How do I get people’s attention? Just as crucially, how do I
keep it?
The most basic way to get someone’s attention is this: Break
a pattern. We can’t succeed if our messages don’t break
through the clutter to get people’s attention.
Humans adapt incredibly quickly to consistent patterns. Our
brain is designed to be keenly aware of changes. Smart product designers are
well aware of this tendency. They make sure that, when products require users
to pay attention, something changes.
Common sense is the enemy of sticky messages. When messages
sound like common sense, they float gently in one ear and out the other.
If I already intuitively “get” what you’re trying to tell me,
whyshould I obsess about remembering it? The danger, of course, is
that what sounds like common sense often isn’t. It’s your job, as a
communicator, to expose the parts of your message that are uncommon sense.
Humor and jokes are part of the aspect that can always used to
break the audience guessing machine and make the message sticker.
