1. Think in 30-second increments
- On the phone people think of exiting every 11 seconds; in person – every 30 seconds
- If you are not constantly generating someone’s interests you are losing them
- Interrupt the conversation with honest interjections:
- So, the bottom line is …
- The thing we need to decide now
- Bringing the conversation back on point and re-engaging the audience
- Shows respect and prepares the audience for sustained attention period
- If you want to hold your listener’s attention, it is a good idea to keep this in mind
2. Watch for signs of boredom
3. Ask permission for stories
4. Know what your point is
5. What’s in it for someone else (WIIFM)
- If you want to hold your listener’s attention, it is a good idea to keep this in mind
Source: Tom Searcy: Author, Speaker and Consultant