bold statement is your way to convey your passion, to stress the importance of an issue, and to instantly draw eyes. Pair a bold statement with the right body language, and you will be exuding the kind of power that is sure to make your presence noticeable. You can also go for shock-value statements that will keep your audience interested. Such as “I nearly died on my way here today.”

Any topic you pick for your speech is likely important to you. As such, you might not feel like it needs further emphasizing. However, to the listener’s this is still a brand new subject. Highlighting why the issue you are covering needs to be heard will be a good way to win their attention. Any speech on environmental changes is overdone, but if you open by talking about the devastating effects and the immediate danger it poses to us, you can get them listening.

For example: “Pollution is running so rampant that people around the world are now consuming nearly 5 grams in plastic each week.” This statement, states the importance, makes it personal and makes the issue urgent.

Typically, mentioning the key highlights of the speech is done towards the end of the introduction. You can use this in conjunction with other attention-getters. All you need to do is dedicate the last few lines in your introduction to outlining the main points that will be addressed in your speech.

Humor is always an excellent ice-breaker. It breaks the tension and makes the audience feel more at ease. This is one of the best ways there is to make your audience comfortable. Once you get them laughing, they will be much more open to your message. However, this can go either way. You need to really know your audience to apply this well. If you make a joke and it falls flat, it can really hamper your stage confidence and derail the rest of your speech. Make sure you write jokes that are appropriate for the audience that you will address. There is no one-joke-fits-all in this scenario.

Depending on the setting, inside jokes are the best way to make the audience feel like they’re getting a personalized speech. Whether it is about an office incident or a particular teacher, a joke everyone is in on is always a good idea. However, if that isn’t the case then you can go to current events as something most people would be familiar with. Use it as an ice-breaker and follow it up with your main message with a smooth transition.

Many people shy away from using statistics in their speeches. They believe it is boring and will take the audience out of the speech. However, when used right they can really shake things up. For example: “Did you know that about 90% of Americans eat more sodium than is recommended for a healthy diet?” or “Did you know that approximately 80.2 million people, aged six and older are physically inactive?” can help create intrigue. Once you surprise them, you create a space where you can emphasize the importance of your message. Make sure you strike a good balance of numbers so as to not overwhelm your audience either.

Perhaps the host will have already announced your credentials before you take up the stage. In case that they don’t, make sure to highlight any expertise you might have in a topic you are speaking about. Especially if you have worked for a number of years in a related field, it will add a lot of credibility to your words. Even if the host has mentioned it, you can highlight your expertise in a sentence or two in your introduction to get their attention.

Facts are good for a speech. It adds credibility and a sense of realness to your speech. However, too much data can make your speech seem boring. Instead, try to paint a picture with your words. Instead of having them decipher graphs and facts, you can give them a visual image or associate a relatable emotion with your abstract idea. Use directions like “imagine” or “picture this” followed by descriptive words. With a little creativity, this can work for virtually any speech topic. Instead of simply stating a problem such as “There are thousands of marine life losing their lives due to ocean pollution every day”, try “Imagine thousands of colorful species being slowly killed by their own ecosystem due to the rampant pollution we are causing.

Your job as the speaker is to make it as easy as possible for the audience to grasp your message. It is a good idea to include an example early on in your speech. Most people run over their main points and put in examples at the end. However, if you pair them immediately it will be easier for the audience to associate them.

Adding examples is also a great way to explore varying languages. It works hand-in-hand with painting a picture. You can utilize similes, metaphors, and adjectives to properly guide your audience. Remember that people will be more inclined to listen to things that they can relate to. This is why you should look to finding examples that are more personal for the audience.

Chances are, you are giving a speech amongst a line-up of speakers. As such, every speaker comes on stage with a question, example, or statistic. An interesting prop, can thus, act like a breath of fresh air for the audience. Whether it is a surprise prop that will keep the audience guessing or simply a demonstration to begin with. It will certainly pique interest and keep the audience watching.  

All good speeches take up the form of a story. It does not have to take up a “Once upon a time” format. You can pick a personal story to relate to your topic. Once you begin with a story, you will automatically get your audience curious about the next turn of events. Especially if your story is relatable one, it will create a stronger connection. Similarly, you can keep your audience’s attention throughout the speech with bits of your story. Keep the audience guessing by introducing twists and turns. This is not just a good tip for the introduction but also for the body of your speech. 

Quotes are a great way to spice up your script. Especially if you can find quotes given by a famous person in a related field. They can add a certain gravitas to your words and help engage the audience. Make sure you double-check the source of the quote as you don’t want to misquote them either. Similarly, you don’t want to just quote someone for the sake of quoting. Make sure it matches the theme of your speech.

Work on Your Delivery

All of the above tips are highly effective, however, delivery also plays a vital role. If you deliver these tips with a monotone attitude, chances are the audience simply won’t catch on to these attention grabbers. Make sure you monitor your enthusiasm and put a lot of it into your introduction.

Your opening sets the tone for the rest of your speech, so you want to keep it upbeat. If you are looking at the floor, looking unsure and mumbling, you will lose credibility in the eyes of the audience. You need to project confidence so the audience feels like you have something to offer. Experiment with vocal variety, pitch, energy, and hand gestures. A good mix of all these elements will create the perfect attention-grabbing introduction for your speech.

How you deliver your first sentence is important to the impact you want to create. You want to stand out. If every speaker before you comes up with a question, by the time it gets to you, your audience will be completely over it. This is why personalized delivery can make you stand out. Here are a few delivery techniques you can experiment with:

A smile is a simple yet timelessly effective way to connect to your audience. It is a universal human gesture and will make the audience warm up to you. Not just for informal speeches but even for formal ones. Make sure to have a warm smile in your delivery rather than keeping a stoic demeaner.

Have you ever met those people who’s energy is simply infectious? Being around them just brings up your own mood. As the speaker, you command the stage. It is your job to direct the audience. This is why you can lead the enthusiasm by exuding it yourself.

People are automatically drawn to people they can relate to. If you are speaking about a relatable topic, make sure you talk about the relatability factor early. No matter what the topic is, you can find a common ground to connect on.

Once you have your script and the preparation ready, you might be tempted to simply take up the stage and begin speaking at once. Believe it or not, this actually takes the audience away from the speech. Making it about them, making them feel like an important part of your speech will get them leaning in to listen.

Speak from your heart. You may have seen a lot of good speakers and naturally, you feel like picking up on their styles. However, audiences best respond to sprinkles of your own personality. So make sure, whatever style you try to incorporate, you don’t lose your honest touch.

These are just some of the ways you can grab the audience’s attention. You can pick one or more of these to make sure you maximize audience engagement. Public speaking is a subtle art and once you master it, it will become second nature to you. Content is king but your delivery, along with all these technical elements ensures your content actually reaches the listeners. The only thing left to do is practice.

As we discussed, an introduction has many roles to fulfill. One of them is to signal to the audience that the body of the speech has begun. To do so, you will need to incorporate an effective transition. Once you learn how to properly utilize these, your speech should flow smoothly from opening, body, to conclusion. Improper transitions can disrupt your natural flow and make your speech seem jumpy or choppy. If you’d like to up your transition game, you can browse our extensive coverage of Transitions in Public Speaking.

Your introduction is really only 10-15% of the total speech. Yet it can have a huge impact on audience engagement and impact. It needs to be long enough to check all the boxes of information that need to be relayed but at the same time short enough to keep it interesting. With the above tips and your awesome content, you will no doubt be able to craft something amazing.

What not to do:

While it is certainly a good idea to experiment, there are some things you should certainly avoid. Here are a few of them:

This trope is extremely overdone. Besides, people can simply google definitions. You want your speech to be authentic and interesting.

While it is encouraged to establish credibility, try not to get carried away. You can alienate the audience if you seem like you’re bragging. Make sure your introduction is concise and relevant.

Unless you’re a naturally humorous person with jokes relevant to your topic, we recommend staying off jokes. Besides you want your message to be the center of your speech. If your joke doesn’t land in the intro itself, it is also likely to affect your confidence.

While welcoming the audience is typically recommended, spending your precious few introduction moments on salutations can be seen as a lack of creativity. You are much better off using this time to grab their attention and save the thank you’s for afterward.

On average, an audience member has but one question at the beginning of every speech, “Why should I care?” It is your responsibility as the speaker to answer this question and win over their attention. Whether it is by presenting shocking information, useful demonstration, entertaining presentation, or a persuasive performance, whichever best suits your style. Take a look at your script and try on the various attention-getters we’ve listed above. Test it out by recording and listening to yourself or having a friend listen to it. Make sure you don’t cut out any practice time. All the best!

Good Attention Getters for Speeches with 10+ Examples!

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : February 16, 2024

Reading Time :

There are days that you might be having trouble grabbing your audience’s attention during a speech , especially if your speech is too lengthy for the average attention span of an individual. 

Being prepared when planning a speech is essential, as you must instantly draw your audience’s attention. 

The first minute of your speech will leave the most impression. Good attention-getters for speeches can immediately catch an audience’s attention, while a poor one will turn an audience against the speaker. 

People don’t usually tune into speeches in the middle, so you have to catch their attention right from the beginning and have a list of attention-getters for speeches to use. 

In this article, you can get good attention-getters for speeches that will be your ticket to being a speaker that people would find interesting. There are also different types of attention-getters for speeches you can choose from to suit your speech topic.

What are attention-getters For

An attention-getter is intended to intrigue the audience members and inspire them to listen attentively for several minutes. There are countless options for attention-getters for speeches.

Most importantly, in your audience’s mind, an attention-getter can generate excitement and persuade them that the speech would be informative and useful. 

Your attention-getter wording should be refined and practiced. Be sure to understand your speech ’s mood/tone; assess the suitability of humor, emotion, aggressiveness, etc. 

Not only should the words draw attention from the audience, but the delivery should be smooth and confident to let the audience know you are a competent speaker prepared for this address.

Watch how to write attention-getters for speeches:

Why It’s Important to Include Attention Getters in Your Speech

The primary role of attention-getters for speeches is to gain your audience’s attention and make them interested in what you have to say. 

One of the most significant errors inexperienced speakers make is to presume that people listen automatically.

While many audiences can be respectful and not talk while speaking, listening to what you say is an entirely different challenge.

If you do not have the audience’s attention at the beginning, as you continue talking, it will only become more challenging to do so.

The first few lines of a speech are intended to attract and hold the audience’s attention.

Attention getters for speeches are for the audience to listen to the rest of your speech . Your attention-getter should help the audience understand and reflect on your subject.

It might be helpful to ask yourself these questions when choosing attention-getters for speeches:

• What is the best one for the occasion?
• Who’s going to be my audience?
• What’s my speech ’s topic?
• What is the speech ’s purpose?
• What am I comfortable to say?

There are three ways to maximize your potential to grab your audience’s attention:

• Spend time strategizing
• Design your attention-getter
• Practice delivering your attention-getter

Different Types of Attention Getters for Speeches

Before getting in front of people to deliver your speech , you should know how to leave an impression on the audience. There are different types of attention-getters for speeches to choose from that can help you pique your listeners’ interest. 

Here are the four key points that you should consider in choosing a type of attention-getter for speeches:

Watch this tutorial on attention-getters for speeches:

The fact that listeners like funny speeches is reasonably obvious. However, the secret to a successful attention grabber is to use humor that is important to the subject. 

Humor is another successful way of attracting the attention of an audience. When used correctly, humor is an excellent weapon for attention-getters in speeches. 

However, without the proper practice and knowledge of using attention grabbers, you can quickly turn the audience against you if you do not wield the sword carefully. 

You just need to know the audience by using satire and consider what they would find funny. Using humor that the audience either does not find amusing or offensive is one of the biggest mistakes a speaker can make.

Here are funny attention-getters for speech examples that you can choose from:

• Jokes (e.g., inside jokes)
• Funny True Stories
• Delivery (e.g., imitating a voice from a famous character)

Using references as attention-getters for speeches can make your audience more inclined to connect a specific reference to your speech .

References allow the audience to freely think about facts and statements related to your speech topic. Targeting a connection to your audience would also make them feel involved in your speech .

Here is what you can do with the different types of references for attention-getters for speeches:

Bold Statements

When you start with a bold statement, your energy and enthusiasm will trigger your listeners to be immediately lured to your speech . They will carefully consider how you back up the assertion in your statement.

This type of attention-getter for speeches often comes in the form of figures and unusual facts. The purpose of good attention-getters for speeches is to use a statistic that shocks the audience and engages them in your subject. 

Many people push the thought of using statistics away as attention-getters for speeches. Most think it’s not interesting and will overwhelm or underwhelm the audience. However, they can shake things up when used correctly.

Starting with a question ensures the audience is engaged by presenting a response literally or rhetorically. 

Make sure you pause before using a question to allow the audience a chance to let it sink in. Give your audience a break to let them think about the problem that you have just posed.

You will typically use a rhetorical question when raising a question to open a speech , the kind you don’t expect a response to. Your listeners, however, will probably try to react to this mentally. 

It is not enough to use only one or two questions, though. If used alone, it is better to use a set of questions. Questions are usually paired with another presentation strategy.

Analogies can be associated with something fresh and distinct that the audience knows and understands. 

It would be best to use an analogy to demonstrate a connection between your speech ’s subject – something new and different for the audience and something your audience knows.

Analogies can be efficient because they use the audience’s thoughts, knowledge, and values to establish a link to your speech topic and you as a speaker. Analogies generate connections between you and the audience.

List of Attention Getters for Speeches

Quotations are the simplest, but they can come off as cliche if not done well. Short stories may be more intimate and appear to increase trust. A humorous attention-getter can also loosen up the right crowd.

The attention-getter should not be eclipsed for a minute, so do your best to keep it short and sweet. 

The following must be present for good attention-getters for speeches:

• Win the attention of the viewer.
• Set up some reputation or relatability.
• Outline the speech ’s thesis.
• Give a justification for the viewer to listen.
• Clear transition into the speech ’s body

Top 10 Good Attention Getters

There are a lot of good attention-getters, but we narrowed it to the top 10 attention-getters for speeches that will surely make your audience lend you their ears:

A lot of people enjoy a good laugh. Jokes are at the top of the list of good attention-getters for speeches. 

You create a bond with the audience by telling a good joke early in the speech , and you inspire them to listen with the promise of more laughter.

Ensure the joke isn’t insulting, and the rest of the expression suits you well. Making a terrible joke can hamper your stage’s morale and ruin the rest of your speech .

Make sure you write jokes perfect for the crowd you’re trying to discuss. In this case, there is no one-joke-fits-all.

Inside jokes are the best way to make the audience feel like they have a customized speech , depending on the setting. 

2. Usage of Common Ground

A good attention-getter for speeches is a direct reference to the audience. In this case, something special about the audience uses the common ground to make them interested in the speech ’s substance.

3. Intriguing Facts

Another one from the list of attention-getters for speeches is quickly catching an audience’s attention and revealing a fascinating fact or astonishing statistic first. 

Pick a fact relevant to your subject that can solve your audience’s dilemma. 

4. Rhetorical Question

Asking a rhetorical question is more of a test for the audience. It’s like a test to make your listener’s mind answer, even if it’s just a rhetorical question. 

If you asked an excellent rhetorical question, it would help your audience feel involved and tune in to your topic.

5. Response Question 

A response question is a question that is supposed to be answered by the audience in some way. For example, if they’ve done anything in the past, you could ask your audience to lift their hands. 

It will create more of a voluntary response from the audience. It can also be considered more interactive in the list of speech attention-getters.

6. Visualization

Visualization is another crucial thing to consider for good attention-getters for speeches. You can try to introduce a scene with your words to your audience. 

You can send your audience a visual picture instead of making them decode graphs and figures or associate a relatable emotion with your abstract concept. 

Using instructions accompanied by descriptive terms such as “imagine” or “picture this” practically works with any speech subject using imagination. 

7. Startling Statement

You can create a position for yourself to stress the importance of your message until you surprise your listeners with this type of attention-getter for speeches. 

Starting with this type of attention-getter for speeches can help pique your audience’s interest. Make sure to create the right balance between your statement and your message after.

8. Captivating Story

Your audience would want to know what happened next and how things turned out by starting with an engaging story. 

Direct them through a captivating story so they are always on the edge of their seats, excited to learn what happens next. 

You can create a story or a true story like something unique that happened to you or someone else.

9. Quote from Someone Famous

Another impressive and good attention-getter for speeches is to quote anyone famous in the opening of your speech . 

When you know it’s someone the audience loves, your audience will immediately be drawn to listen. 

You must carefully choose the quote’s source and ensure it relates to your speech .

10. Personal Experience

Attention-getters for speeches about yourself create a connection with you and your audience by sharing a piece of your experience with them. It would help them get to know you more as a speaker.

Likewise, it is also vital to consider building a bridge to make your audience want to know more about what you can share with them. 

Watch this video to learn about good attention-getters for speeches:

How to Practice Good Attention Getters for Speeches

Many think their core content is adequate to get the listener’s attention. 

However, the chances are that the listener would already be distracted by getting to the main message without a strong introduction. 

Public speaking is an art form of persuasion, and along with writing good material, you will need to be aware of the technical aspects that make a great speech . 

It would help if you learned how to deliver it after planning your speech and selecting from your list of attention-getters for speeches. 

The way you introduce yourself and your voice makes or breaks your presentation. Watch how you can improve your speech content and delivery:

Two features you want to represent are excitement and trust. Talk properly and highlight the points you want the crowd to take with them. 

If you are anxious , respectfully introduce yourself, understand your subject, and create an optimistic and energetic atmosphere.

Here are ways on how you can improve your speech delivery:

• Smile:  Smile at your audience, and they’ll smile back!
• Enthusiasm : The audience will return the energy that you will give.
• Create a connection : Find common ground with the audience and use it.
• Compliment and acknowledge your audience :  Make your audience feel appreciated.
• Honesty: Avoid any fake news or baseless information.

Watch this video on affordable ways to rehearse your speech the right way:

How can AI help in practicing attention-getters?

AI tools like Yoodli are changing the game for attention-getters! Simply record yourself and receive expert feedback on pace, word choice, body language , and more. Yoodli even transcribes your speech and offers actionable suggestions to transform your opening and captivate your audience. Free to start, it’s a smart way to level up your public speaking and make a lasting impression.

What are some attention-getter tips for public speaking?

Captivate from the start! Ditch the monotone: share a gripping story, ask a thought-provoking question, or use bold visuals. Make eye contact, project your voice, and end with a powerful call to action. These simple steps will hook your audience and leave them wanting more. Remember, confident delivery and a clear message are key!

What are some attention-getter examples for classrooms?

Teachers need attention-grabbers! From rhythmic chants in elementary school to light switches in high school, find the right fit for your class to capture their focus and create a seamless learning flow. Choose based on age and needs, and watch those learning gears click into place!

What are some attention-getter examples for speeches?

From funny stories to surprising facts, grab your audience’s attention! Start with humor, thought-provoking questions, or bold statements. Use stats, visuals, or relatable anecdotes. Include tasteful jokes, relevant quotes, or clear analogies. Choose an attention-getter that fits your topic and audience, and watch them lean in!

How can attention-getters be used in the classroom?

Spice up your classroom! Jokes, relatable examples, surprising facts, and thought-provoking questions are all attention-grabbers that hook students and spark curiosity. Visuals, personal stories, and famous quotes add another layer of engagement, making learning an exciting adventure!

How can visual aids be used as attention-getters?

Don’t tell; paint a picture! Use vivid descriptions to create scenes in your audience’s minds. Go beyond graphs and engage their imagination with “imagine” and “picture this.” This works for any speech , boosting understanding and captivating listeners. Remember, visuals like videos and slides can complement your “word pictures” for even greater impact!

What are some attention-getter examples?

Captivate your audience! Jokes, surprising facts, stories, and more – spark interest with these 10+ attention-getters for speeches and classrooms. Don’t forget their age! Use counting games for younger students and light flickers for teens. Choose the right technique, watch them lean in, and get ready to share your message!

It is crucial to be prepared when you have to give a speech in front of an audience, whether big or small. Who would want an audience not to tune in when you still have something to say? 

Attention-getters for speeches will help you pique your audience’s interest through their different types and examples. Of course, you must match your attention-getter with your speech to avoid sounding out of the blue for your listeners.

Ask yourself some questions and create a speech that will surely lure your audience to listen to your speech properly. You can also download the Orai App to help you practice that perfect speech that catches your audience’s attention. Start your free trial today, which is available on the app store. 

You might also like

How Many Words is a 5-Minute Speech

How to End a Speech: The Best Tips and Examples

Quick links.

• Presentation Topics

Useful Links

• Start free trial
• The art of public speaking
• improve public speaking
• mastering public speaking
• public speaking coach
• professional speaking
• public speaking classes - Courses
• public speaking anxiety
• © Orai 2023

12 Pretty Good Hooks for Your Next Presentation

  “the next three minutes will determine whether you succeed or fail on your next presentation.”.

Every presentation has three main parts – the beginning, the middle, and the end.  And among these, the beginning is easily the most important. 

You have about 30 seconds to get the audience interested in what you have to say.  If that doesn’t happen, anything else you do afterwards will soon be forgotten.

To do that it helps to have a “hook” to grab their attention.  Here are 12 tried and true ways to hook your audience and get your presentation off on the right foot.

Why You Need to be Captain Hook

At the beginning of every presentation, there are two main things going on.

• You are trying to introduce your topic and convince people why they need to hear it.
• Your audience is trying to decide whether this will be worth their time.

A good hook is one that quickly gets everyone oriented and engaged, introduces your topic, and makes them willing to listen to more of what you have to say.

A good hook orients, engages, and makes the audience interested in hearing more. Click To Tweet

There are lots of effective ways to do this.  The main thing is to do something interesting.

Trying to hook an audience? The main thing is: Be Interesting! Click To Tweet

It’s hard to think of a quicker way to shut down the audience than to begin by mumbling,

“Hello, my name is Bob Smith, and for the next 45 minutes I’m going to be talking about the importance of socks.”

I don’t know why Bob’s talking about socks, and I don’t know why I should listen. I’m already lacing up my track shoes and getting ready to sprint for the door.

So if it falls to you to give the next presentation on the importance of socks (or any other topic), here are 12 ways you can use to engage the audience from the very beginning.  I’ll continue with the sock example to help out poor Bob.

Note:  If you would like a one-page condensed version of these 12 hooks, plus presentation tips to help them work for you, hit this button:

12 Pretty Good Hooks About Socks

1.  Make an Outrageous or Provocative Claim .   It’s the same way I started this post.  Hopefully it caught your attention and made you want to read more.  The same goes for presentations.  Be bold, original, challenge common beliefs, then back up your claim.

“Socks are more important than food.”   That’s what a man named Kiwi said recently.  Kiwi was a homeless man living on the streets of Toronto, Canada.  He said that he knew of many pantries and shelters where he could get food, but there was no way he could walk the streets of his city without socks.  Socks meant everything to this man and many like him.  And if you think about it, socks are very important to all of us…

(Got this quote from The Joy of Sox ,  a charitable organization that donates socks to the homeless.)

2.  Tell a Joke.   This is a classic technique that can work well as a way to relax and make the audience receptive.  It’s a good idea to try the joke out on some friends first, to make sure they think it’s funny too.  Keep it clean, and be ready to move on if you don’t get the laughter you thought you would.

On the first day of summer camp, the director informed all the little campers that he expected them to put on a fresh pair of socks every day. Two weeks later, Johnny failed to appear at the morning flag raising. The director found him still in his cot. 

“Why aren’t you lined up with the other boys?” He asked.

“I can’t get my shoes on over fourteen pairs of socks!”

  Clearly the boy knew that it was important to have his socks, but didn’t understand why or how the socks were important…

This site at ajokeaday  is clean and has a long list of joke categories and a pretty good search function to help you find just the right joke to get started.

3.  Tell a Story.   Stories remind your audience that you are human, make you relatable, and take down protective barriers people will erect when they think people will be talking at them.  Start immediately with the story.  You can back up and introduce yourself later.

  “ Change your socks ” the instructor ordered.  We had just forded a river in the middle of the night and our feet were soaking wet.  We were carrying three pairs of socks on this mission.  The first was already dirty, and now the second was soaked.  But we didn’t want to change our socks.  Because in two miles we were supposed to cross another river and we would get wet again.  But the instructor didn’t want to hear that.  He wanted to make sure we knew he was in charge.  Presenting him with the facts only appeared like a challenge to his authority, so he simply said slowly and more deliberately, “ Change.  Your.  Socks .” 

So we changed into our last dry socks by moonlight, he checked every one of us, then we marched on.  And we crossed that next river and got wet.  Our feet were soaked and sore for the next two days.  For a while, it was all I could think about – the foolish order to change our socks. It was the maddest I had ever been.  Because when it comes right down to it, the simplest things are the most important in life.  The trust of a loved one; food; and dry socks.  Most of us take socks for granted…

The best stories are personal ones from your own experience, but you can also find good ones on the internet.   This page at businessballs.com indexes their stories by title and topic.

4.  Show a Video .  Let someone else break the ice for you with a video.  It’s an unexpected way to begin, so people will be instantly interested, plus people just like to watch video.  Keep it brief and related to the topic in some way.  It can be a great way to show the audience what you are talking about, not just trying to describe it.  Absolutely double check and rehearse to make sure the video works wherever you will be presenting, and be prepared to react if it fails anyway.

  So, who knew you could make a smart phone holder out of an old sock?  Well in fact there are lots of good uses for socks, and some actually involve putting your feet into them.  Socks are one of the most underrated items of clothing…

5.  Ask a Couple Questions.   Some people will want to answer, but even if they don’t do it out loud, they will be considering the answer in their minds, so they will be engaged.  Asking several questions in a row will stretch the audience’s mind further while also serving as an introduction to your topic.  Be sure to pause after each question for best effect.

What do you think is the most important piece of clothing you own?  What makes it important?  Is it the protection it provides? How often you wear it?  The warmth it offers?  The way it makes you look?  How it makes you feel?  For me, there is nothing more important that having on a nice clean pair of dry socks…

6.  Show a Picture .  This can be a variation of the story method.  Share a picture of a person and talk about him, or of a place and why it is important, or of something else related to your subject.  People will look at the picture instead of you, so it takes a little pressure off.  And the picture itself serves to introduce your topic.  Half the job is done before you even open your mouth.

7.  Ask a Rhetorical Question .  It’s a question that can’t necessarily be answered, but it gets people thinking, and helps you point them in the direction you want to go.

Are socks what truly define us as human beings?  Are socks what differentiate us from all the other forms of life on the planet?  After all, nobody else on earth is wearing them except us.  Can they be that important?  These are clearly questions for the ages, and well worth our consideration…

8.  Set an Expectation .  Not only is it a good idea to let people know what you will be talking about, you will engage their attention much better if you give them something interesting to look forward to.

By the end of this presentation, not only will you know how important socks are in our lives, you will have ten fun facts about socks that you probably didn’t know, and four new sock jokes that you can use to amaze and amuse your friends.

9.  Show Them an Object.   Bring something with you that you can hold up and talk about.  This is a good way to quickly capture the attention of the audience and introduce your topic at the same time.

10.  Reference an Historical Event .  If the day, week, month, or year is unique in any way that you can relate to your topic, that can be another way to make the topic seem more real or relevant.

Did you know that it was only 135 years ago, on a day very like today, that John Nelson, a Swedish immigrant to the United States, patented the sock-knitting machine?  And that one invention was enough to not only change the history of footwear, but lead to the development of a child’s toy as well.  Socks have had a huge impact on us…

At this New York Times link , you can see what happened today in history, or pick any other date and see what was going on.

11.  Use a Quote .  Find a quote from someone recognizable, then think about how you can tie it into your presentation, or turn it on its head.

Over at Brainyquote.com you can find lots to choose from and can even search by topic.  Another good source is Wisdomquotes for lots of good quotes by topic or author.

A variation on this idea would be to make the quote your first slide – nothing but the quote in giant words; possibly with a picture of the person who said it.

12.  Ask, “What if…?” or “Imagine…”  Ask them about something that changes their perspective, like what if you could fly, read minds, be debt-free, go backward or forward in time.  You can adapt this to nearly any presentation and it will immediately cause your audience to engage their minds.  Ask the question, pause, ask it again for best effect.

Imagine a world without socks. (pause)  Imagine… a world without socks.  What would it be like?  What would change?  How would your life be different? (pause)   When you think about it, socks are critically important….

These are just 12 possible ways to hook your audience, and there are infinite variations on these ideas.  You can even combine them – tell a funny story while showing a picture or turning a quote on its head.  The keys are to keep it interesting, original, and fairly brief.  Remember, you only have about 30 seconds before they decide whether or not they want to keep listening.  Use that time well, and you will be on your way to making a memorable presentation.

If I was able to help Bob get you even the least bit interested in something as mundane as socks, think of what you can do with a far more interesting topic!

With that, since we’re on a sock “thing” today, I’ll leave you with an ode to socks I came across by Chilean poet and diplomat Pablo Neruda .  Maybe if I had quoted this to my instructor so long ago, he’d have let me save my last pair of dry socks for after the final river crossing…

Ode to my Socks

Mara Mori brought me a pair of socks which she knitted herself with her sheepherder’s hands, two socks as soft as rabbits. I slipped my feet into them as if they were two cases knitted with threads of twilight and goatskin, Violent socks, my feet were two fish made of wool, two long sharks sea blue, shot through by one golden thread, two immense blackbirds, two cannons, my feet were honored in this way by these heavenly socks. They were so handsome for the first time my feet seemed to me unacceptable like two decrepit firemen, firemen unworthy of that woven fire, of those glowing socks.

Nevertheless, I resisted the sharp temptation to save them somewhere as schoolboys keep fireflies, as learned men collect sacred texts, I resisted the mad impulse to put them in a golden cage and each day give them birdseed and pieces of pink melon. Like explorers in the jungle who hand over the very rare green deer to the spit and eat it with remorse, I stretched out my feet and pulled on the magnificent socks and then my shoes.

The moral of my ode is this: beauty is twice beauty and what is good is doubly good when it is a matter of two socks made of wool in winter.

Wool socks in winter – amen to that!

Egyptian Socks photo; no changes made – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Early_socks.jpg

Sock joke – source:  http://www.jokebuddha.com/Socks/recent/4#ixzz3fJpmAwQ7

The Joy of Sox charitable organization donates socks to the homeless http://www.pointsoflight.org/blog/2014/06/04/when-socks-are-more-important-food%E2%80%99

Sock Monkey photo; no changes made –  https://www.flickr.com/photos/poplinre/2153204704/ –

Ken served for 26 years in the Infantry, retiring as a Colonel.  From leading patrols in the Korean DMZ, to parachuting into the jungles of Panama, to commanding a remote outpost on the Iran-Iraq border, he has learned a lot about leadership, and has a passion for sharing that knowledge with others.  Look for his weekly posts, check out his online courses , subscribe below, or simply connect , he loves to talk about this stuff.

GET LEADERSHIP TOOLS

RAPIDSTART LEADERSHIP © 2015-2023   Ι   ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

There's a lot here

Would a one-page cheat sheet help, (no strings attached), they are ready to follow..., ...are you ready to lead, subscribe now.

• My Account My Account
• Cards Cards
• Banking Banking
• Travel Travel
• Rewards & Benefits Rewards & Benefits
• Business Business

Curated For You

Related content, 12 ways to hook an audience in 30 seconds.

Published: October 26, 2021

Updated: October 26, 2021

Do you want to grab your audience's attention from the first sentence? Here's a compilation of great ideas with examples and tips on how to write a good hook.

"When you advertise fire-extinguishers, open with the fire," says advertising executive  David Ogilvy . You have only 30 seconds in a TV commercial to grab viewers' attention. The same applies to a presentation. Knowing how to hook your audience in the first 30 seconds of your talk is crucial. This is the time your listeners form an impression of you and of what's to follow. The success of your talk depends upon grabbing your listeners’ attention and keeping them engaged. 

What is a speech hook and how does it work?

A hook is a presentation-opening tactic that immediately captures your audience’s imagination. As the word implies, it’s like a worm on a fishing hook that attracts a fish. A hook instantly engages your audience so that they want to listen to what you have to say.

Your hook must come at the start of your talk. First impressions count. Like a fine thoroughbred, you need to start strong out of the gate. Instead, many presenters are more like old, tired workhorses—they start weak by wasting those first precious seconds with platitudes and pleasantries.  Brain research  shows that we don't pay attention to boring things. Surprise your listeners with some creative speech attention grabbers.

How do you make a good hook?

Coming up with hook ideas is not difficult if you follow some basic guidelines on how to make a good hook.

A good hook is brief, catchy, well-rehearsed and pertinent to your topic. In brainstorming examples of hooks, avoid the dry and conventional.

For example, let's say you are  delivering a presentation  on investments. Instead of an obvious and trite question such as "How many of you would be unhappy to hear that your house is worth less than you paid for it?" consider using a catchy or thought-provoking question such as "How many of you thought that your home would be your safest investment?"

12 Killer Hooks to Grab Your Audience's Attention

If you're stuck for ideas on how to start with a hook, check out these 12 examples of hooks that will help you grab your audience's attention—and keep it.

1. Use a contrarian approach.

One of the best attention grabber examples is to make a statement of a universally accepted concept, then go against conventional wisdom by contradicting the statement. For example, a market trader starts by contradicting the commonly held advice of buying low and selling high. He says: "It's wrong. Why? Because buying low typically entails a stock that's going in the opposite direction—down—from the most desired direction—up." This tactic is a provocative attention grabber for speeches and it can help engage the audience right away.

2. Ask a series of rhetorical questions.

One of the most common hook ideas is to start with a rhetorical question. Better still, start with a series of rhetorical questions. An excellent example of this tactic is Simon Sinek's TED  presentation  on how great leaders can inspire action. He begins with: "How do you explain when things don't go as we assumed? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions? For example, why is Apple so innovative? . . . Why is it that they seem to have something different? Why is it that Martin Luther King led the civil rights movement?" A series of rhetorical questions stimulate the audience's mind as they ponder the answers.

3. Deliver a compelling sound bite.

Top hook ideas include using a catchy phrase or sound bite that perks up the audience.  To create your sound bite, consider your message and package it in a brief and compelling statement. Then explain how it fits into your overall topic or message.

Take inspiration from speakers such as innovation expert  Jeremy Gutsche  who once used this sound bite in a keynote: "Culture eats strategy for breakfast. This is a sign that is on Ford's strategy War Room. And the lesson from it is not how good your PowerPoint slide deck is; what it really boils down to at the end of the day is how ready and willing your organization is to embrace change, try new things and focus on when you find an opportunity."

4. Make a startling assertion.

When you're stumped for ideas on how to make a hook, use a surprising or amazing fact. That's an easy and sure-fire way to gain people's attention. Take the time to research startling statistics that illustrate the seriousness of what you're going to talk about. For example, a presentation about conservancy can start with: "Every second, a slice of rainforest the size of a football field is mowed down. That's over 31 million football fields of rainforest each year."

5. Provide a reference to a historical event. 

Good attention getters for speeches include mentioning a historical event. There are times when the day you present may have some significance in history that can be tied to the subject of your presentation as an opening gambit. You can quickly look up what happened on any day in  Today In Sport  or a more general site such as  This Day In History . You never know what pertinence the day might have that will add some pizzazz to your presentation. It's worth a look.

6. Use the word imagine.

Another effective attention grabber for speeches is the word “imagine.” It invites the audience to create a mental image of something. Ever since John Lennon's famous song, it has become a powerful word with emotional appeal. A good example is Jane Chen's TED  talk . She speaks about a low-cost incubator that can save many lives in underdeveloped countries. Chen opens by saying: “Please close your eyes and open your hands. Now imagine what you could place in your hands, an apple, maybe your wallet. Now open your eyes. What about a life?” She displays a slide with Anne Geddes' image of a tiny baby held in an adult's hands as she says this. Combining a hook with a visual is one of the most engaging speech attention grabbers.

There is power in asking the audience to conjure up their imagination, to play along. You can easily adapt this tactic to any topic where you want the audience to imagine a positive outcome or a vision of a better tomorrow. You can also use this opening gambit to ask the audience to imagine being in someone else's shoes.

7. Add a little show business.

If you’re looking for ideas on how to make a hook that's entertaining, consider the world of movies. Movies occupy a central place in most people's lives and a well-placed, pertinent movie quote at the start of a presentation can perk up your audience. Perhaps you have your own inspirational quote from a favorite film. You can also find some classics here:  The Best Business Wisdom Hidden In Classic Movie Quotes .

8. Arouse curiosity.

Powerful attention grabbers spark people's curiosity. To do this, you can start with a statement designed to arouse interest and make the audience look up and listen to you attentively. Bestselling author Dan Pink does this masterfully in  one  of his talks. He says: "I need to make a confession, at the outset. A little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I am not particularly proud of, something that in many ways I wished no one would ever know, but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal. In the late 1980s, in a moment of youthful indiscretion, I went to law school." The hook here leads to some self-deprecating humor, which makes it even more effective.

9. Use quotations differently.

Often-used hook ideas involve the use of quotes. While many speakers start with an apt quotation, you can differentiate by stating the quote and adding a twist. For example, "We've all heard that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. But we need to remember that a journey to nowhere also starts with a single step." You can also use a quotation from your own life. For example, in a presentation on price versus quality, I have often used a quote from my grandfather, who used to say: "I am not rich enough to buy cheap."

There are numerous sources for quotations, such as  The Library of Congress , but you might also consider  The Yale Book of Quotations , which brings together over 13,000 quotes. You can also find such resources in app form, including  Famous Quotes  and  Brilliant Quotes .

10. Quote a foreign proverb.

A novel attention grabber for speeches is quoting a proverb from a culture your audience might not be familiar with. There is a wealth of fresh material to be culled from around the world. Chances are your listeners have never heard them, so they have novelty appeal. Here are some examples: "Our last garment is made without pockets" (Italy); "You'll never plow a field by turning it over in your mind" (Ireland); "The nail that sticks up will be hammered down" (Japan), and "Paper can't wrap up a fire" (China). Whatever phrase you select,  take the time to read and understand any important context around it, so as to make sure it's appropriate for your talk.

11. Take them through a "what if" scenario. 

A compelling way to start your presentation is with a "what if" scenario. For example, asking "What if you were debt-free?" at the start of a money management presentation might grab your listeners' attention as it asks them to look forward to a positive future and it can intensify their desire for your product or service. Exploring hook ideas that use a "what if" scenario may be fruitful as the "what if" concept is easily adaptable to almost any presentation.

12. Tell them a story. 

The most engaging and widespread examples of hooks, without a doubt, are stories. Nothing will compel listeners to lean in more than a well-told story.  Science  tells us that our brains are hardwired for storytelling. But the story needs to be brief, with just the right amount of detail to bring it to life. It must be authentic and have a "message," or lesson, to support your viewpoint. Above all, it must be kind. 

A version of this article was originally published on April 11, 2013. 

Photo: Getty Images

Trending Content

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9.2 The Attention-Getter: The First Step of an Introduction

Learning objectives.

• Understand the different tools speakers can use to gain their audience’s attention.
• Name some common mistakes speakers make in trying to gain attention.

Stephen Velasco – IMG_1422 – CC BY-NC 2.0.

As you know by now, a good introduction will capture an audience’s attention, while a bad introduction can turn an audience against a speaker. An attention-getter is the device a speaker uses at the beginning of a speech to capture an audience’s interest and make them interested in the speech’s topic. Typically, there are four things to consider in choosing a specific attention-getting device:

• Appropriateness or relevance to audience
• Purpose of speech

First, when selecting an attention-getting device, you want to make sure that the option you choose is actually appropriate and relevant to your specific audience. Different audiences will have different backgrounds and knowledge, so you should use your audience analysis to determine whether specific information you plan on using would be appropriate for a specific audience. For example, if you’re giving a speech on family units to a group of individuals over the age of sixty-five, starting your speech with a reference to the television show Gossip Girl may not be the best idea because the television show may not be relevant to that audience.

Second, you need to consider the basic purpose of your speech. As discussed earlier in this text, there are three basic purposes you can have for giving a speech: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. When selecting an attention-getter, you want to make sure that you select one that corresponds with your basic purpose. If your goal is to entertain an audience, then starting a speech with a quotation about how many people are dying in Africa each day from malnutrition may not be the best way to get your audience’s attention. Remember, one of the basic goals of an introduction is to prepare your audience for your speech. If your attention-getter differs drastically in tone from the rest of your speech (e.g., dying in Africa when you want your audience to laugh), the disjointedness may cause your audience to become confused or tune you out completely.

Your third basic consideration when picking an attention-getting device is your speech topic. Ideally, your attention-getting device should have a relevant connection to your speech. Imagine if a speaker pulled condoms out of his pocket, yelled “Free sex!” and threw the condoms at the audience in the beginning of a speech about the economy. While this may clearly get the audience’s attention, this isn’t really a good way to prepare an audience for a speech about bull and bear markets. Not every attention-getter is appropriate for a given topic. Instead, a speaker could start this speech by explaining that “according to a 2004 episode of 60 Minutes, adults in the United States spend approximately $10 billion annually on adult entertainment, which is roughly the equivalent to the amounts they spend attending professional sporting events, buying music, or going out to the movies” (Leung, 2004). Notice how effective the shocking statistic is in clearly introducing the monetary value of the adult entertainment industry.

The last consideration when picking an attention-getting device involves the speech occasion. Different occasions will necessitate different tones, or particular styles or manners of speaking. For example, a persuasive speech about death and dying shouldn’t be happy and hilarious. An informative speech on the benefits of laughing shouldn’t be dull, dreary, and depressing. When selecting an attention-getter, you want to make sure that the attention-getter sets the tone for the speech.

Now that we’ve explored the four major considerations you must think of when selecting an attention-getter, let’s look at a range of different attention-getters you may employ. Miller (1946) discovered that speakers tend to use one of eleven attention-getting devices when starting a speech. The rest of this section is going to examine these eleven attention-getting devices.

Reference to Subject

The first attention-getting method to consider is to tell your audience the subject of your speech. This device is probably the most direct, but it may also be the least interesting of the possible attention-getters. Here’s an example:

We are surrounded by statistical information in today’s world, so understanding statistics is becoming paramount to citizenship in the twenty-first century.

This sentence explicitly tells an audience that the speech they are about to hear is about the importance of understanding statistics. While this isn’t the most entertaining or interesting attention-getter, it is very clear and direct.

Dave Dugdale – Attentive Audience – CC BY-SA 2.0.

Reference to Audience

The second attention-getting device to consider is a direct reference to the audience. In this case, the speaker has a clear understanding of the audience and points out that there is something unique about the audience that should make them interested in the speech’s content. Here’s an example:

As human resource professionals, you and I know the importance of talent management. In today’s competitive world, we need to invest in getting and keeping the best talent for our organizations to succeed.

In this example, the speaker reminds the audience of their shared status as human resource professionals and uses the common ground to acknowledge the importance of talent management in human resources.

Another way to capture your listeners’ attention is to use the words of another person that relate directly to your topic. Maybe you’ve found a really great quotation in one of the articles or books you read while researching your speech. If not, you can also use a number of sources that compile useful quotations from noted individuals. Probably the most famous quotation book of all time is Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations ( http://www.bartleby.com/100 ), now in its seventeenth edition. Here are some other websites that contain useful databases of quotations for almost any topic:

• http://www.quotationspage.com
• http://www.bartleby.com/quotations
• http://www.moviequotes.com
• http://www.quotesandsayings.com
• http://www.quoteland.com

Quotations are a great way to start a speech, so let’s look at an example that could be used for a speech on deception:

Oliver Goldsmith, a sixteenth-century writer, poet, and physician, once noted that “the true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them.”

Reference to Current Events

Referring to a current news event that relates to your topic is often an effective way to capture attention, as it immediately makes the audience aware of how relevant the topic is in today’s world. For example, consider this attention-getter for a persuasive speech on frivolous lawsuits:

On January 10, 2007, Scott Anthony Gomez Jr. and a fellow inmate escaped from a Pueblo, Colorado, jail. During their escape the duo attempted to rappel from the roof of the jail using a makeshift ladder of bed sheets. During Gomez’s attempt to scale the building, he slipped, fell forty feet, and injured his back. After being quickly apprehended, Gomez filed a lawsuit against the jail for making it too easy for him to escape.

In this case, the speaker is highlighting a news event that illustrates what a frivolous lawsuit is, setting up the speech topic of a need for change in how such lawsuits are handled.

Historical Reference

You may also capture your listeners’ attention by referring to a historical event related to your topic. Obviously, this strategy is closely related to the previous one, except that instead of a recent news event you are reaching further back in history to find a relevant reference. For example, if you are giving a speech on the Iraq War that began in 2003, you could refer back to the Vietnam War as way of making a comparison:

During the 1960s and ’70s, the United States intervened in the civil strife between North and South Vietnam. The result was a long-running war of attrition in which many American lives were lost and the country of Vietnam suffered tremendous damage and destruction. Today, we see a similar war being waged in Iraq. American lives are being lost, and stability has not yet returned to the region.

In this example, the speaker is evoking the audience’s memories of the Vietnam War to raise awareness of similarities to the war in Iraq.

Another device you can use to start a speech is to tell an anecdote related to the speech’s topic. An anecdote is a brief account or story of an interesting or humorous event. Notice the emphasis here is on the word “brief.” A common mistake speakers make when telling an anecdote is to make the anecdote too long. Remember, your entire introduction should only be 10 to 15 percent of your speech, so your attention-getter must be very short.

One type of anecdote is a real story that emphasizes a speech’s basic message. For example, here is an anecdote a speaker could use to begin a speech on how disconnected people are from the real world because of technology:

In July 2009, a high school girl named Alexa Longueira was walking along a main boulevard near her home on Staten Island, New York, typing in a message on her cell phone. Not paying attention to the world around her, she took a step and fell right into an open manhole (Whitney, 2009).

A second type of anecdote is a parable or fable. A parable or fable is an allegorical anecdote designed to teach general life lessons. The most widely known parables for most Americans are those given in the Bible and the best-known fables are Aesop’s Fables ( http://www.aesopfables.com ). For the same speech on how disconnected people are with the real world because of technology, the speaker could have used the Fable of The Boy and the Filberts:

The ancient Greek writer Aesop told a fable about a boy who put his hand into a pitcher of filberts. The boy grabbed as many of the delicious nuts as he possibly could. But when he tried to pull them out, his hand wouldn’t fit through the neck of the pitcher because he was grasping so many filberts. Instead of dropping some of them so that his hand would fit, he burst into tears and cried about his predicament. The moral of the story? “Don’t try to do too much at once” (Aesop, 1881).

After recounting this anecdote, the speaker could easily relate the fable to the notion that the technology in our society leads us to try to do too many things at once.

While parables and fables are short and entertaining, their application to your speech topic should be clear. We’ll talk about this idea in more detail later in this chapter when we discuss how to link your attention-getter explicitly to your topic.

Startling Statement

The eighth device you can use to start a speech is to surprise your audience with startling information about your topic. Often, startling statements come in the form of statistics and strange facts. The goal of a good startling statistic is that it surprises the audience and gets them engaged in your topic. For example, if you’re giving a speech about oil conservation, you could start by saying, “A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel.” You could start a speech on the psychology of dreams by noting, “The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.” A strange fact, on the other hand, is a statement that does not involve numbers but is equally surprising to most audiences. For example, you could start a speech on the gambling industry by saying, “There are no clocks in any casinos in Las Vegas.” You could start a speech on the Harlem Globetrotters by saying, “In 2000, Pope John Paul II became the most famous honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters.” All four of these examples came from a great website for strange facts ( http://www.strangefacts.com ).

Although startling statements are fun, it is important to use them ethically. First, make sure that your startling statement is factual. The Internet is full of startling statements and claims that are simply not factual, so when you find a statement you’d like to use, you have an ethical duty to ascertain its truth before you use it. Second, make sure that your startling statement is relevant to your speech and not just thrown in for shock value. We’ve all heard startling claims made in the media that are clearly made for purposes of shock or fear mongering. As speakers, we have an ethical obligation to avoid playing on people’s emotions in this way.

Another strategy for getting your audience’s attention is to ask them a question. There are two types of questions commonly used as attention-getters: response questions and rhetorical questions. A response question is a question that the audience is expected to answer in some manner. For example, you could ask your audience, “Please raise your hand if you have ever thought about backpacking in Europe” or “Have you ever voted for the Electoral College? If so, stand up.” In both of these cases, the speaker wants her or his audience to respond. A rhetorical question , on the other hand, is a question to which no actual reply is expected. For example, a speaker talking about the importance of HIV testing could start by asking the audience, “I have two questions that I’d like you to think about. How many students on this campus have had sexual intercourse? Of those who have had sex, how many have been tested for HIV?” In this case, the speaker does not expect the audience to give an estimate of the numbers of students that fit into each category but rather to think about the questions as the speech goes on.

Humor is another effective method for gaining an audience’s attention. Humor is an amazing tool when used properly. We cannot begin to explain all the amazing facets of humor within this text, but we can say that humor is a great way of focusing an audience on what you are saying. However, humor is a double-edged sword. If you do not wield the sword carefully, you can turn your audience against you very quickly. When using humor, you really need to know your audience and understand what they will find humorous. One of the biggest mistakes a speaker can make is to use some form of humor that the audience either doesn’t find funny or finds offensive. Think about how incompetent the character of Michael Scott seems on the television program The Office , in large part because of his ineffective use of humor. We always recommend that you test out humor of any kind on a sample of potential audience members prior to actually using it during a speech.

Thinkmedialabs – Audience laughing – CC BY-NC 2.0.

Now that we’ve warned you about the perils of using humor, let’s talk about how to use humor as an attention-getter. Humor can be incorporated into several of the attention-getting devices mentioned. You could use a humorous anecdote, quotation, or current event. As with other attention-getting devices, you need to make sure your humor is relevant to your topic, as one of the biggest mistakes some novices make when using humor is to add humor that really doesn’t support the overall goal of the speech. So when looking for humorous attention-getters you want to make sure that the humor is nonoffensive to your audiences and relevant to your speech. For example, here’s a humorous quotation from Nicolas Chamfort, a French author during the sixteenth century, “The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.” While this quotation could be great for some audiences, other audiences may find this humorous quotation offensive (e.g., religious audiences). The Chamfort quotation could be great for a speech on the ills of modern society, but probably not for a speech on the state of modern religious conflict. You want to make sure that the leap from your attention-getter to your topic isn’t too complicated for your audience, or the attention-getter will backfire.

Personal Reference

The tenth device you may consider to start a speech is to refer to a story about yourself that is relevant for your topic. Some of the best speeches are ones that come from personal knowledge and experience. If you are an expert or have firsthand experience related to your topic, sharing this information with the audience is a great way to show that you are credible during your attention-getter. For example, if you had a gastric bypass surgery and you wanted to give an informative speech about the procedure, you could introduce your speech in this way:

In the fall of 2008, I decided that it was time that I took my life into my own hands. After suffering for years with the disease of obesity, I decided to take a leap of faith and get a gastric bypass in an attempt to finally beat the disease.

If you use a personal example, don’t get carried away with the focus on yourself and your own life. Your speech topic is the purpose of the attention-getter, not the other way around. Another pitfall in using a personal example is that it may be too personal for you to maintain your composure. For example, a student once started a speech about her grandmother by stating, “My grandmother died of cancer at 3:30 this morning.” The student then proceeded to cry nonstop for ten minutes. While this is an extreme example, we strongly recommend that you avoid any material that could get you overly choked up while speaking. When speakers have an emotional breakdown during their speech, audience members stop listening to the message and become very uncomfortable.

Reference to Occasion

The last device we mention for starting a speech is to refer directly to the speaking occasion. This attention-getter is only useful if the speech is being delivered for a specific occasion. Many toasts, for example, start with the following statement: “Today we are here to honor X.” In this case, the “X” could be a retirement, a marriage, a graduation, or any number of other special occasions. Because of its specific nature, this attention-getter is the least likely to be used for speeches being delivered for college courses.

Key Takeaways

• In developing the introduction to your speech, begin by deciding upon a statement to capture the audience’s attention.
• Attention-getters can include references to the audience, quotations, references to current events, historical references, anecdotes, startling statements, questions, humor, personal references, and references to the occasion.
• Make a list of the attention-getting devices you might use to give a speech on the importance of recycling. Which do you think would be most effective? Why?
• You’ve been asked to deliver a speech on the use of advertising in children’s media. Out of the list of ten different possible attention-getting devices discussed in the chapter, how could you use four of them to start your speech?

Aesop (1881). Aesop’s fables . New York, NY: Wm. L. Allison. Retrieved from http://www.litscape.com/author/Aesop/The_Boy_and_the_Filberts.html

Leung, R. (2004, September 5). Porn in the U.S.A.: Steve Kroft reports on a $10 billion industry. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com .

Miller, E. (1946). Speech introductions and conclusions. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 32 , 181–183.

Whitney, L. (2009, July 13). Don’t text while walking? Girl learns the hard way. CNET News Wireless . Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10285466-94.html

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

• [email protected]
• +44 (0)1923 602962
• Social Twitter Social Linkedin

Ten great attention-grabbers for presenters

What can you do to engage their attention and leave them hungry for more?

Here are my top 10 recommended attention-grabbing techniques.

• Command the stage

You can recognise a great speaker in micro-seconds by the way they occupy their physical space. A confident stroll to the microphone, a warm smile taking in the entire audience, and brief but telling pause before your first carefully crafted utterance will have them hanging on your next words.

• Start with a story

Humans are hard-wired to respond to stories, which predate the written word as a form of communication. While overt key messages leave us cold, stories with implicit messages enthral, compel and move us. For maximum impact your story should be brief, punchy and highly relevant to your topic. Don’t start with: ‘I’d like to tell you a story’. Just tell it. And let the story speak for itself without spending too much time drawing out the key message at the end.

• Ask a provocative question

There’s no better way of commanding attention than asking a question to which a response may be required. One of my colleagues starts her presentation (on presentation skills) by asking how many people love giving presentations, and then picks on individuals to find out why they do – or don’t – love them. I often start my own presentations by asking who feels nervous at the prospect of speaking in public. A minority don’t raise their hands and I then point out that we must have some liars in the room since, as Mark Twain famously remarked: ‘There are two types of speakers: those that are nervous and those that are liars’. It never fails to raise a laugh, which is another way to get your audience on side.

• Set out your big idea

Encapsulate your main theme in an intriguing little nutshell like business strategist Knut Haanaes in his TED talk on business failure. http://bit.ly/1RPSTb8  ‘There are two reasons companies fail: they only do more of the same or they only do what’s new.’

• Tell your audience what’s in it for them

Unsurprisingly, most audiences are a great deal less interested in what you want to tell them than in what they have to gain from listening. If you can make this clear from the start you will motivate them to stick around for the final reveal.

• Cite a relevant quotation

Another of my colleagues, keen to stress that presentations must be targeted to the specific needs and interests of audiences, likes to quote communications expert Ken Haemer’s advice that ‘Designing a presentation without an audience in mind is like writing a love letter and addressing it: To Whom It May Concern’. Two rules about quotations: first, they must make your key point more pithily and wittily than you could in your own words; secondly, they are best used sparingly. Too many quotes and you sound like a ventriloquist’s dummy.

• Reference a gobsmacking fact or statistic

I was once training an international group of pharmaceutical company executives on how to talk about heart disease. One of them, from Germany, came up with the amazing statistic that more people die of heart disease in Germany every year than the total numbers killed in World War 2. Apple used to brag that more iphones were sold in the previous fiscal quarter than babies born in the entire world. I can’t attest to the factual accuracy of these statements, but they do make you sit up and think ‘wow, really?’

• Show a dramatic image

There is a lot of truth in the old saw that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’. The ‘picture superiority effect’ tells us that concepts are more memorable if they are presented as pictures than as words.  http://bit.ly/1yOFHZQ  Equally importantly, pictures don’t compete with words. So while it is self-defeating to talk while displaying wordy slides (because people can’t read and listen at the same time) a powerful relevant image serves to complement and enhance the listening experience.

• Use a physical prop

You see props used in TED talks to memorable effect. There’s the one where neuro-anatomist Jill Bolte Taylor uses a real brain, complete with dangling spinal column, to illustrate her description of the different functions of the two cerebral hemispheres.  http://bit.do/7qZN   And the one where philanthropist Bill Gates looses a swarm of (harmless) mosqitoes into the audience when talking about the battle to conquer malaria. http://bit.ly/2iCUNyT

• articulate the problem your audience is facing – and the benefits of solving it

People are motivated either to move away from pain or towards pleasure. If you can paint a graphic picture of the current pain your audience is suffering from as a result of a shared problem and the pleasure that would arise from alleviating it, you’ll tick both boxes and keep your audience hooked in to the end.

  How Clearsay can help

Clearsay Communications works with professionals from all sectors to improve their spoken communication skills for use in presentations, media interviews and meetings of all kinds. To find out what we could do for you, return to the Home Page.

• AI Content Shield
• AI KW Research
• AI Assistant
• SEO Optimizer
• AI KW Clustering
• Customer reviews
• The NLO Revolution
• Press Center
• Help Center
• Content Resources
• Facebook Group

Practical Attention-Getter Examples That’ll Engage Your Audience

Table of Contents

The first few seconds of your speech will determine whether or not your audience will give you their attention. This is why you should begin with attention-grabbing openings. Attention-getter examples include stories, quotes, and questions that persuades an audience to listen.

Conveying a powerful message is important, but equally important is your ability to hook your audience instantly. An attention-getter can do this for you. This guide will look at a list of attention getters and how you can use them to gain your audience’s attention .

Attention Getters: Importance in Speeches

An attention-getter is a phrase or statement that typically opens a speech and aims to grab the audience’s attention. Such statements captivate the audience, pique their curiosity, and suggest that the speaker has something insightful to convey.

When you use attention getters in your speeches, you minimize the chances of the audience tuning out, losing focus, or even half paying attention.

An attention-getter establishes credibility, gives the audience a reason to listen, and creates a clear transition into the main subject of discussion.

7 Effective Attention-Getter Examples

Attention getters are typically a speaker’s opening statement that gets the audience’s attention. They strongly influence the audience’s focus on what the speaker is saying. Here are some attention getters that have proved effective in hooking an audience.

1. Rhetorical Question

Using a rhetorical question in your speech can cause your audience to lean forward in their chairs and listen closely to you. The best way to use a rhetorical question is to ask a question that your audience would want to hear answered.

Questions are a great way to create curiosity and stir up interest. You invite the audience to interact and engage with you by posing a question. Questions will get your audience thinking and even taking sides.

2. Bold Statement

Bold statements can be a powerful attention-getter for your speech. By proclaiming something powerfully, you catch the audience’s eye and make them pay attention to you. A bold statement is a great way to convey your passion, stress the importance of an issue, and draw attention immediately.

When you make a bold statement with the correct body language, you will exude the kind of power that will make you noticeable. Shock-value statements such as “I almost died yesterday” can keep your audience engaged.

Humor is a great attention getter because it is a brilliant way to break up lengthy speeches and relieve tension in uncomfortable situations. It also puts everyone at ease by bringing laughter to otherwise dry and complex addresses.

Humor is one of the best ways to open your audience’s minds and boost your effectiveness as a speaker. However, you can only make your audience laugh with good humor.

You must understand your audience to know what kind of joke works for them. Focus on creating a humorous text that is appropriate for your audience.

4. Shocking Statistics or Facts

Most people believe that statistics is boring and, when incorporated into speeches, will make the audience disinterested. Using statistics and facts correctly can make your address more interesting for the audience, just like any attention-grabbing statement or rhetorical question can.

The key is to incorporate shocking and intriguing statistical information or piece of data without going extreme.

For example: “Did you know that more than 36 million U.S. adults cannot read above a third-grade level?” By intriguing your audience, you create a space to emphasize the importance of your message.

5. Dramatize Scenes

While statistics are suitable for speeches, too many of them can make your audience bored. Instead of making your audience understand graphs, give them a visual image or associate a relatable emotion with an abstract idea.

By painting a picture of your message, you appeal to your audience’s emotions and allow them to imagine what you’re saying. Begin with phrases like “imagine” or “picture this,” followed by descriptive words. Try “imagine millions of individuals being killed yearly due to the indoor air pollution we cause.” Instead of “four million premature deaths are caused by indoor air pollution yearly.”

6. a Good Story

Good stories make for a great speech. Many speakers have turned to stories to inspire, inform, and entertain an audience. Unlike data, which lacks human-interest when overused, stories are always engaging. Stories can also evoke an emotional response from anyone in the audience.

Mind-blowing relatable stories that entirely change an audience’s view on an issue are always great to tell. After all, you want to leave your audience with a wholly new perspective.

It’s great if your story has some lesson or mirroring. You could tell a personal story that relates to your topic. Stories are a great way to connect with an audience, not just at the beginning of your speech but in the body.

Quotes are another aspect of speaking that adds an element of interest. Quoting someone can be a great way to draw the audience in, especially if the quotes are eye-catching and exciting. A great quote can be the “hook” to the rest of your speech and help the audience take an interest in what you’re saying.

Use a quote relevant to your discussion topic, and double-check the source to avoid misquoting the person.

Attention getters are the basis for a compelling speech. Without them, your audience will most likely tune out. You have to give your audience a reason to listen to you. By incorporating attention-getting elements in your speech, you will undoubtedly entice more of your listeners to pay attention to what you have to say.

Try on the attention-getter examples listed above and see how captivated your audience will be.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

Explore All Hook Writing Articles

Guide to writing an interesting expository essay introduction.

A good expository essay begins with an introduction that piques the interest of the reader. The expository essay introduction is…

• Hook Writing

Discover the Top Creative Story Introduction Examples

Are you an aspiring author dreaming of becoming the likes of Stephen King or Suzanne Collins? Would you like to…

Creative and Powerful Sentence Starters for Essays

It can’t be said enough, first impressions matter. And it goes the same for essays because your starter sentences will…

Most Important Parts of an Essay Introduction

The introduction is often one of the most important sections in a paper. It creates a sense of what the…

7 Effective Ways to Start a Sentence

There are different ways to start a sentence and convey your message effectively to the readers. Being aware of the…

Six Social Media Hooks to Boost Engagement

To get the most out of your marketing strategy, you should consider using social media hooks to improve your engagement…

How it works

Transform your enterprise with the scalable mindsets, skills, & behavior change that drive performance.

Explore how BetterUp connects to your core business systems.

We pair AI with the latest in human-centered coaching to drive powerful, lasting learning and behavior change.

Build leaders that accelerate team performance and engagement.

Unlock performance potential at scale with AI-powered curated growth journeys.

Build resilience, well-being and agility to drive performance across your entire enterprise.

Transform your business, starting with your sales leaders.

Unlock business impact from the top with executive coaching.

Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Accelerate the performance and potential of your agencies and employees.

See how innovative organizations use BetterUp to build a thriving workforce.

Discover how BetterUp measurably impacts key business outcomes for organizations like yours.

A demo is the first step to transforming your business. Meet with us to develop a plan for attaining your goals.

• What is coaching?

Learn how 1:1 coaching works, who its for, and if it's right for you.

Accelerate your personal and professional growth with the expert guidance of a BetterUp Coach.

Types of Coaching

Navigate career transitions, accelerate your professional growth, and achieve your career goals with expert coaching.

Enhance your communication skills for better personal and professional relationships, with tailored coaching that focuses on your needs.

Find balance, resilience, and well-being in all areas of your life with holistic coaching designed to empower you.

Discover your perfect match : Take our 5-minute assessment and let us pair you with one of our top Coaches tailored just for you.

Best practices, research, and tools to fuel individual and business growth.

View on-demand BetterUp events and learn about upcoming live discussions.

The latest insights and ideas for building a high-performing workplace.

• BetterUp Briefing

The online magazine that helps you understand tomorrow's workforce trends, today.

Innovative research featured in peer-reviewed journals, press, and more.

Founded in 2022 to deepen the understanding of the intersection of well-being, purpose, and performance

We're on a mission to help everyone live with clarity, purpose, and passion.

Join us and create impactful change.

Read the buzz about BetterUp.

Meet the leadership that's passionate about empowering your workforce.

For Business

For Individuals

8 clever hooks for presentations (with tips)

Elevate your communication skills

Unlock the power of clear and persuasive communication. Our coaches can guide you to build strong relationships and succeed in both personal and professional life.

Jump to section

What’s a good hook?

The importance of a good hook, 8 good hooks for speeches and presentations , leave a lasting impression.

When delivering a presentation, the first few minutes are crucial for capturing your audience’s attention. This is your chance to build intrigue around your topic and give listeners an idea of what’s to follow.

The best speakers use powerful hooks for presentations to introduce their topics, build suspense, and spark curiosity . These hooks are sharp and quick to grab attention — the kind that sticks around until the end of the presentation. They can be a surprising statistic, a thought-provoking question , and even a short personal story.

Drafting excellent hooks for presentations is essential to building anticipation and sowing the seeds for your audience’s growing interest. And with a limited window of opportunity to gain your listener’s interest and trust, your hook needs to be as substantial as the rest of your presentation.

A good hook introduces your subject matter , engages your audience, and sets the tone for the rest of the presentation.

Capturing listeners’ attention can be challenging as a presenter, especially if they’re attending out of obligation rather than individual interest. Although it’s wonderful to present to a room full of people eager to hear what you have to say, this won’t always be the case.

Knowing how to make a good hook can set you up for a successful presentation , no matter who’s in the audience. It engages listeners from the very beginning (and might even ignite a disinterested party’s curiosity).

Consider who your audience members are and what they want to learn. Their background should inform the tone of the presentation and lay the groundwork for building an angle.

When giving a presentation on ocean acidification to an environmental board, you could deliver a thought-provoking statistic on coral bleaching or provide a personal story that illustrates ecological changes that have taken place in your lifetime.

Remember: the hook should hint at the value your listeners will gain from your presentation without giving away too much too soon. Don’t spoil the plot twist, but make sure you start foreshadowing.

Impressions are formed quickly, making it crucial for the start of your presentation to kick off on a high note.

According to psychologist Alexander Todorov and researcher Janine Willis, it takes a tenth of a second to form an impression of a stranger . During this brief moment, we evaluate qualities such as likability and trustworthiness. 

Although coming up with a hook idea that appeals to listeners within a tenth of a second may be impossible, your first few words are important. Knowing how quickly we form perceptions may be intimidating, but with the right intro, a short time frame can work in your favor.

A well-developed and intriguing hook gives your listeners a positive first impression and influences how they interpret the rest of the presentation.

The hook is a key opportunity to show why your topic is exciting or worth considering. Here are eight types of hooks and hook examples to stimulate your audience’s interest, no matter the subject.

1. Make a surprising claim

Starting your speech with a surprising statement or statistic is an excellent way to grab your listener’s attention. A person giving a presentation on the benefits of coaching services to a company’s top executives could share the increase in employee productivity that teams experience after implementing coaching in the workplace.

Example: “Productivity increases 63% in workplaces that provide employees with group coaching services.”

The trick to making a surprising claim? It needs to shock your audience. If you create a statistic-based hook, it must be substantial enough to be of value to your listeners and persuade them to learn more about your topic.

Imagine that the example above only referenced a 5% increase. The executives would likely view the number as too little to invest in coaching services, making them less eager to pay attention during the presentation.

2. Start with a story

Stories are an excellent way to enhance information retention, making them a great tool for leaving a lasting impression on your audience.

According to organizational psychologist Peg Neuhauser, we recall what we learned from a well-told story more accurately than we do from facts and figures . So, if there’s a piece of information you’d like to impart to your audience, consider wrapping it in a short but compelling narrative.

When selecting an anecdote to share, ensure it’s relevant to your topic and resonates with your audience. A story that excites a sales team will likely differ from what an engineering team finds compelling.

Example: When delivering a presentation on the benefits of sleep on mental clarity, the speaker provides a story from your personal experience . They describe a period when construction outside constantly interrupted their sleep and how that negatively impacted several areas of their life, including their career and relationships.

This story uses vulnerability to earn the audience’s trust and segues into the rest of the presentation: breaking down how deep sleep is vital to performing your best.

3. Reference a historical event

This extra creative spin on the storytelling hook relies on a fascinating historical moment rather than your personal experience. The odds that your audience understands the wider context and thus the relevance of your presentation makes historical references good attention grabbers.  

A person giving a product pitch to potential investors could start with an anecdote about when they developed the first iteration of their product.

Example: “Did you know that jeans were invented 150 years ago? On an ordinary day like today, Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis combined metal rivets and denim trousers to create durable work pants for gold rush miners.”

This historical hook creates a captivating opening for a pitch about stylish and wearable apparel. The speaker can lean on this historical reference to introduce a product that’s even more universal than jeans.

4. Ask an intriguing question

Finding a single starting sentence that hooks readers isn’t always easy. But incorporating participation into the start of your presentation is a fun way to hook your audience, even if it’s with a rhetorical question that encourages them to participate mentally.

Your question should be as captivating and intellectually stimulating as possible to pique the interest of each of your audience members. This approach works great for introducing products, services, or projects, as you can present what you’ve been working on as the answer to the question.

Example: “What if there was a way to fight the climate crisis while you cook dinner?”

Remember to pause after asking a question to give your audience time to brainstorm possible answers and stimulate their curiosity.

If you’re giving a business presentation, conduct research beforehand to ensure your question is relevant to your clients. The answer should mean something to your audience or solve a pain point they experience.

5. Contradict expectations

Contradicting a widely held belief is a compelling way to grab your listener’s attention. Do this by starting your presentation with a statement that challenges your audience’s presumptions.

Example: “Hydration isn’t all about how much water you drink.”

This presentation hook intrigues audience members to learn what else is needed other than water to stay hydrated. You can then lead your presentation through several methods for staying hydrated , like incorporating electrolytes into your diet and eating fruits and vegetables with high water content.

6. Show a captivating video

Starting your presentation with a video allows someone else to break the ice for you. Choose a short video related to your topic that easily transitions into your slideshow.

Example: A graphic design team manager wants to introduce new software into their department. They show a video from the product designers that provides an in-depth and visually engaging overview of the software’s features and benefits.

After the video ends, the speaker can move on to slides that describe how the team can leverage the software to improve their workflow and creative outputs.

7. Use a quote from a famous figure

Find a quote from someone admirable that relates to your presentation and impart wisdom to your audience.

Example: Someone’s administering a presentation on professional networking. They use Maya Angelou’s famous quote, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Although this quote can apply to a number of topics, in a networking context , it emphasizes how important it is for people to consider how they make others feel when they first meet. This tells your audience that a critical networking component is connecting with others personally rather than focusing solely on what they do professionally.

8. Show an object

An object can promote interaction and help your audience visualize what you’re talking about. This is especially helpful if you’re pitching a product and want to show listeners what the product looks like in real life and how it functions.

Example: A salesperson presents a new lamp design to a furniture store. They enhance the pitch by bringing the lamp to the presentation and demonstrating its ambient light features.

This strategy also works in contexts when you’re discussing the gravity of a statistic. For instance, if you’re aiming to communicate the dire levels of microplastics in the ocean, you could illustrate the severity by showing the audience a container filled with plastic fragments.

It’s not always easy to grab your listener’s attention when speaking publicly. Using hooks for presentations is one of the most effective ways to fan your audience’s curiosity and earn their engagement from start to finish.

The key is to keep your hook brief, relevant, and engaging. Remember to take the time to know your audience and set up your presentation to deliver valuable information from the start.

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

The 10 best work productivity tools to maximize your time

18 excellent educational podcasts to fuel your love of learning, how to make a to-do list that simplifies your life, squirrel how to increase attention span so you get stuff done, 17 top apps to help you focus in the digital age, 10 journaling apps to turn today into a better tomorrow, how to prioritize tasks: 7 tips to perfect your workflow, boost your productivity: how to avoid interruptions at work, learn to sweat the small stuff: how to improve attention to detail, similar articles, how to write a speech that your audience remembers, the importance of good speech: 5 tips to be more articulate, how to pitch ideas: 8 tips to captivate any audience, the 11 tips that will improve your public speaking skills, your ultimate guide on how to be a good storyteller, how the minto pyramid principle can enhance your communication skills, 9 elevator pitch examples for making a strong first impression, how to make a presentation interactive and exciting, 3 reasons boredom is good and ways to make space for it, stay connected with betterup, get our newsletter, event invites, plus product insights and research..

3100 E 5th Street, Suite 350 Austin, TX 78702

• Platform Overview
• Integrations
• Powered by AI
• BetterUp Lead
• BetterUp Manage™
• BetterUp Care™
• Sales Performance
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Case Studies
• Why BetterUp?
• About Coaching
• Find your Coach
• Career Coaching
• Communication Coaching
• Life Coaching
• News and Press
• Leadership Team
• Become a BetterUp Coach
• BetterUp Labs
• Center for Purpose & Performance
• Leadership Training
• Business Coaching
• Contact Support
• Contact Sales
• Privacy Policy
• Acceptable Use Policy
• Trust & Security
• Cookie Preferences

14 Attention Getters for Classrooms and Speeches

April 29, 2023

It doesn’t matter if you’re a public speaker, a school teacher, or someone who’s giving a presentation at work — we can all agree that losing your audience’s interest isn’t a good feeling. 

Luckily, attention getters can mitigate this and help engage and captivate your audience. It’s a great tool to implement in the classroom, during a presentation, or during a speech.

We’ll explore what attention getters are, some great attention getter examples, and how to use them properly to make sure you can engage and keep your audience engaged.

What Are Attention Getters?

In a nutshell, attention getters are a means of grabbing someone’s attention through a visual or auditory signal. 

So, for example, if someone were to begin their presentation with an anecdote or an outrageous (but true) statement, those would qualify as attention getters. Flickering the lights on and off in a classroom is also an attention getter, even though there’s no auditory component. 

Attention Getters Examples

Attention getters are so versatile that they can be adapted for almost any situation. Here are some of the best attention getters examples to check out. 

Speech attention getters examples 

Luckily, there are tons of speech attention getters examples. Some of the best attention getters for speeches or presentations include:

• Humorous anecdotes
• Questions (both rhetorical and response-worthy questions are great choices)
• A bold (but true) statement 
• Relevant statistics
• Visualizations
• An interesting or intriguing anecdote
• A relevant quote
• Analogies 

Classroom attention getters examples

Classroom attention getters can vary by the students’ ages or grades, so we’ll break them down into three groups : elementary school, middle school, and high school.

For elementary school students, you could try:

• Teacher: “1, 2, 3, eyes on me!” (Response: “1, 2, eyes on you!”)
• Teacher: “A, B, C…” (Response: “1, 2, 3!”)
• Teacher: “3, 2, 1…” (Response: “Blast off!”)

Some options for middle school students include:

• Teacher: “If you can hear my voice, clap once.” (Response: [students clap])
• Teacher: “If you’re not talking, point at me.” (Response: [students point])
• Teacher: “Eyes on me, please.” (Response: [students look])

For high school students, some attention getters you could try include:

• Setting an alarm to go off
• Raising your hand or clapping
• Flickering the lights on and off

Types of Attention Getters

Attention getters can be pretty diverse in terms of what they’re used for. There are tons of types of attention getters, but we’ll just focus on the most common: for speeches and public speaking, and for classrooms.

Attention getters for speeches

Implementing attention getters in your speech or presentation is a great idea. Captivating the listeners in this way is an engaging method for ensuring your message is getting through to your target audience.

Here are some attention getter tips for public speaking that you should keep in mind.

1. Try starting with an anecdote. An anecdote is a short, personal story. These can help the audience relate to and identify with you, and it can be an interesting way to kick things off. For example, when you start your work presentation with an interesting or particularly comedic anecdote, it can help capture the attention of your audience. It can also set the tone for your entire presentation, so it’s one of the best attention getters.

2. Ask a thought-provoking question. To engage and get your audience thinking, try asking a question. You should ask a question that’s something worth pondering or will get discussion started. Your audience will wonder what you’ve got to say and this type of attention getter ensures they’re anticipating your response. In general, you should try to avoid close-ended questions. That’s because they’re usually “yes” or “no” questions and don’t provide good discussion points. 

3. Be sure to make eye contact. One of the most important aspects of speaking in public is making eye contact with your audience. It’s also a great way to get the audience’s attention. It’ll show them you’re speaking or presenting directly to them when you make eye contact with individual members of your audience. Making eye contact also shows that you’re comfortable and confident as a speaker, which helps engage audiences. 

4. Use some visual aids. If you’re trying to draw your audience’s attention, try using some visual aids. Using things like videos, graphics, diagrams, or slides can also emphasize key points in your speech. Visual aids can help your audience understand your presentation better and break up your speech.

5. Use your voice. The last thing you want to do during a speech or presentation is speak in a monotonic tone. This has the opposite effect on an audience and can bore them. Instead, try emphasizing important words and using various tones to engage your audience. To maintain your audience’s interest, you can also try changing up your volume, cadence, and speed during your speech.

6. Finish with a call to action. When you’re ready to wrap up, make sure you’ve still got your audience’s attention by using a call to action. Not only do they help you get their attention, but a call to action can also emphasize some of the main points you made during your speech or presentation.

Attention getters for the classroom

If you’re a teacher or work in education, you know that managing a room of students — no matter what age — isn’t exactly easy. Getting students’ attention can be difficult too, especially in the age of the iPhone and ChatGTP. But attention getters for the classroom can be a game changer. 

In the classroom, attention getters can help instructors get the attention of students using visual or auditory signals. These types are often “call and response,” meaning students hear or see the cue and respond, to show they’re paying attention. 

Nowadays, some teachers even grab inspiration from TikTok. Here are five excellent attention getters from teachers on TikTok worth trying if you’ve got a classroom of kids. 

• Here are some food-related attention grabbers from teacher @misscamposs.
• Teacher @the_mr.thomas uses a variety of attention getters, from specific media references to simpler call-and-response examples.
• On the other hand, teacher @thatweirdchoirteacher allowed her students to create their own creative attention grabbers
• For younger children who are in kindergarten, @katduhleen uses age-appropriate references to shows like “Scooby Doo.”
• Teacher @spicynuggets implements classroom attention getters that reference popular viral TikTok sounds and videos (e.g., “bombastic side eye” and “what you looking for, we got what you looking for!”).

How AI Can Help You Practice Attention Getters

If you’re trying to practice an attention getter — whether it’s for the classroom, a presentation, or a speech — there’s no better way to do so than Yoodli . 

Instead of practicing in a mirror (which is helpful too!), you can have your speech expertly analyzed by an AI speech coach. Unlike other AI communication coaches, speech coach apps , or in-person coaches, Yoodli is free to start. 

To begin, record or upload a video of yourself speaking. You could be practicing your speech or presentation, or simply practicing the attention getter. Once you’re done talking, Yoodli provides you with feedback and actionable insights. 

In addition to a full, timestamped transcript of what was said, you’ll get metrics and analytics regarding your speaking pace, word choice, body language, and filler word usage, among others. You can then use these insights — plus Yoodli’s actionable feedback and coaching suggestions — to completely transform the way you speak and present, including the way you use attention getters.

Learn how you can use Yoodli to practice not only attention getters but also public speaking:

Why Are Attention Getters Important?

Although they’re often overlooked, attention getters are very important. For those giving a speech or presentation, attention getters can secure the audience’s interest and keep them engaged. This will make it more likely that they remember your presentation or speech and more importantly, what was said. 

In the classroom, they’re just as important. They’re an essential tool for managing and maintaining a calm learning environment (no matter what ages the students are). 

The Key Takeaway

If you want to grab your audience’s attention, there’s no better way to do so than through an attention getter. These will also make sure your message — whether you’re presenting or teaching — sticks with your audience. Just make sure you practice a few attention getters before you implement them. 

Start practicing with Yoodli.

Getting better at speaking is getting easier. Record or upload a speech and let our AI Speech Coach analyze your speaking and give you feedback.

Attention-Getting Devices for Captivating Public Speaking

Last updated on April 13th, 2023

Public speaking is one of the most significant attributes of successful entrepreneurs and business professionals. When there is a need for a specific message to be conveyed to a desired audience, public speakers play a crucial role in achieving this purpose. However, an audience that does not engage with the speaker right from the start can not get the proper idea or message behind a speaker’s speech. 

A meaningful and powerful speech is delivered by those speakers who know how to keep their audience engaged throughout their speech or presentation. That is why attention-grabbing devices are prevalent among prominent public speakers worldwide to maintain the interest and attention of their listeners through the first sentences of their speeches or presentations. In this article, we will shed light on what attention-grabbing devices are, how to create attention-grabbing devices for your specific speech or presentation, and what are useful, practical examples of attention-getters, attention-grabbing devices (a.k.a AGD). We will also present an example of device to attract momentary attention.

What are Attention-Grabbing Devices (aka Attention Getters)?

Attention-grabbing devices or attention-getters are specifically used by influential speakers to capture the interest and attention of their listeners right from the beginning. When the audience is engaged from the very start, there is a good chance that the desired message of a speaker will be delivered effectively to any type of audience with subsequent positive results.

According to Duarte, the Glance Test reveals that a speaker always has three seconds to capture his audience’s attention. Hence, based on Duarte Glance Test, it is very important for presenters and public speakers to resonate with their audience right from the beginning.

Why are the Attention-Grabbing Devices Important for Your Speech or Presentation?

It is not possible for a public speaker to convey his message properly to listeners who are not paying attention to his speech. Without the focus of his audience, his message will not be conveyed and received effectively. This will compromise the overall purpose of the speech being made and the relevant stakeholders will hold the speaker responsible for the ultimate results. That is why, attention-grabbing devices come in very handy as they boost the morale of the public speaker right from the start and enable him to capture the attention of his listeners through his very first sentence. 

If you are making a sale or marketing your product or service, it is important for you to hook your desired audience from the starting sentence of your presentation. If they pay attention to you, they will likely respond to your desired call to action. Resultantly, attention-grabbing devices can help presenters in converting listeners into customers.

Factors to Remember for Attention-Getting Devices

Being a speaker and presenter, you must be familiar with some basic aspects and factors that can highly influence your attention-getters and how you deliver your speech. Some of them are given as follows.

• You must use a proper tone of speech.
• Your audience will play a deciding role in your success or failure as a speaker. You should be aware of the background, needs, desires, and possible demands of your listeners.
• Your topic of speech must be concise and clear to you.
• Your speech’s purpose must be well-defined.
• If you are willing to share some personal information or experience, you must deliver them as per the purpose of your presentation and the needs of your audience.

6 Types of Actionable Attention-Grabbing Devices (with useful Attention Grabbers Examples)

There are several types of attention-getters that a speaker can use to maintain the interest of his listeners during his speech. However, a few of them outshine others. Here are the six most actionable attention-grabbing devices that a speaker can leverage to capture the attention of his audience and engage them from the very beginning of his speech.

1. Anecdotes

Anecdotes can be regarded as short, yet attention-grabbing stories that a speaker can use to start his presentation or speech. These anecdotes can be personal, historical, and even hypothetical, depending upon the situation, the topic of the presentation, and the interest of the listeners. If you have prepared a 5-10 minute long speech, you can start with a 15-30 seconds long story at the beginning of your speech.

A personal trainer, for example, can start with a story of one of his previous clients. He can elaborate on how he helped his client who used to fail in achieving his set milestones in becoming successful in his desired field in just three months. 

The personal coach can tell the stories of hardships that he faced while working with his client. He can quote a famous historical incident as well to make his argument more believable and relevant. The goal is to engage with your audience through the medium of a story so that you can resonate with their thoughts, feelings, and emotions right from the beginning. The storytelling approach is one of the most important and useful attention-getting devices that a speaker can incorporate into his speech.

2. Quotations

Quotes are powerful attention-getters if used properly. If the speaker starts his presentation with a famous quote or quote of a well-known public figure or personality, he can inform his listeners about the theme of his presentation right from the beginning. If the quote has an emotional touch, it will be more beneficial for the speaker as the listeners will be emotionally associated with the speaker irrespective of the topic of the speech.

For example, if the audience’s background is related to science and technology, the speaker can start with famous quotes from the personalities like Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking or Carl Sagan, etc. The more relevant your quote is, the more feasible it will be for you to maintain the interest of your audience throughout the speech.

3. Surprising or Bold Statements

Why will your audience not listen to you if you surprise them from the very beginning of your speech? Bold or surprising statements can also leave a profound impact on the minds of the listeners and act as effective attention-grabbing devices. You can start with a startling sentence that contradicts the general opinion of the people about something or say something that people may find hard to believe. Once you do this, your listeners will promptly get focussed on your next sentence as they would like to know further details to clear their doubts. This bold statement will act as a remarkable hook to engage your audience from the very first sentence of your speech.

You must support your surprising statement with some sort of solid, and believable evidence as well to maintain your credibility and further motivate your listeners to stay focussed. If you are delivering a presentation about extraterrestrial life, you may start with pictures of ancient water flow patterns on planet Mars, etc. The purpose is to say something bold and good enough to be supported by some solid facts and figures. 

You can use pictures, infographics, and other forms of visual aids to support your speech to make your arguments more captivating and your presentation more engaging. If you are a presenter and have used PowerPoint to develop your presentation, you are in luck. You don’t need to design your slides, prepare compelling illustrations, graphs, tables, and infographics slides from scratch yourself as our website Free PowerPoint Templates is offering thousands of premade free preentation templates filled with all of your desired visuals and graphical content. You just need to download the template of your desire, edit it a bit as per your custom requirements and you are good to go. Now, you can worry less about the presentation development and design and focus more on how to achieve your desired purpose by using the most suitable attention-grabbing devices.

4. Questions

If you want to engage your audience with a touch of curiosity, you can ask questions right from the start of your speech. After asking a question, the audience will try to develop their own opinion and answer the question accordingly. Ultimately, they will be willing to hear what you have to say about their answer and whether they were wrong or right in proposing a more suitable answer. When the speaker supports his questions with relevant and evidence-backed answers, the listeners become more attentive and focused. You can ask rhetorical and response questions as well.

For example, if you are presenting your product to potential clients with a slide deck presentation , or presenting your company with a company profile presentation , you can ask them about the most desirable feature of the product being presented. The idea is to stimulate interest among your listeners. Ultimately, the focused audience will likely respond positively to the offer being presented by you.

5. Jokes and Humor

Being a presenter, you may need to entertain your audience in order to win their attention and ultimately, trust. Hence, the usage of jokes and humor in your presentation may come in very handy in such scenarios. Jokes and humor are part of the possible attention grabbers for speeches. When you open your speech with a joke or humorous statement, the audience enjoys your speech from the very sentence and becomes convinced to listen to your remaining speech so that they can get a bit more enjoyable experience. However, you need to be aware of the types of appropriate jokes that you can make without offending any possible member of the audience. 

For example, if the topic of your presentation or speech is a bit rough and serious, you can ease some tension in the environment with a suitable joke in the right tone. Jokes can be really helpful in getting the attention of the listeners belonging to a new location or a specific group. By tailoring your joke to the issues being faced by your audience or the desires of your listeners, you can signal to your audience that you care about their focus and trust. Your jokes should be funny, relevant, and in accordance with the taste of your prospective audience.

6. Statistics & Facts

If you want to ensure that your audience sees you as a credible person in your topic of speech, you can start with relevant statistics, facts, and figures. Statistics depict that you are going to present something that is well-balanced, believable, and authentic. By opening your speech with a relevant fact or statistic, you can win the trust of your listeners. By using an unexpected fact, you can stimulate more interest in your listeners as they will assume that the whole presentation is going to be intriguing.

For example, if you are going to talk about the best practices in workplaces, you can share the revenue and growth statistics of some of the top businesses in your domain of work and explain how their routine activities have contributed towards their growth and development. The main theme is to provide evidence to your audience before you try to convince them or present your opinion.

If you are presenting on a diverse topic, you can still find helpful statistics from research studies, or publications. A pro tip here would be to use ChatGPT to brainstorm some ideas and get statistics and facts about a specific topic.

Recent Research Studies: The Influence of Short Attention Spans on Public Speaking

Recent studies on the increasingly short attention spans of modern audiences have further emphasized the importance of using attention-grabbing devices in public speaking. In today’s fast-paced, digital world, people are often bombarded with information, making it crucial for speakers to capture and retain their audience’s attention from the very beginning. By incorporating attention-getting techniques into their presentations, speakers can effectively counteract the impact of short attention spans, ensuring that their message is not only heard but also remembered by their listeners. This highlights the growing need for presenters to be adept at utilizing attention-grabbing devices and adapting to their audience’s needs in order to deliver a powerful and engaging speech.

One well-known study in this area is the 2015 Microsoft study that found that the average attention span of people had dropped from 12 seconds in 2000 to 8 seconds in 2015. This study suggests that the digital age, with its constant stream of information and stimuli, has contributed to shorter attention spans. The report is titled Attention Spans report and was conducted by Microsoft Canada.

Final Words

Attention-grabbing devices or attention-getters are crucial for grabbing the focus and trust of the listeners right from the beginning of speeches and presentations. All prominent public speakers and presenters use actionable attention-grabbing devices to persuade their audience to remain focused throughout their speeches. 

A well-engaged, and focused audience will help the speaker to convey his message more effectively and achieve his desired goal in a more efficient manner. In order to use any attention-grabbing device in your speech, you must be aware of your audience, your speech’s topic, and the overall goal of your speech. 

There are several attention-getters that can be used by successful public speakers and presenters, however, anecdotes, quotations, bold statements, arousing questions, jokes, and authentic statistics can prove to be much more valuable when it comes to captivating your audience and winning their trust from the very first sentence of your speech or presentation. 

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Sign up to our newsletter

We will send you our curated collections to your email weekly. No spam, promise!

• Company / Culture

10 Attention Grabbers to Help You Crush Your Next Presentation

Give Your Presentation The Attention It Deserves

Presentations are a great way to relay information to a small or large group of people, but if not structured to be effective and engaging, presentations can completely fail. A survey conducted by software company, Shufflrr , noted that a quarter of people are likely to walk out of long presentations. Shufflr survey results also show that another quarter of respondents reported having fallen asleep during boring presentations. Find out how one simple trick can set your presentation on the path towards success.

Value of a Strong Introduction

Poor presentation skills cost businesses time and money and are just a waste. However, giving a strong presentation is a valuable skill that can help both employees and entrepreneurs spread their message and make a positive impression.

One of the most important things to do when giving a presentation is to get people’s attention right away. The sooner you have your audience’s attention, the more likely you are to hold onto it and maintain engagement throughout your entire talk. Here are 10 quotes to start your next presentation with that will help you grab your audience’s attention and get your message remembered.

Use These 10 Attention Grabbers and Crush Your Next Presentation

1. “If you know what you want, you can have it.”

2. “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”

Wayne Gretzky

3. “Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be someone; get action.”

Theodore Roosevelt

4. “You can’t look at the competition and say you’re going to do it better. You have to look at the competition and say you’re going to do it differently.”

5. “There is only one boss. The customer.”

6. “You have to go wholeheartedly into anything in order to achieve anything worth having.” Frank Lloyd Wright

7. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”

8. “Some entrepreneurs think how can I make a lot of money? But a better way is to think how can I make people’s lives a lot better? If you get it right, the money will come.”

Richard Branson

9. “What would you do if you’re not afraid?”

Sheryl Sandberg

10. “Always remember, your focus determines your reality.”

George Lucas

Provide Value

The right quote will relate to your industry or the topic you are discussing and immediately catch people’s attention. The quote should pique the curiosity of those in attendance and make them want to learn more. It is obviously important to follow up your strong start with valuable content and to continue to provide useful and engaging information. But grabbing the attention of your audience immediately will go a long way in getting your message across and remembered.

At Factory Direct Promos we have been in business creating customized reusable bags and promotional products for almost 30 years. We reinforce the work you do and ensure that people remember your message. Shop our products online  and feel free to reach out to us anytime to customize your own reusable bag for your brand now.

2 thoughts on “ 10 Attention Grabbers to Help You Crush Your Next Presentation ”

I need a attention grabber for discarded plastics and straws

Hi there! This might help https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/no-straw-please and https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/quotes.html . Good luck. What are you presenting?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

FREE TRAINING & CHEAT SHEET

Top 10 attention grabbers, the biggest secrets of great presenters, (also works for online presentations (e.g. zoom).

You can unsubscribe any time.

What will you get.

​​ VIDEO Training  Of The "TOP 10 Attention Grabbers" - The Greatest Secret of Great Presenters 

The Ultimate Cheat Sheet (6 Pages) With All TOP 10 Attention Grabbers Explained, So You Can Easily Pick and Choose For Your Next Speech Or Presentation

​ Examples For Each Of The TOP 10 Attention Grabbers 

​NEVER Be A Boring Presenter Again!

About Your Trainer:

Ben ratje is the author of the two-times award-winning edge presentation, edge innovation and the bestselling presentation latte., he is the ceo and chief trainer of influence7, a corporate training firm founded in 2005. a total of 150+ organizations , including 49 of the fortune global 500 companies have taken influence7's training. , clients have included microsoft, coca-cola, nike, siemens, daimler, samsung, bayer, hp, sanofi, lg, audi, medtronic, lacoste, sk, l’oreal and many more. thousands of participants from over 44 countries have taken ben’s training programs., “i’ve searched for various presentation training and surely took some of them. what i know is that i cannot compare this workshop with any other courses i took. this workshop is just superb thank you so much for the opportunity to participate in this seminar”, manager, microsoft, terms & conditions        privacy policy, © copyright 2022 9impact llc all rights reserved.

Educators’ Most Effective Attention-Grabbing Techniques

Explore more.

• Student Engagement

A ccording to Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Abraham Lincoln had a skill for simplifying complex subjects. Although he received little formal education, Lincoln excelled at teaching jurors, young lawyers, and later, as a United States presidential candidate, voters.

Storytelling was Lincoln’s most powerful rhetorical tool. “He understood early on that concrete examples and stories provided the best vehicles for teaching,” writes Goodwin in Leadership in Turbulent Times . “He could simultaneously educate, entertain, and move his audiences.”

And he, like many inspiring storytellers around the world, was able to do all that without the benefit of PowerPoint—a staple in today’s classroom. The tools of communication have changed since Lincoln regaled crowds with his storytelling techniques, but our minds are not wired to engage with bullet points on a slide. Our minds are wired for story. Many of us think in narrative and enjoy consuming content in story form.

While there’s nothing wrong with PowerPoint as a tool for classroom learning, slides should not be designed to replace the educator—the storyteller. Instead, they should complement the story.

Understanding the difference between presenting and storytelling is critical to an educator’s ability to engage students and stir their excitement. What follows are five storytelling strategies to help you stand out as an educator in any subject.

1. Presenters Open PowerPoint. Storytellers Craft the Narrative.

If you want to engage your audience, you have to tell stories. But most often when educators prepare presentations for an upcoming class, storytelling is not top of mind.

Most presenters do what sounds logical: They begin by opening the slideware. But most presentation programs aren’t storytelling tools; they’re digital delivery mechanisms. PowerPoint’s default template asks for a title and text, usually in the form of a bulleted list. That’s not a story.

A story is a connected series of events told through words or pictures. A story has a theme, attention-grabbing moments, protagonists and conflict, and a satisfying conclusion. Slides—even if they’re nicely designed—cannot compensate for a poorly structured story. The narrative must come first.

“Our minds are not wired to engage with bullet points on a slide. Our minds are wired for story.”

So before opening PowerPoint to begin creating your lecture, try this instead. Identify a story, example, or anecdote that brings the topic to life. It can be a personal story (very powerful), a case study, or a historical or current event that’s relevant to your course.

“Narrative is hugely important,” says TED speaker Bryan Stevenson . When I interviewed Stevenson, a famed human rights attorney, for one of my books, I learned that when he isn’t busy fighting for the unjustly incarcerated, he’s often speaking to students in higher education. Depending on the audience, Stevenson chooses personal stories to share before revealing the data to support his argument. Two of his favorite stories to tell audiences involve the lessons he learned from his grandmother, which shaped his ideals, and his meeting with American civil rights activist Rosa Parks, which gave him the courage to keep going in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Bullet points will not grab your students’ attention—your story will.

2. Presenters Use Text. Storytellers Love Pictures.

Once you’ve identified the story or stories you plan to share, gather assets that will bring your story to life, such as videos, graphics, or audio.

When he served as commander of the International Space Station, Chris Hadfield became a social media sensation by picking up a guitar and singing David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” while floating weightless. Back on Earth, his celebrated TED Talk has attracted more than 11 million views.

Hadfield’s presentation, “What I learned from going blind in space,” was an astonishing display of visual storytelling. His PowerPoint deck contained 35 slides—with no text. Instead, Hadfield relied on pictures, images, animations, and videos to introduce the audience to a world few will ever experience.

Researchers have found that audiences recall about 10 percent of the content if they simply hear information. But the “ picture superiority effect ” means that if they hear information and see a picture, they’ll retain 65 percent.

Pictures can also energize subjects that students often consider “dry” topics, especially in classes that contain a lot of statistics and data. Florence Nightingale understood picture superiority more than a century before the invention of PowerPoint. A statistician and mathematician, Nightingale was also an empathetic nurse who was shocked to discover that more British soldiers were dying from unsanitary conditions in hospitals than were dying of battle wounds. When she sought funding from British authorities to improve conditions, she translated the dry data into a color-coded graphic : the first pie chart. Nightingale knew that humans were moved more by stories and pictures than by data and text alone.

If you want to better engage your class, build a presentation that favors images to complement the story you tell. A combination of images and words improves learning much more than words can do on their own.

Note: Use your discretion when incorporating these techniques and consider the accessibility needs of your students. If you do choose to use them, make sure accommodations (such as transcripts for audio) are available.

3. Presenters Dump Data. Storytellers Humanize It.

As Nightingale discovered, the human brain was not built to make sense of large numbers. Data is abstract until it’s put into context that people can understand—and people can understand people.

I once met with a group of executives at a large medical equipment company preparing to launch a new brain-scanning machine at a prestigious conference. They sent me hundreds of pages of clinical data to prove the technology could identify a patient’s condition faster and more accurately than any existing device.

“Where are the people?” I asked.

While the data provided evidence for the efficacy of the technology, it didn’t tell me a story. Only humans could do that.

“Understanding the difference between presenting and storytelling is critical to an educator’s ability to engage students and stir their excitement.”

After a few hours of brainstorming with the executive team, we decided to put faces to the data. We built a presentation around two typical patients—David and Susan—who would benefit from the technology should they enter a hospital with symptoms of a possible stroke or heart attack.

At the same conference the following year, the executive who had delivered the presentation was walking down a hallway when a physician stopped him and said, “You’re the David and Susan guy. Great presentation.” The attendee hadn’t remembered all the data, but the story left an impression.

So the next time you have large datasets to present to students, add a face to the statistics.

4. Presenters Are Predictable. Storytellers Surprise Their Audiences.

Most PowerPoints are boring because they’re predictable. We know what comes next—another slide of bullet points, followed by another, and another. A good story, however, has the element of surprise.

Although Steve Jobs is best known as a tech visionary, his friend and current Apple CEO Tim Cook remembers Jobs as “a great a teacher.” For example, when Jobs introduced the first iPod, he told an audience that the music player could store 1,000 songs. While other music players on the market could make the same claim, Jobs explained that none of the competitors’ players could fit in your pocket. And with the flair of a magician pulling a rabbit out of his hat, Jobs reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the smallest MP3 player on the market. “One thousand songs in your pocket” became one of the most iconic taglines in product history.

Many people consider Jobs one of the most outstanding business presenters of our time because the Apple cofounder knew the real secret to winning over an audience: Create a presentation that complements a well-crafted story.

The human brain pays attention to novelty —twists and turns and unexpected events. Our brain perks up when we detect something that breaks a pattern.

There’s no limit to your creativity. While you don’t need to pull products out of your pocket to grab students’ attention, do plan to surprise them with something they don’t expect.

5. Presenters Practice Silently. Storytellers Rehearse Out Loud.

Most business presentations are forgettable because speakers forget they’re performing, not presenting. A great presentation informs, inspires, engages, and entertains. In other words, it’s part performance. As such, it should be rehearsed like one.

Most speakers flip through their slides silently to prepare for a presentation. Storytellers rehearse—out loud. They practice their vocal delivery, adding perfectly timed pauses and varying the pace of their speech. If they plan to stand in front of a class, they’ll stand during rehearsal.

While it’s not realistic or necessary to practice every minute of a one-hour classroom lecture, at least rehearse the opening, conclusion, and stories you plan to share. Students won’t recall every piece of information they heard in class, but they’re likely to remember the moments you choose to spotlight.

Embrace Your Inner Storyteller

Storytellers change lives. With her inspiring story of fearlessness and resilience, Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai gave voice to millions of girls banned from attending school. Malala grew up in a storytelling family. Villagers would come to her family’s house in the Swat Valley of northwest Pakistan to hear Malala’s father tell stories. Listening to these stories made her want to be a great storyteller, too. She entered public-speaking competitions and soon learned that the key to winning over hearts was not to simply recite facts but to touch people’s hearts through stories.

When you see yourself as a storyteller, the presentation your class sees will change for the better. You’ll find that students who can see, feel, and internalize content through stories are more engaged with you, with the content, and with each other. Their discussions will be lively, and they’ll be inspired to dig deeper into the subject matter.

Stories are irresistible and so are teachers who tell stories well. So don’t let presentation software and the status quo of slide-making get in the way of giving students information they’ll pay attention to—and retain.

This article was adapted by the author and was originally posted on HBR.

Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman (St. Martin’s Press, 2022).

Related Articles

We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience, including personalizing content. Learn More . By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies and revised Privacy Policy .

• CommCore Blog and News

Four Types of “Grabbers” for Your Next Presentation

The function of the opening is to grab the audience’s attention, clearly convey the basic message, outline the agenda and points that will supports the message.

The appropriate degree of the “grab’ will vary depending on the occasion and audience.

Here are four types of grabbers to consider for your next presentation:

• The Bottom Line:  When presenting to a Board of Directors, or decision making body, skip most of the fluff and start with a clear bottom line of the presentation. Think about the GPS in the car; start with your destination and then fill in the route for getting there.
• The Anecdote: Almost any anecdote such as a personal story with or smile or “ah-ha” – can do the job. The story can pull an audience in, especially among peers.  While humor is good bonding materials, which makes it a valuable ingredient in openings, avoid jokes because even experienced comedians fall flat on their face at least 30% of the time.
• The Prop: At a recent presentation about diabetes, the presenting physician opened her presentation with an old medicine bottle with a skull and cross bones in her hand.  The opening statement was, “We’ve come a long way in treating diabetes. Drugs are much safer than they were decades ago. There is now a treatment option for Type II diabetes with an impressive safety profile that I want you to consider…” The prop helped draw the audience into her lecture.
• Use the news: When you start with a reference to a newspaper, magazine or on-line article, it immediately grabs the audience.  If the attendees have seen the article, they will start making connections to what you are about to say. If they haven’t seen it yet, but you provide a link, when the attendee clicks on the link later in the day, he or she will remember more of your presentation.
• CommCore Blog
• CommCore Observer
• What Were They Thinking?
• CommCore Latest News

Recent Posts:

• Crisis Communications Lessons from the NTSB’s Francis Scott Key Bridge Collision & Collapse Response – “Say Little & Stay Credible”
• The CommCore Observer: Speaking Out – It’s Complicated
• New Team Member Highlight Series Q&A – Ali Elliott
• New Team Member Highlight Series Q&A – Samantha Seifert – New York, NY
• New Team Member Highlight Series Q&A – Nora Goettelmann – Washington DC
• February 2024
• January 2024
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023

Get the CommCore Observer

Sign up for the CommCore Observer, a monthly email newsletter packed with actionable takeaways drawn from the changing landscape of communications & PR today.

Schedule a training, book a speaker, or get answers quickly using our contact form below. We can also be reached at (202) 659-4177 or [email protected]

Get in Touch

Your Name (required):

Your Email (required):

Services: Please Choose Communications Skills Training Media Training Presentation Training Message Development Crisis Communications Leadership Development Other

Your Message:

• Communications Skills Training
• CommCore PressureTest™
• Cyber Attack Communications
• Executive Briefing Skills Training
• Executive Coaching
• Investor Relations Training
• Leadership Training
• Media Training Services
• Message Development
• Presentation Skills Training
• CommCore Studio
• – Dallas, TX
• – Los Angeles, CA
• – New York, NY
• – Washington, DC
• – Virtual Training
• Associations
• Consumer Goods
• Food & Beverage
• Non Profits
• Why CommCore?
• Government Certifications

• Essay Topic Generator
• Summary Generator
• Thesis Maker Academic
• Sentence Rephraser
• Read My Paper
• Hypothesis Generator
• Cover Page Generator
• Text Compactor
• Essay Scrambler
• Essay Plagiarism Checker
• Hook Generator
• AI Writing Checker
• Notes Maker
• Overnight Essay Writing
• Topic Ideas
• Writing Tips
• Essay Writing (by Genre)
• Essay Writing (by Topic)

9 Killer Ways to Start a Speech: Hooks & Attention Getter Examples

Public speaking might be nerve-wracking. Apart from preparing the information itself and making an outline, you also need to structure it so it won’t get boring and will catch your audience’s attention.

The presentation of your information is as important as the information itself. So, to grab your audience’s attention, you should start with a catchy hook. The hook is the only possibility to make your listener interested in what you say, so do not start with a simple greeting and a self-introduction.

In this article, you’ll find nine attention getters for speeches based on the top TED Talks . You’ll learn how to write good hooks for speeches. You’ll also find the six worst speech introductions to avoid. Let’s get started!

• 🙋 Talk about Yourself
• 📰 Tell a Story
• ❔ Ask a Question
• 💪 Make a Statement
• 📊 Provide Statistics
• 😅 Use Humor
• 🖖 Be Interactive
• 🤯 Shock the Audience
• 🌈 Use a Metaphor

✅ Attention Getter Examples

• ❌ 6 Worst Ways to Start a Speech

🙋 1. Talk about Yourself

One of the good ways to make your audience interested in you is to be honest and sincere . Telling your listener about yourself can make them relate to your more. Share your experience with them.

Here’s a speech by Elizabeth Gilbert , the author of Eat, Play, Love , where she chooses to talk about herself at the beginning of her speech. She is talking about her passion which is writing. She made her performance enjoyable to listen to by making a connection to the audience this way.

Elizabeth Gilbert: Your elusive creative genius

📰 2. Tell a Story

Telling a story is also one of the good hooks for speeches. You can make your audience resonate with you or relate to you by telling a sincere story. If you let your reader know more about you by talking about your experience, they will pay attention to what you say.

The following is a speech by Bill Gates , where he used a story from his childhood as an attention grabber. In this speech, he talks about his fear of nuclear war and how his family would hide in the barrel in case of attack.

Bill Gates: The next outbreak? We’re not ready

Next speech is by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie , a famous Nigerian author. She also uses a story as an opener for her presentation. Her story is about how she learned how to read at a very young age

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story

❔ 3. Ask a Question

Asking your audience a question is also one of the best strategies to begin your performance. By asking a question, you can make your listener involved and set the directions for their thoughts.

In the following speech, Simon Sinek asks the audience an exciting question that immediately grabs their attention: How do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?

Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action

💪 4. Make a Strong Statement

Another option is to grab your audience’s attention by making a strong statement. A solid, exciting statement can make your listeners engaged and persuade them to listen to you. Usually, a strong opening statement is followed by a question too.

You can take a look at the speech by Julian Treasure , a leading TED speaker. He makes an interesting statement about the human’s voice, comparing it to some instrument. Later, he asks his audience a question to make them think about his topic.

Julian Treasure: How to speak so that people want to listen

📊 5. Provide Impressive Statistics

Impressive statistics might also be one of the attention-getters for speeches. Think of a statistic that impressed you when you first came across it. Then, try to avoid using simple numbers. Instead, you can compare the numbers with something else. For example, instead of saying that you spend 8 hours online a day, you can say that you spend a whole working day online.

It is crucial to choose a statistic that would be interesting to both a speaker and the audience .

The following is a speech by Robert Waldinger , a Harvard professor of psychiatry, about happiness. He begins his speech by stating the results of a survey. In that survey, millennials were asked about their life goals.

Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness

😅 6. Use Humor

Humor is another good way to catch the attention. Although your speech might be about a serious and formal topic, you can say something funny in the beginning. However, it would be best to be extremely careful because your joke might be offensive to someone. So, try to make a joke on a neutral topic .

Here’s a speech by Pamela Meyer on how to spot a liar. She begins her speech by making a joke about how everyone is a liar. Her joke is engaging and makes the audience curious about what else she has to say.

Pamela Meyer: How to spot a liar

🖖 7. Be Interactive

What can be more engaging than actually asking your audience to do something? Your audience will pay all their attention to you if you make them interact with you. You can ask your listeners to raise their hands by asking a question.

The following speech is by Kelly McGonigal , a psychologist and Stanford lecturer, on how to make stress your friend. At the beginning of her speech, Kelly asks her audience to raise their hands if they experienced stress during the past year.

Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend

The following speech is by Celeste Headlee on ten ways to have a better conversation. In her speech, she asks her audience to raise their hands if they have unfriended someone because of an offensive conversation topic.

Celeste Headlee: 10 ways to have a better conversation

🤯 8. Shock the Audience

Some people use the method of shocking their audience to catch their attention. You can do something your listeners do not expect . For example, you can say goodbye at the beginning of your speech or change your clothes. These actions will catch everyone’s attention, but they will only work if the topic is suitable.

In this TED Talk on how schools kill creativity by Sir Ken Robinson , he makes an unexpected move by saying that he is leaving right after saying hello to his audience.

Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

The following speech is by Cameron Russell on how appearance is not everything. She changed her clothes on the stage as she was opening her speech.

Cameron Russell: Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model.

🌈 9. Use a Colorful Comparison

If you are still wondering how to start a speech, a colorful comparison might be a good option. You can use a metaphor , symbol , or another figure of speechto deliver your thought in a catchy way.

Here is a speech by Dan Gilbert on the science of happiness. In his hook, he compares two perspectives on two million years. By making this comparison, he can control the audience’s thoughts, making them think about his words.

Dan Gilbert: The surprising science of happiness

In the following section, you’ll find the best attention grabber examples for speeches. Our examples will help you effectively get your audience’s attention and conduct a great presentation.

Attention-Getter Examples for Self-Introduction Speech

Wondering how to create a good hook for a speech about yourself ? Then you’re at the right place. Here are some hook ideas that proved to be effective:

Attention Getter for Persuasive Speech Examples

In crafting a persuasive speech , it’s essential to captivate your audience from the very beginning. A well-crafted hook can pique their interest and draw them in, setting the stage for a compelling and impactful message. Here are a few examples of persuasive hooks:

Attention Grabber Examples for Presentation

Are you struggling to find the perfect attention getter for an informative speech ? Look no further! In this section, we’ll explore some powerful hook examples that will captivate your audience right from the start and make your presentation unforgettable.

Funny Attention Getters for Speeches Examples

Are you tired of starting your speeches with the same old dull hooks? Well, get ready to add some humor and excitement to your next presentation with these funny attention-getters for speeches.

❌ Bonus: the 6 Worst Ways to Start a Speech

As we have learned different attention-getting techniques, let’s take a look at a list of things to avoid while starting a speech.

We hope the tips above will help you get ready for your performance. If you haven’t yet decided what topic to choose for your speech, feel free to use our generator to get ideas. The tool is able to make topics not only for essays, but also for speeches.

❓ How to Start a Speech: FAQ

How to start a speech for school.

To start an in-class speech for students, you can talk about yourself or tell a personal story. By telling your audience a story about yourself, you can engage them. An engaged audience pays attention to what you say. Another way is to start your speech with a quote. You can also search for some samples to gain inspiration.

How to start an informative speech?

To start off an informative speech, you should have a catchy hook. You can try asking your audience a question or sharing your experience. After you are done with an attention grabber, you can state your thesis and move to your main points.

How to start a persuasive speech?

Start your persuasive speech with a catchy hook. You may use a quote, a joke, a story, or any other attention grabbers. A good option is to make a question to make your audience think about your topic. If you have enough information, you can also show an impressive statistic related to your topic.

How to start a motivational speech?

You can start your motivational speech by asking your audience a question or asking them to do something. It can engage them and make them interested in what you are trying to say. Another option to engage your audience is to create a joke or to tell a story about yourself.

🔗 References

• How to Prepare for Public Speaking
• 10 Strategies to Prepare for Speaking Engagements
• Preparing Speeches – University of Hawaii System
• 15 Ways to Start a Speech + Bonus Tips | Brian Tracy
• Speeches – UNC Writing Center
• 12 Ways to Hook an Audience in 30 Seconds

• Printables Library
• Log Into ETTC
• Log Into Premium
• Classroom Management
• Grammar & Writing
• Science/STEM
• Social Studies

33 Attention Grabbers You Need to Try

• Heather Wagoner
• July 21, 2021
• No Comments

?SHARK BAIT… 

…OOH! HA! HA!

Raise your hand if you’ve heard that before ^^^. ???‍♀️ (Probably too much if you teach primary kiddos.)

Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s talk ATTENTION GRABBERS ! (See what I did there?)

So, you’re ready to start your lesson, now what? Maybe the class needs some redirection to the next activity, what do you do? Please don’t say, “I’ll just wait.” If you do you’ll ALWAYS have that one student who’s like, “Oh, yeah! I can talk all day!” You’ll end up frustrated even before the lesson begins and nobody’s got time for that.

Attention grabbers are INCREDIBLE tools to have in your teacher bag of tricks!

Teaching tiny humans requires a little FLAIR , so I’ve got 33 UNIQUE , ENGAGING , and QUICK attention grabbers to start your lessons or redirect the class. My class favorites were always #1 , #5 , #13 , #16 , #24 , and #29 !

Attention Grabber 1- “Shark Bait!” 

“Ooh, ha ha!” The teacher calls out “Shark Bait!” Students reply with “ooh, ha ha!” This attention-getter is always a hit with younger kiddos, especially those who adore Nemo and Dory!

2- Doorbell!??

Yes, a doorbell! Amazon has these awesome doorbells that you plug anywhere in your room. Keep the button near you and whenever you need their attention, ring the bell. My class loved ours! 

3- Flat Tire! 

What sounds does a flat tire make? “ SSSHHHHHH .” The teacher  calls out “flat tire!” and students respond with “ssshhhhhh!”

4- “Holy Moly!” 

“Guacamole!” Love tacos and guac? ? This call and response is for you and your class!

Attention Grabber 5- Vanilla Ice Inspired

T- “Ice, Ice!” S- “Baby!”

T- “Alright stop!” S- “Collaborate and Listen!”

6- “Hocus Pocus!” 

“Everybody Focus!” I love me some Hocus Pocus! This is a personal favorite of mine, especially during the fall! ??

7- Whole Brain Teaching

WBT is all about engaging the “whole brain” when teaching. My favorite WBT call and response is “Class class!” and they respond, “yes yes!” The catch is the students MUST respond in the same voice as the teacher. High pitched, low monster tone, whispered, etc. 

8- “Macaroni and Cheese!

”Everybody freeze!” Then they freeze like a statue. 

Attention Grabber 9- Golden Arches! ?

Teacher- “Ba da ba ba ba” Students- “I’m Lovin it!” I prefer Chick-Fil-A but hey, it’s just for FUN and the kids enjoy it! ? 

10- Use a Wind Chime

Think about the soothing sound of a wind chime. Reminds me of being outdoors, birds chirping, gentle breeze, the smell of fresh-cut grass. Now think about how soothing that sound could be as an attention-getter. They hear the sound and stop what they’re doing.

Attention Grabber 11- “1, 2, 3, Eyes on Me!”

Students- “1, 2, eyes on you!” Model for them how they stop, turn to you and listen for instructions.

12- “Peanut Butter!”

“And jelly!” Simple attention grabber, yet still creative! 

Attention Grabber 13- Compound words

Why not incorporate a skill into your attention getter with compound words? The teacher says the first word and the students say the second. Any compound word will work as long as you model for them how to stop, look, and listen once they complete the word. Here are some examples:

• “Apple” “Sauce”
• “Pop” “Corn”
• “Hot”  “Dog”
• “Butter” “Fly”
• “Milk” “Shake”

14- Ready to Line Up?

How about this one for lining up: 

Teacher- “1, 2” 

Student- “3, 4”

Teacher- “Let’s go”

Student- “Out the door!”

Attention Grabber 15- “If You Can Hear My Voice…

…clap once.” I cannot tell you how many times I’ve used that call and response. It works like magic. The key here is starting at a whisper but not going over a regular talking voice. Kids start to wonder why some are clapping so they stop talking to listen. Boom! 

16- Bologna!

When you introduce this one, make sure you play the commercial. The kids will LOVE it. T- “My bologna has a first name!” S- “It’s O-S-C-A-R!”

Attention Grabber 17- Microphone ?

Sometimes all you need is a unique presentation! Cue, class microphone ! Not only is it different, but the students get excited to use it too! Make sure to model expectations when using it. 

18- “Hands on Top!”

“That means stop!” Model how you expect them to stop, place their hands on their heads and look to you for instructions. 

19- “Who Let the Dogs Out?”

“Who, who, who?” Now the song will be stuck in your head. You’re welcome! ?

20- Clap it Out

Want to include some rhythm in your routine? Clap a rhythm and have the kids repeat it. Change it up often to keep it engaging for the students. 

Attention Grabber 21- “Goodness, Gracious!”

“Great balls of fire?!” 

22- “Red Robin!”

“YUMMMMM!” ? Got a Red Robin in your area? Toss this attention grabber in, I guarantee some of your students will know it!

23- “Spaghetti and…”

“Meatballs” ? Again, I’m hungry now. 

24- “Chicka, Chicka”

“Boom! Boom!” This attention grabber is PERFECT for preschool classrooms that have read this book! My son LOVES Chicka Chicka Boom Boom! 

Attention Grabber 25- Toy Story Inspired

• T- “To Infinity!” S- “And Beyond!”
• T- “You’ve got a…” S- “Friend in Me!”

26- “M-I-C-K-E-Y”

“M-O-U-S-E” Be sure to sing it in your BEST Disney voice for dramatic effect! ?

⭐️ Teach older students? These next few are specifically for you! ⭐️

27- Attention to the Queen or King

T- “Hear ye, hear ye!”

S- “All hail the queen!” (or king)

This is great if you teach literature!

28- Teach 5th grade?

T- “Team 5!”

S- “Is alive!”

Attention Grabber 29- Growth Mindset

T- “A Mistake is a Chance”

S- “To Try Again!”

I love this growth mindset-inspired attention grabber!

30- Incorporate tech

T- “Knowledge is POWER. Point to power!”

S- (points to the source of power- SmartBoard, computer, etc.)

Play a quick 5 seconds of their favorite song. Model how they need to respond (get quiet, get out materials, look at you, etc). If they model expectations right away, you’ll let the song continue for a couple more seconds (giving that the song is appropriate for school).

32- “All Set!”

“You Bet!” For older kids, I’ve found that simpler is sometimes better. ?

Attention Grabber 33- Inspired by Songs

These next few are all inspired by popular songs, past and present. Get your best singing voice ready for these, your older students will love them:

• T- “Feelin’ good…” S- “Like I should” (from Surfaces, Sunday Best)
• T- “Sweet Caroline!” S- “Ba Ba Ba!” Need I explain? If you’ve EVER been to a sporting event (or bar), chances are, you’ve participated in this one.
• T- “Dm, Dm, Dm, Dm, Dm, Dm, Dm, Dm” S- “Ay Ay Ay!” (Crazy Train)
• T- (dramatic) “MAMA!” S- “Oooooo!” (Queen- Bohemian Rhapsody)
• T- “What is love?” S- “Baby don’t hurt me!” (Haddaway) 

⚠️ Remember, this is a management tool to help control the chaos that comes from teaching tiny humans. If you teach middle school and up, they might not be tiny humans, but they’re still kids. Have fun with it and make sure you MODEL , MODEL , MODEL . 

If you try to incorporate an attention-getter without setting the expectations and modeling, there’s a good chance it won’t be successful.

WRITTEN BY – HEATHER WAGONER

At  Education to the Core , we exist to help our teachers build a stronger classroom as they connect with our community to find trusted, state-of-the-art resources designed by teachers for teachers. We aspire to be the world’s leading & most trusted community for educational resources for teachers. We improve the lives of every teacher and learner with the most comprehensive, reliable, and inclusive educational resources.

If you enjoyed what we have to offer at ETTC, be sure to join our  email list so that you won’t miss a beat.

Welcome! I’m Emily, Founder of Education to the Core. We are all about helping K-2 teachers by providing unlimited access to affordable printables for every subject area.   

10 E-Learning Attention-Getters That Really Work

As an e-learning pro, you’re always looking for new ways to connect with learners, to grab their attention and keep them engaged so they can get the most out of your courses. 

So how do you hook your learners right from the start, so they’re motivated—and maybe even excited—about learning something new? Let’s take a look at some tried-and-true techniques.

1. A Surprising Fact

One way to grab your learners’ attention is to start off with a surprising fact. This could be something that most people don’t know or that challenges a commonly held belief. 

Here are a few example courses that use this simple but effective method.

View example

View example and download template

2. An Eye-Catching Animation

Another way to catch your learner’s eye is by using animations. This could be anything from a simple GIF to a more elaborate combination of moving objects.

Take a peek at these effective examples for inspiration.

3. An Intriguing Video

There’s something captivating about the combination of imagery, animations, and audio in a video that captures attention.

Here are a few examples of using compelling video footage.

4. A Realistic Scenario

Scenarios invite learners to interact and understand the practical application of the content you’re sharing. But they don’t need to be buried in the middle of the course! Use them to kick-start your course, or as the basis for your entire course. 

See for yourself how engaging this technique can be by checking out the examples below.

5. A Thought-Provoking Question (or Two!)

Asking curious questions is a great way to start a conversation—and an e-learning course. Questions pique the learner’s interest in your course right off the bat!

You can use questions that you write on the screen, inviting learners to reflect on their own, or ask quiz questions learners must answer to move forward in the course. It’s up to you to decide what makes the most sense for your situation.

Here are some examples to get your creative wheels spinning.

6. A Stimulating Challenge

When faced with a challenge, most people are naturally motivated to solve it. That’s why challenging your learners from the start can be a really powerful engagement strategy.

These two courses will give you ideas on how to go about it. 

7. A Powerful Quote

Having trouble coming up with the exact words to say? Then find a relevant quote and include it in your course. Sharing the wisdom of others can be inspiring and give your content instant credibility. 

Here’s an example course that starts with a quote from the Declaration of Independence.

8. An Unexpected or Unique Interaction

Most e-learning courses behave in a similar way . . . a Start button here, a Next button there. And while that makes it easy for learners to know how to move forward, it can also be a little boring. Why not throw in a couple of surprises? As long as navigation is still clear, there’s no harm in shaking things up!

Here are a couple examples to show you what I mean.

9. A Humorous Image or Statement

People love to laugh, but humor can be hard to get right in a corporate setting, so many course designers shy away from it. However, if you strike the right balance and ensure your humor is appropriate, it can be a great way to catch people off guard and leave them wanting more.

Here’s a great example of that.

10. Evoke an Emotional Response

A lot of our memories are derived from life experiences and how they made us feel. For this reason, starting with something that learners emotionally connect with can be a good way to get them to engage with your course. And if you continue on that path throughout the course, they’re more likely to retain what they learn.

Check out these courses for some tips on appealing to your learners’ emotions.

More Resources

This list of attention-getters is far from exhaustive, but it’s a good place to start! And if you looked at the examples I shared, you probably noticed that course designers often use a combination of these ideas to maximize their effect. As you’re deciding how to capture your learners’ attention, make sure to keep your subject matter, learning objectives, and audience in mind. After all, those should always be your guiding principles as you design your course!

If you’re looking for more examples of attention-getters, be sure to check out E-Learning Challenge #279: 23 Creative Ways to Motivate and Grab Attention in E-Learning Courses . 

And for more instructional design tips, check out the following articles:

• What to Include in Your Course Introduction
• 4 Summary Screen Ideas for Your E-Learning Courses
• What to Include on Your Course Closing Screen

Follow us on Twitter and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning. If you have any questions, please share them in the comments.

Related Content

Grabbing attention and motivating learners in e-learning #93.

5 Ways to Use Animated GIFs in Your E-Learning

5 fantastic ideas for keeping learners on the edge of their seats.