Seven Ways to Capture Attention
Posted by Steve Denniston on November 19th, 2008
Jerry Weissman, in his book Presenting To Win: The Art of Telling Your Story, shares seven ways to capture the attention of your audience. While not specifically mentioning using PowerPoint, many of his suggestions can be incorporating into the opening slide of a PowerPoint presentation. The author identifies these ideas for engaging your audience (in our case, students):
The Question
A well-written and relevant question involves the audience, and gets the audience thinking about how the topic applies to them. Because you are using the question to engage students, think primarily of open-ended questions that are not easily answered with yes or no, true or false.
The Factoid
A simple, impressive statistic or factual statement that most in the audience would not yet know. The more unusual, striking and surprising, the more effective it will be. And it can be more than just words. Consider using a picture, or graph to illustrate the fact.
Retrospective/Prospective
Think of this approach as “that was then, this is now”. One example would be sharing how something used to be done, the way it is currently done, and perhaps how it may be done in the future. This empowers you to move someone from one point to another.
Anecdote
A very short story coming from the human interest angle. The bottom line is, people like stories about other people. Obviously, you don’t want to print the story word-for-word on a PowerPoint screen, but you could include pictures and key quotes. A digital story may be an effective way to telling an anecdote.
Quotation
If you can find a source that is recognized as authoritative to students, a quote can leave a lasting impression. Keep in mind that the goal of the quote is to bring credibility to what you are presenting.
Aphorism
A familiar saying – also known as a aphorism, can capture attention because people can relate to it. Putting a twist on a familiar saying can capture attention. Consider these ideas: “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” (working together to accomplish goal); “Seeing is believing.” (pictures telling a story); or “Easier said than done.” (explaining a difficult concept).Analogy
An analogy is a comparison between two seemingly unrelated items. A well-designed analogy is a fantastic way of explaining anything that may be confusing or unclear.Just keep in mind that the purpose of the first slide is to draw your students into the topic! The opening slide is designed to be a means to the end. Use it to engage your students.