Imagine you live in Maine. You see a headline on your phone that reads: “Bear sighted in backyard.” You click on the story, and you see the bear sighting happened at a home in Alaska. Are you going to read the story?

Now imagine that you click on the same headline and see that the bear was sighted in your next-door neighbor’s yard. Will you read more?

Chances are you’ll focus on the story when it more directly impacts you. That’s because we’re more apt to pay attention when we feel involved and when we think the message will affect us.

Local news knows this well. According to a national study, 70% of Americans say the most “valued” part of a local news broadcast… is the weather. Why? Because that’s the portion of the news that most directly involves the viewer! Newscasters know this, which is why a local broadcast will run a weather segment almost 3 times in a half hour show.

We are better able to focus on things when we feel the information will involve or impact us. So in order to capture audience attention… you need to involve the audience!

1) Find the “What’s In It For Me” for your audience.

Involve the audience in your message! Take the time to think about how your message will affect the audience. Why should they listen to you? As an audience member, “What’s in it for me?”

If you’re selling print to a marketing professional and you say, “I’m here to tell you about a new inkjet press we have on our floor.” Would they listen or care? Maybe.

But what if you start out by saying, “I have a way you can increase response rates and lower your cost per responder.” Would they continue listening? More likely they would! Now you’re involving them and offering them something of direct value.

In a sales pitch, it’s not enough to just say, “I’m here to talk about our latest product.” Where’s the What’s In It For Me?

Instead try, “I’m here to tell you how you can use new digital print techniques to capture more customers.” Once the audience sees the value for them, their focus and attention will increase.

2) Get the audience to think about themselves.

Pose “you” questions like: “Who here feels like your direct mail goes straight into the recycling bin?” Now the audience is involved and thinking about themselves as they relate to your topic.

Poll the audience with rhetorical questions like: “Would you like to increase direct mail response and capture more customers?” or “Have you ever wondered how your peers are getting higher response rates on direct mail?” Ask the audience to: “Take a moment to think about how difficult it is to capture attention in a saturated marketing environment.”

Asking someone to think about themselves and their experiences makes them feel more involved and therefore more attentive.

3) Use the word “You” more.

So often we use broad words like “customers,” “clients,” or “users” when we talk about business. But that makes the audience a bystander looking in on the story. When you use the word “you” more — you’re now involving the audience to become a part of the story and therefore feel more involved.

Instead of saying, “We’ve found customers can increase response rates and capture more qualified leads with this print technique,” TRY: “We’ve found YOU can increase response rates and capture more qualified leads with this print technique.”

Simply subbing in the word “you” can have a big impact on how the audience feels. When they feel like the message relates to them, they’ll listen more.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Words to remember the next time you’re trying to get someone to focus on your message. Take the time to involve your audience to help earn their attention!

Amy Fond is a Media Trainer and Presentations Coach with Cameron Communications www.mediatrainer.tv For more information visit her LinkedIn page at www.linkedin.com/in/amyfond or email amy@mediatrainer.tv