First Get ATTENTION –

To catch a fish it is necessary to bait your hook. To get attention, whether it be for a presentation, an article or a display,  it’s necessary to catch the attention of your desired audience.  Your topic must be relevant to their needs and attention grabbing. A good anecdote or a joke, well told,  can be a useful bait to get their attention.   

         Your messages  should arouse interest, stimulate thought and cause action. Most fail to do this. Too many messages are confused, cluttered and  contain conflicting messages.

            If you are sharing information make sure it is of interest to your audience and you are not just trying to justify your job.

            Displays and exhibits must get their messages across quickly. They  contain simple messages. The fewer words the better. They should always arouse interest and cause action.

A handful of tips to create interest and get some form of action

* Before you prepare state your aim clearly

            Most presentations have too many messages and tend to cause confusion.

            What message do you want to get across?

            Try to write it down in one sentence.

            What actions do you want your audience to take?

            Also write this down in one sentence. 

            Now you are ready to start planning your message.

* Arouse interest

             Use a gimmick to get attention. If you don’t get your audience’s attention  right from the start you are wasting  your time.

            Tell a yarn or an anecdote. Tell them your objective and how they could benefit from your message.

* Keep your  message simple

            Today many organisations have people from many countries. English may be their second,  or even their third language, so use basic English and keep words to a minimum.

            Use appropriate visuals to tell your message,  if and when this is possible.  

            Large clear lettering allows people to read the message from a distance. Use strong basic colours to get attention and these are best for clarity.

* Involve your viewers

            Ask questions to seek responses and to try to find out what information they require. Encourage  people to compete in events or take part in competitions and raffles.

            Give worthwhile prizes and handouts.

*  To get attention your display must be different from other displays

            Active displays are better than photos and blocks of text.  People doing things, live animals (especially young animals) and working machines and models all create interest where people stop to see what is going on.  

            Keep  your message simple,  attractive and colourful.

            Keep the exhibit fresh, clean and tidy. If you are using  living plants or animals, keep changing them.

            Attendants should be obvious, neat and well groomed with a uniform to distinguish them. They must be well trained and knowledgeable about the services and the business and any products sold.  Roster them  for regular breaks so they are always fresh,  enthusiastic and helpful.

            Of all the things you wear your smile is the most important.

-Geoffrey  Moss (mossassociates.co.nz)

“The important thing is what people want to know, not what you want to tell them!”

SOURCE: For more on this topic see:  “Persuasive Ways” first published by Moss Associates Ltd, New Zealand and in Chinese by Shanghai People’s Publishing House and as “Secrets of Persuasion” by Cengage Learning Asia. (Available as an e-book from Amazon.com.) Also available as “Getting Your Ideas Across” from Kogan Page, U.K and a  Hungarian translation published by Bagolyvar Konyvkiado, Budapest.

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