good attention getters for speech

Good Attention Getters for Speeches with 10+ Examples!

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Published Date : February 16, 2024

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There are days that you might be having trouble grabbing your audience’s attention during a speech , especially if your speech is too lengthy for the average attention span of an individual. 

Being prepared when planning a speech is essential, as you must instantly draw your audience’s attention. 

The first minute of your speech will leave the most impression. Good attention-getters for speeches can immediately catch an audience’s attention, while a poor one will turn an audience against the speaker. 

People don’t usually tune into speeches in the middle, so you have to catch their attention right from the beginning and have a list of attention-getters for speeches to use. 

In this article, you can get good attention-getters for speeches that will be your ticket to being a speaker that people would find interesting. There are also different types of attention-getters for speeches you can choose from to suit your speech topic.

What are attention-getters For

An attention-getter is intended to intrigue the audience members and inspire them to listen attentively for several minutes. There are countless options for attention-getters for speeches.

Most importantly, in your audience’s mind, an attention-getter can generate excitement and persuade them that the speech would be informative and useful. 

Your attention-getter wording should be refined and practiced. Be sure to understand your speech ’s mood/tone; assess the suitability of humor, emotion, aggressiveness, etc. 

Not only should the words draw attention from the audience, but the delivery should be smooth and confident to let the audience know you are a competent speaker prepared for this address.

Watch how to write attention-getters for speeches:

Why It’s Important to Include Attention Getters in Your Speech

The primary role of attention-getters for speeches is to gain your audience’s attention and make them interested in what you have to say. 

One of the most significant errors inexperienced speakers make is to presume that people listen automatically.

While many audiences can be respectful and not talk while speaking, listening to what you say is an entirely different challenge.

If you do not have the audience’s attention at the beginning, as you continue talking, it will only become more challenging to do so.

The first few lines of a speech are intended to attract and hold the audience’s attention.

Attention getters for speeches are for the audience to listen to the rest of your speech . Your attention-getter should help the audience understand and reflect on your subject.

It might be helpful to ask yourself these questions when choosing attention-getters for speeches:

• What is the best one for the occasion?
• Who’s going to be my audience?
• What’s my speech ’s topic?
• What is the speech ’s purpose?
• What am I comfortable to say?

There are three ways to maximize your potential to grab your audience’s attention:

• Spend time strategizing
• Design your attention-getter
• Practice delivering your attention-getter

Different Types of Attention Getters for Speeches

Before getting in front of people to deliver your speech , you should know how to leave an impression on the audience. There are different types of attention-getters for speeches to choose from that can help you pique your listeners’ interest. 

Here are the four key points that you should consider in choosing a type of attention-getter for speeches:

Watch this tutorial on attention-getters for speeches:

The fact that listeners like funny speeches is reasonably obvious. However, the secret to a successful attention grabber is to use humor that is important to the subject. 

Humor is another successful way of attracting the attention of an audience. When used correctly, humor is an excellent weapon for attention-getters in speeches. 

However, without the proper practice and knowledge of using attention grabbers, you can quickly turn the audience against you if you do not wield the sword carefully. 

You just need to know the audience by using satire and consider what they would find funny. Using humor that the audience either does not find amusing or offensive is one of the biggest mistakes a speaker can make.

Here are funny attention-getters for speech examples that you can choose from:

• Jokes (e.g., inside jokes)
• Funny True Stories
• Delivery (e.g., imitating a voice from a famous character)

Using references as attention-getters for speeches can make your audience more inclined to connect a specific reference to your speech .

References allow the audience to freely think about facts and statements related to your speech topic. Targeting a connection to your audience would also make them feel involved in your speech .

Here is what you can do with the different types of references for attention-getters for speeches:

Bold Statements

When you start with a bold statement, your energy and enthusiasm will trigger your listeners to be immediately lured to your speech . They will carefully consider how you back up the assertion in your statement.

This type of attention-getter for speeches often comes in the form of figures and unusual facts. The purpose of good attention-getters for speeches is to use a statistic that shocks the audience and engages them in your subject. 

Many people push the thought of using statistics away as attention-getters for speeches. Most think it’s not interesting and will overwhelm or underwhelm the audience. However, they can shake things up when used correctly.

Starting with a question ensures the audience is engaged by presenting a response literally or rhetorically. 

Make sure you pause before using a question to allow the audience a chance to let it sink in. Give your audience a break to let them think about the problem that you have just posed.

You will typically use a rhetorical question when raising a question to open a speech , the kind you don’t expect a response to. Your listeners, however, will probably try to react to this mentally. 

It is not enough to use only one or two questions, though. If used alone, it is better to use a set of questions. Questions are usually paired with another presentation strategy.

Analogies can be associated with something fresh and distinct that the audience knows and understands. 

It would be best to use an analogy to demonstrate a connection between your speech ’s subject – something new and different for the audience and something your audience knows.

Analogies can be efficient because they use the audience’s thoughts, knowledge, and values to establish a link to your speech topic and you as a speaker. Analogies generate connections between you and the audience.

List of Attention Getters for Speeches

Quotations are the simplest, but they can come off as cliche if not done well. Short stories may be more intimate and appear to increase trust. A humorous attention-getter can also loosen up the right crowd.

The attention-getter should not be eclipsed for a minute, so do your best to keep it short and sweet. 

The following must be present for good attention-getters for speeches:

• Win the attention of the viewer.
• Set up some reputation or relatability.
• Outline the speech ’s thesis.
• Give a justification for the viewer to listen.
• Clear transition into the speech ’s body

Top 10 Good Attention Getters

There are a lot of good attention-getters, but we narrowed it to the top 10 attention-getters for speeches that will surely make your audience lend you their ears:

A lot of people enjoy a good laugh. Jokes are at the top of the list of good attention-getters for speeches. 

You create a bond with the audience by telling a good joke early in the speech , and you inspire them to listen with the promise of more laughter.

Ensure the joke isn’t insulting, and the rest of the expression suits you well. Making a terrible joke can hamper your stage’s morale and ruin the rest of your speech .

Make sure you write jokes perfect for the crowd you’re trying to discuss. In this case, there is no one-joke-fits-all.

Inside jokes are the best way to make the audience feel like they have a customized speech , depending on the setting. 

2. Usage of Common Ground

A good attention-getter for speeches is a direct reference to the audience. In this case, something special about the audience uses the common ground to make them interested in the speech ’s substance.

3. Intriguing Facts

Another one from the list of attention-getters for speeches is quickly catching an audience’s attention and revealing a fascinating fact or astonishing statistic first. 

Pick a fact relevant to your subject that can solve your audience’s dilemma. 

4. Rhetorical Question

Asking a rhetorical question is more of a test for the audience. It’s like a test to make your listener’s mind answer, even if it’s just a rhetorical question. 

If you asked an excellent rhetorical question, it would help your audience feel involved and tune in to your topic.

5. Response Question 

A response question is a question that is supposed to be answered by the audience in some way. For example, if they’ve done anything in the past, you could ask your audience to lift their hands. 

It will create more of a voluntary response from the audience. It can also be considered more interactive in the list of speech attention-getters.

6. Visualization

Visualization is another crucial thing to consider for good attention-getters for speeches. You can try to introduce a scene with your words to your audience. 

You can send your audience a visual picture instead of making them decode graphs and figures or associate a relatable emotion with your abstract concept. 

Using instructions accompanied by descriptive terms such as “imagine” or “picture this” practically works with any speech subject using imagination. 

7. Startling Statement

You can create a position for yourself to stress the importance of your message until you surprise your listeners with this type of attention-getter for speeches. 

Starting with this type of attention-getter for speeches can help pique your audience’s interest. Make sure to create the right balance between your statement and your message after.

8. Captivating Story

Your audience would want to know what happened next and how things turned out by starting with an engaging story. 

Direct them through a captivating story so they are always on the edge of their seats, excited to learn what happens next. 

You can create a story or a true story like something unique that happened to you or someone else.

9. Quote from Someone Famous

Another impressive and good attention-getter for speeches is to quote anyone famous in the opening of your speech . 

When you know it’s someone the audience loves, your audience will immediately be drawn to listen. 

You must carefully choose the quote’s source and ensure it relates to your speech .

10. Personal Experience

Attention-getters for speeches about yourself create a connection with you and your audience by sharing a piece of your experience with them. It would help them get to know you more as a speaker.

Likewise, it is also vital to consider building a bridge to make your audience want to know more about what you can share with them. 

Watch this video to learn about good attention-getters for speeches:

How to Practice Good Attention Getters for Speeches

Many think their core content is adequate to get the listener’s attention. 

However, the chances are that the listener would already be distracted by getting to the main message without a strong introduction. 

Public speaking is an art form of persuasion, and along with writing good material, you will need to be aware of the technical aspects that make a great speech . 

It would help if you learned how to deliver it after planning your speech and selecting from your list of attention-getters for speeches. 

The way you introduce yourself and your voice makes or breaks your presentation. Watch how you can improve your speech content and delivery:

Two features you want to represent are excitement and trust. Talk properly and highlight the points you want the crowd to take with them. 

If you are anxious , respectfully introduce yourself, understand your subject, and create an optimistic and energetic atmosphere.

Here are ways on how you can improve your speech delivery:

• Smile:  Smile at your audience, and they’ll smile back!
• Enthusiasm : The audience will return the energy that you will give.
• Create a connection : Find common ground with the audience and use it.
• Compliment and acknowledge your audience :  Make your audience feel appreciated.
• Honesty: Avoid any fake news or baseless information.

Watch this video on affordable ways to rehearse your speech the right way:

How can AI help in practicing attention-getters?

AI tools like Yoodli are changing the game for attention-getters! Simply record yourself and receive expert feedback on pace, word choice, body language , and more. Yoodli even transcribes your speech and offers actionable suggestions to transform your opening and captivate your audience. Free to start, it’s a smart way to level up your public speaking and make a lasting impression.

What are some attention-getter tips for public speaking?

Captivate from the start! Ditch the monotone: share a gripping story, ask a thought-provoking question, or use bold visuals. Make eye contact, project your voice, and end with a powerful call to action. These simple steps will hook your audience and leave them wanting more. Remember, confident delivery and a clear message are key!

What are some attention-getter examples for classrooms?

Teachers need attention-grabbers! From rhythmic chants in elementary school to light switches in high school, find the right fit for your class to capture their focus and create a seamless learning flow. Choose based on age and needs, and watch those learning gears click into place!

What are some attention-getter examples for speeches?

From funny stories to surprising facts, grab your audience’s attention! Start with humor, thought-provoking questions, or bold statements. Use stats, visuals, or relatable anecdotes. Include tasteful jokes, relevant quotes, or clear analogies. Choose an attention-getter that fits your topic and audience, and watch them lean in!

How can attention-getters be used in the classroom?

Spice up your classroom! Jokes, relatable examples, surprising facts, and thought-provoking questions are all attention-grabbers that hook students and spark curiosity. Visuals, personal stories, and famous quotes add another layer of engagement, making learning an exciting adventure!

How can visual aids be used as attention-getters?

Don’t tell; paint a picture! Use vivid descriptions to create scenes in your audience’s minds. Go beyond graphs and engage their imagination with “imagine” and “picture this.” This works for any speech , boosting understanding and captivating listeners. Remember, visuals like videos and slides can complement your “word pictures” for even greater impact!

What are some attention-getter examples?

Captivate your audience! Jokes, surprising facts, stories, and more – spark interest with these 10+ attention-getters for speeches and classrooms. Don’t forget their age! Use counting games for younger students and light flickers for teens. Choose the right technique, watch them lean in, and get ready to share your message!

It is crucial to be prepared when you have to give a speech in front of an audience, whether big or small. Who would want an audience not to tune in when you still have something to say? 

Attention-getters for speeches will help you pique your audience’s interest through their different types and examples. Of course, you must match your attention-getter with your speech to avoid sounding out of the blue for your listeners.

Ask yourself some questions and create a speech that will surely lure your audience to listen to your speech properly. You can also download the Orai App to help you practice that perfect speech that catches your audience’s attention. Start your free trial today, which is available on the app store. 

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15 Powerful Attention Getters for Any Type of Speech

Coming up with a great opening line has never been so easy thanks to these ideas.

Arguably, the hardest part of writing a speech is coming up with the perfect hook. The first sentence that comes out of your mouth sets the tone for everything that's going to follow. You need to pack the first few lines with attention getters to make your speech immediately engaging to the audience.

But you don't have to be inherently good at oration like Cicero or Martin Luther King Jr. Instead, you can use these clever tactics to rock your speech from start to finish.

Effective Ways to Grab an Audience's Attention for a Speech

No two orators have the same methods, so no two speeches should start the same way. Don't be afraid to experiment with different ideas to see which one resonates the most with your topic and delivery style.

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All beginners have to start somewhere, and these are some tried-and-true proven ways to grab an audience's attention right away:

1.Start With a Powerful Question

Asking a thought-provoking question can stimulate your audience's curiosity and get them feeling interested in hearing what you plan to follow up with.

2. Use Humor to Break the Tension

Lighthearted jokes or funny anecdotes can warm up the audience by breaking the tension. After a little laugh, they'll probably be more receptive to whatever your message is.

3. Open With an Interesting Statistic

An unexpected or shocking statistic can spark interest and emphasize a major selling point of your topic. Simple stats can also be very punchy, so they make a big impact.

4. Tell a Story

Humans love a narrative, so you can start with a personal or relevant story that makes connections to the various points of your speech in an indirect way.

5. Use a Visual Element

Incorporating graphics, videos, props, or diagrams can add a new dimension to your speech and keep your audience's short attention span locked on you.

6. Quote a Famous Person

One way to open your speech is with an impactful quote from a respected figure to lend authority to your argument or topic.

7. Incorporate Interactive Features

Polls, question-and-answer sessions, or requesting audience members to share their experiences can keep your audience involved. You know what they say - idle hands are the devil's workshop.

8. Challenge Common Beliefs

Stating a contrary opinion or debunking a common myth can be an electric way to get the audience engaged.

9. Use Powerful and Emotive Language

This can draw people in and help them connect with your message on an emotional level. After all, there's a reason one of Cicero's branches of rhetoric is pathos.

10. Relate to your Audience

People like to listen to stuff they relate to, so you can start with a few examples or scenarios that are relatable to your audience's experience.

11. Use Sound Effects or Music

Audio elements can make your presentation more dynamic and memorable. It's hard to look away from a light show or someone sauntering up to the stage with a theme song.

12. Incorporate Physical Activity

Asking your audience to stand up, high five their neighbor, or do a simple exercise can re-energize them. This is especially useful if you're in a group of speeches and need to get the audience to reconnect with you.

13. Pose a Hypothetical Scenario

Paint a picture of a possible future or situation and you can pique your audience's interest.

14. Show Your Passion

Audiences tend to pay attention when speakers display genuine enthusiasm and conviction about their topic, so don't be afraid to get passionate. Inflect in your phrases and let your facial expressions run wild.

15. Surprise Your Audience

Doing something unexpected can break the routine and instantly grab the group's attention.

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Examples of Attention-Grabbing Phrases to Open a Speech

It's all good and well to know different methods for crafting your intro, but that doesn't magically help with putting the words together. Don't panic. We've got a whole host of attention-grabbing phrases you can use to open any speech with.

• "Imagine if you could..."
• "I'm going to reveal a secret that most experts don't want you to know."
• "How many of you have ever experienced..."
• "Let me start with an alarming fact..."
• "Raise your hand if you believe..."
• "Remember when you were a child and you believed in..."
• "Here's a shocking statistic that will make your hair stand on end..."
• "What if I told you that..."
• "Let's take a journey back in time to..."
• "I have a confession to make..."
• "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."
• "Picture this..."
• "I bet you're wondering why I'm here today..."
• "Let me tell you a story..."
• "I was in your shoes once, and then something extraordinary happened..."
• "There's an old saying that goes..."
• "Have you ever thought about why..."
• "Did you know that..."
• "Who here thinks they know what it's like to..."
• "It might sound crazy, but..."
• "Has anyone in here ever..."
• "Every second we waste, someone in the world is..."
• "I want to share with you a life-changing experience I had..."
• "When you wake up in the morning, do you ever feel..."
• "We are standing on the precipice of..."
• "There's a truth that no one talks about, and it's this..."
• "Let's take a moment to reflect on..."
• "The first time I ever experienced..."
• "Who here is brave enough to admit..."
• "Before we get started, I want to ask everyone a question..."

Use a Good Hook for a Successful Speech

People usually think about the mic drop moment towards the end of the speech and leave the opening bit for minutes before they go on. But reciting a speech isn't like performing open mic night at the comedy club.

You need a good hook to reel the audience in, and which one you use will depend on your audience, your topic, and what you want people to take away from your speech. The long and the short of it is, you might be able to procrastinate on writing your speech, but you probably don't want to leave the opener 'til last minute.

Best Attention Getters for Effective Speeches

It’s show time! You have the audience in front of you and it’s time to give the speech of your life. But before you even start, you need to get their attention. After all, how can you change their lives if they’re not even listening?

If you watch some of the more successful public speakers, you will notice that they all have one thing in common: they know how to get attention within the first 60 seconds.

Every great speech starts with an attention getter that captivates the audience and draws them in. They make people want to listen to what you have to say and set the tone for the rest of your speech.

There are a few characteristics of good attention getters, including:

• They’re relevant to your topic.
• They’re interesting, so people actually want to listen to what you have to say.
• They’re short, so you don’t waste valuable time that could be spent on the rest of your speech.
• They make a connection with the audience, so they feel like you’re speaking to them directly.
• They’re memorable, so people will remember your speech long after you’ve finished speaking.

Now that you know what makes a good attention getter, let’s take a look at some of the best attention getters for effective speeches.

1. Anecdotes

Anecdotes are short, usually personal stories that are used to illustrate a point. They’re often used as opening remarks in persuasive speeches because they can immediately capture the attention of the audience and connect you with them on a personal level.

People love stories, especially ones that are relatable or personal. A good anecdote should be relevant to your topic, interesting, and relatable to your audience. It should also be relatively short, so you don’t spend too much time on it and lose their attention.

For example, let’s say you’re giving a speech about the importance of never giving up on your dreams. You could start with a story about how you almost gave up on your dream of becoming a successful writer, but you kept going and now you’re a published author.

2. Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical questions are questions that you ask for effect, not because you actually expect an answer. They’re often used to engage the audience and make them think about your topic in a new way.

Rhetorical questions can be especially effective as attention getters because they can immediately draw people in and get them thinking about your topic. They can also be used to make a point or challenge the audience’s beliefs.

The psychology behind rhetorical questions is that they create a state of cognitive dissonance, which is when people have conflicting belief systems. This cognitive dissonance then motivates people to try to reduce the conflict by finding more information about the topic.

For example, let’s say you’re giving a speech about the importance of taking care of the environment. You could start with a rhetorical question like, “How can we expect future generations to take care of the planet if we’re not doing our part?” This question would immediately get people thinking about the issue and how they can do their part to help the environment.

3. Statistics

Statistics are a great way to add credibility to your persuasive or argumentative speech and make your ideas more convincing. They are really good attention getters because they’re often shocking or surprising.

When using statistics as an attention getter, make sure that they’re relevant to your topic and that they’re from a reliable source. You also want to make sure that you explain the statistics in a way that’s easy for people to understand.

For example, let’s say you’re giving a speech about the importance of recycling. You could start with a statistic like, “Did you know that the average person produces 4.4 pounds of trash every day?”

This statistic is shocking and relevant to the topic of recycling. It would immediately grab the attention of the audience and make them want to learn more about what they can do to reduce their waste.

However, you want to make sure that you use them wisely and don’t overload your speech with too many numbers.

4. Quotations

Quotations are an effective attention getter because they provide thought-provoking information while also adding credibility to your speech. Be sure to attribute the quotation to its rightful owner, though, or you may find yourself in hot water!

Quotes can be especially effective if they’re from a well-known or respected person. Use it to get more buy-in from your audience on your topic, or to challenge the audience’s beliefs.

For example, let’s say you’re giving a speech about the importance of taking risks. You could start with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt that says, “The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

This quote is inspiring and relevant to the topic of taking risks. It would immediately engage the audience and get them thinking about how they can push themselves outside of their comfort zone.

5. “What if” scenarios

“What if” is one of the most powerful phrases in the English language. It has the ability to change your perspective on a situation and help you see things in a new light. It can also be used to make a point or challenge the audience’s beliefs.

When used as a speech hook, “what if” can help you grab your audience’s attention and get them thinking about your topic in a whole new way.

For example, let’s say you’re giving a speech on the importance of voting. You could start your speech with a “what if” question: “What if everyone who didn’t vote decided to vote this year?”

This question would likely get your audience thinking about the potential impact of their vote, and it might even inspire them to head to the polls.

Humor is a great way to engage your audience and get them to pay attention to your speech. A good joke helps break the ice, eases tension and shows that you’re confident, relaxed, and comfortable. When you can make people laugh, they’re more likely to listen to what you have to say.

It’s important to use humor wisely when you are delivering a speech. If you’re not careful, your jokes could fall flat or even offend your audience.

Make sure that your jokes are appropriate for your audience. If you’re speaking to a group of children, for example, you’ll want to avoid jokes that might be too complicated or offensive.

Timing is also extremely important when using humor as an attention getter. A well-timed joke can get a laugh and keep people’s attention.

You could use humor in many ways, including:

• Self-deprecating: making fun of yourself
• Observational: making fun of the situation or other people
• One-liners: clever or funny sayings that get a laugh
• Stories: entertaining tales that relate to your message
• Jokes: classic set-ups with punchlines
• Physical comedy: using your body or props for humor
• Improvisation: making up jokes on the spot
• Imitation: imitating the voice of a famous person/character

A little bit of humor can go a long way. If you try to force it, you’ll likely end up coming across as awkward or desperate. Just relax and let the funny moments happen naturally.

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14 Attention Getters for Classrooms and Speeches

April 29, 2023

It doesn’t matter if you’re a public speaker, a school teacher, or someone who’s giving a presentation at work — we can all agree that losing your audience’s interest isn’t a good feeling. 

Luckily, attention getters can mitigate this and help engage and captivate your audience. It’s a great tool to implement in the classroom, during a presentation, or during a speech.

We’ll explore what attention getters are, some great attention getter examples, and how to use them properly to make sure you can engage and keep your audience engaged.

What Are Attention Getters?

In a nutshell, attention getters are a means of grabbing someone’s attention through a visual or auditory signal. 

So, for example, if someone were to begin their presentation with an anecdote or an outrageous (but true) statement, those would qualify as attention getters. Flickering the lights on and off in a classroom is also an attention getter, even though there’s no auditory component. 

Attention Getters Examples

Attention getters are so versatile that they can be adapted for almost any situation. Here are some of the best attention getters examples to check out. 

Speech attention getters examples 

Luckily, there are tons of speech attention getters examples. Some of the best attention getters for speeches or presentations include:

• Humorous anecdotes
• Questions (both rhetorical and response-worthy questions are great choices)
• A bold (but true) statement 
• Relevant statistics
• Visualizations
• An interesting or intriguing anecdote
• A relevant quote
• Analogies 

Classroom attention getters examples

Classroom attention getters can vary by the students’ ages or grades, so we’ll break them down into three groups : elementary school, middle school, and high school.

For elementary school students, you could try:

• Teacher: “1, 2, 3, eyes on me!” (Response: “1, 2, eyes on you!”)
• Teacher: “A, B, C…” (Response: “1, 2, 3!”)
• Teacher: “3, 2, 1…” (Response: “Blast off!”)

Some options for middle school students include:

• Teacher: “If you can hear my voice, clap once.” (Response: [students clap])
• Teacher: “If you’re not talking, point at me.” (Response: [students point])
• Teacher: “Eyes on me, please.” (Response: [students look])

For high school students, some attention getters you could try include:

• Setting an alarm to go off
• Raising your hand or clapping
• Flickering the lights on and off

Types of Attention Getters

Attention getters can be pretty diverse in terms of what they’re used for. There are tons of types of attention getters, but we’ll just focus on the most common: for speeches and public speaking, and for classrooms.

Attention getters for speeches

Implementing attention getters in your speech or presentation is a great idea. Captivating the listeners in this way is an engaging method for ensuring your message is getting through to your target audience.

Here are some attention getter tips for public speaking that you should keep in mind.

1. Try starting with an anecdote. An anecdote is a short, personal story. These can help the audience relate to and identify with you, and it can be an interesting way to kick things off. For example, when you start your work presentation with an interesting or particularly comedic anecdote, it can help capture the attention of your audience. It can also set the tone for your entire presentation, so it’s one of the best attention getters.

2. Ask a thought-provoking question. To engage and get your audience thinking, try asking a question. You should ask a question that’s something worth pondering or will get discussion started. Your audience will wonder what you’ve got to say and this type of attention getter ensures they’re anticipating your response. In general, you should try to avoid close-ended questions. That’s because they’re usually “yes” or “no” questions and don’t provide good discussion points. 

3. Be sure to make eye contact. One of the most important aspects of speaking in public is making eye contact with your audience. It’s also a great way to get the audience’s attention. It’ll show them you’re speaking or presenting directly to them when you make eye contact with individual members of your audience. Making eye contact also shows that you’re comfortable and confident as a speaker, which helps engage audiences. 

4. Use some visual aids. If you’re trying to draw your audience’s attention, try using some visual aids. Using things like videos, graphics, diagrams, or slides can also emphasize key points in your speech. Visual aids can help your audience understand your presentation better and break up your speech.

5. Use your voice. The last thing you want to do during a speech or presentation is speak in a monotonic tone. This has the opposite effect on an audience and can bore them. Instead, try emphasizing important words and using various tones to engage your audience. To maintain your audience’s interest, you can also try changing up your volume, cadence, and speed during your speech.

6. Finish with a call to action. When you’re ready to wrap up, make sure you’ve still got your audience’s attention by using a call to action. Not only do they help you get their attention, but a call to action can also emphasize some of the main points you made during your speech or presentation.

Attention getters for the classroom

If you’re a teacher or work in education, you know that managing a room of students — no matter what age — isn’t exactly easy. Getting students’ attention can be difficult too, especially in the age of the iPhone and ChatGTP. But attention getters for the classroom can be a game changer. 

In the classroom, attention getters can help instructors get the attention of students using visual or auditory signals. These types are often “call and response,” meaning students hear or see the cue and respond, to show they’re paying attention. 

Nowadays, some teachers even grab inspiration from TikTok. Here are five excellent attention getters from teachers on TikTok worth trying if you’ve got a classroom of kids. 

• Here are some food-related attention grabbers from teacher @misscamposs.
• Teacher @the_mr.thomas uses a variety of attention getters, from specific media references to simpler call-and-response examples.
• On the other hand, teacher @thatweirdchoirteacher allowed her students to create their own creative attention grabbers
• For younger children who are in kindergarten, @katduhleen uses age-appropriate references to shows like “Scooby Doo.”
• Teacher @spicynuggets implements classroom attention getters that reference popular viral TikTok sounds and videos (e.g., “bombastic side eye” and “what you looking for, we got what you looking for!”).

How AI Can Help You Practice Attention Getters

If you’re trying to practice an attention getter — whether it’s for the classroom, a presentation, or a speech — there’s no better way to do so than Yoodli . 

Instead of practicing in a mirror (which is helpful too!), you can have your speech expertly analyzed by an AI speech coach. Unlike other AI communication coaches, speech coach apps , or in-person coaches, Yoodli is free to start. 

To begin, record or upload a video of yourself speaking. You could be practicing your speech or presentation, or simply practicing the attention getter. Once you’re done talking, Yoodli provides you with feedback and actionable insights. 

In addition to a full, timestamped transcript of what was said, you’ll get metrics and analytics regarding your speaking pace, word choice, body language, and filler word usage, among others. You can then use these insights — plus Yoodli’s actionable feedback and coaching suggestions — to completely transform the way you speak and present, including the way you use attention getters.

Learn how you can use Yoodli to practice not only attention getters but also public speaking:

Why Are Attention Getters Important?

Although they’re often overlooked, attention getters are very important. For those giving a speech or presentation, attention getters can secure the audience’s interest and keep them engaged. This will make it more likely that they remember your presentation or speech and more importantly, what was said. 

In the classroom, they’re just as important. They’re an essential tool for managing and maintaining a calm learning environment (no matter what ages the students are). 

The Key Takeaway

If you want to grab your audience’s attention, there’s no better way to do so than through an attention getter. These will also make sure your message — whether you’re presenting or teaching — sticks with your audience. Just make sure you practice a few attention getters before you implement them. 

Start practicing with Yoodli.

Getting better at speaking is getting easier. Record or upload a speech and let our AI Speech Coach analyze your speaking and give you feedback.

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

9.2 The Attention-Getter: The First Step of an Introduction

Learning objectives.

• Understand the different tools speakers can use to gain their audience’s attention.
• Name some common mistakes speakers make in trying to gain attention.

Stephen Velasco – IMG_1422 – CC BY-NC 2.0.

As you know by now, a good introduction will capture an audience’s attention, while a bad introduction can turn an audience against a speaker. An attention-getter is the device a speaker uses at the beginning of a speech to capture an audience’s interest and make them interested in the speech’s topic. Typically, there are four things to consider in choosing a specific attention-getting device:

• Appropriateness or relevance to audience
• Purpose of speech

First, when selecting an attention-getting device, you want to make sure that the option you choose is actually appropriate and relevant to your specific audience. Different audiences will have different backgrounds and knowledge, so you should use your audience analysis to determine whether specific information you plan on using would be appropriate for a specific audience. For example, if you’re giving a speech on family units to a group of individuals over the age of sixty-five, starting your speech with a reference to the television show Gossip Girl may not be the best idea because the television show may not be relevant to that audience.

Second, you need to consider the basic purpose of your speech. As discussed earlier in this text, there are three basic purposes you can have for giving a speech: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. When selecting an attention-getter, you want to make sure that you select one that corresponds with your basic purpose. If your goal is to entertain an audience, then starting a speech with a quotation about how many people are dying in Africa each day from malnutrition may not be the best way to get your audience’s attention. Remember, one of the basic goals of an introduction is to prepare your audience for your speech. If your attention-getter differs drastically in tone from the rest of your speech (e.g., dying in Africa when you want your audience to laugh), the disjointedness may cause your audience to become confused or tune you out completely.

Your third basic consideration when picking an attention-getting device is your speech topic. Ideally, your attention-getting device should have a relevant connection to your speech. Imagine if a speaker pulled condoms out of his pocket, yelled “Free sex!” and threw the condoms at the audience in the beginning of a speech about the economy. While this may clearly get the audience’s attention, this isn’t really a good way to prepare an audience for a speech about bull and bear markets. Not every attention-getter is appropriate for a given topic. Instead, a speaker could start this speech by explaining that “according to a 2004 episode of 60 Minutes, adults in the United States spend approximately $10 billion annually on adult entertainment, which is roughly the equivalent to the amounts they spend attending professional sporting events, buying music, or going out to the movies” (Leung, 2004). Notice how effective the shocking statistic is in clearly introducing the monetary value of the adult entertainment industry.

The last consideration when picking an attention-getting device involves the speech occasion. Different occasions will necessitate different tones, or particular styles or manners of speaking. For example, a persuasive speech about death and dying shouldn’t be happy and hilarious. An informative speech on the benefits of laughing shouldn’t be dull, dreary, and depressing. When selecting an attention-getter, you want to make sure that the attention-getter sets the tone for the speech.

Now that we’ve explored the four major considerations you must think of when selecting an attention-getter, let’s look at a range of different attention-getters you may employ. Miller (1946) discovered that speakers tend to use one of eleven attention-getting devices when starting a speech. The rest of this section is going to examine these eleven attention-getting devices.

Reference to Subject

The first attention-getting method to consider is to tell your audience the subject of your speech. This device is probably the most direct, but it may also be the least interesting of the possible attention-getters. Here’s an example:

We are surrounded by statistical information in today’s world, so understanding statistics is becoming paramount to citizenship in the twenty-first century.

This sentence explicitly tells an audience that the speech they are about to hear is about the importance of understanding statistics. While this isn’t the most entertaining or interesting attention-getter, it is very clear and direct.

Dave Dugdale – Attentive Audience – CC BY-SA 2.0.

Reference to Audience

The second attention-getting device to consider is a direct reference to the audience. In this case, the speaker has a clear understanding of the audience and points out that there is something unique about the audience that should make them interested in the speech’s content. Here’s an example:

As human resource professionals, you and I know the importance of talent management. In today’s competitive world, we need to invest in getting and keeping the best talent for our organizations to succeed.

In this example, the speaker reminds the audience of their shared status as human resource professionals and uses the common ground to acknowledge the importance of talent management in human resources.

Another way to capture your listeners’ attention is to use the words of another person that relate directly to your topic. Maybe you’ve found a really great quotation in one of the articles or books you read while researching your speech. If not, you can also use a number of sources that compile useful quotations from noted individuals. Probably the most famous quotation book of all time is Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations ( http://www.bartleby.com/100 ), now in its seventeenth edition. Here are some other websites that contain useful databases of quotations for almost any topic:

• http://www.quotationspage.com
• http://www.bartleby.com/quotations
• http://www.moviequotes.com
• http://www.quotesandsayings.com
• http://www.quoteland.com

Quotations are a great way to start a speech, so let’s look at an example that could be used for a speech on deception:

Oliver Goldsmith, a sixteenth-century writer, poet, and physician, once noted that “the true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them.”

Reference to Current Events

Referring to a current news event that relates to your topic is often an effective way to capture attention, as it immediately makes the audience aware of how relevant the topic is in today’s world. For example, consider this attention-getter for a persuasive speech on frivolous lawsuits:

On January 10, 2007, Scott Anthony Gomez Jr. and a fellow inmate escaped from a Pueblo, Colorado, jail. During their escape the duo attempted to rappel from the roof of the jail using a makeshift ladder of bed sheets. During Gomez’s attempt to scale the building, he slipped, fell forty feet, and injured his back. After being quickly apprehended, Gomez filed a lawsuit against the jail for making it too easy for him to escape.

In this case, the speaker is highlighting a news event that illustrates what a frivolous lawsuit is, setting up the speech topic of a need for change in how such lawsuits are handled.

Historical Reference

You may also capture your listeners’ attention by referring to a historical event related to your topic. Obviously, this strategy is closely related to the previous one, except that instead of a recent news event you are reaching further back in history to find a relevant reference. For example, if you are giving a speech on the Iraq War that began in 2003, you could refer back to the Vietnam War as way of making a comparison:

During the 1960s and ’70s, the United States intervened in the civil strife between North and South Vietnam. The result was a long-running war of attrition in which many American lives were lost and the country of Vietnam suffered tremendous damage and destruction. Today, we see a similar war being waged in Iraq. American lives are being lost, and stability has not yet returned to the region.

In this example, the speaker is evoking the audience’s memories of the Vietnam War to raise awareness of similarities to the war in Iraq.

Another device you can use to start a speech is to tell an anecdote related to the speech’s topic. An anecdote is a brief account or story of an interesting or humorous event. Notice the emphasis here is on the word “brief.” A common mistake speakers make when telling an anecdote is to make the anecdote too long. Remember, your entire introduction should only be 10 to 15 percent of your speech, so your attention-getter must be very short.

One type of anecdote is a real story that emphasizes a speech’s basic message. For example, here is an anecdote a speaker could use to begin a speech on how disconnected people are from the real world because of technology:

In July 2009, a high school girl named Alexa Longueira was walking along a main boulevard near her home on Staten Island, New York, typing in a message on her cell phone. Not paying attention to the world around her, she took a step and fell right into an open manhole (Whitney, 2009).

A second type of anecdote is a parable or fable. A parable or fable is an allegorical anecdote designed to teach general life lessons. The most widely known parables for most Americans are those given in the Bible and the best-known fables are Aesop’s Fables ( http://www.aesopfables.com ). For the same speech on how disconnected people are with the real world because of technology, the speaker could have used the Fable of The Boy and the Filberts:

The ancient Greek writer Aesop told a fable about a boy who put his hand into a pitcher of filberts. The boy grabbed as many of the delicious nuts as he possibly could. But when he tried to pull them out, his hand wouldn’t fit through the neck of the pitcher because he was grasping so many filberts. Instead of dropping some of them so that his hand would fit, he burst into tears and cried about his predicament. The moral of the story? “Don’t try to do too much at once” (Aesop, 1881).

After recounting this anecdote, the speaker could easily relate the fable to the notion that the technology in our society leads us to try to do too many things at once.

While parables and fables are short and entertaining, their application to your speech topic should be clear. We’ll talk about this idea in more detail later in this chapter when we discuss how to link your attention-getter explicitly to your topic.

Startling Statement

The eighth device you can use to start a speech is to surprise your audience with startling information about your topic. Often, startling statements come in the form of statistics and strange facts. The goal of a good startling statistic is that it surprises the audience and gets them engaged in your topic. For example, if you’re giving a speech about oil conservation, you could start by saying, “A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel.” You could start a speech on the psychology of dreams by noting, “The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.” A strange fact, on the other hand, is a statement that does not involve numbers but is equally surprising to most audiences. For example, you could start a speech on the gambling industry by saying, “There are no clocks in any casinos in Las Vegas.” You could start a speech on the Harlem Globetrotters by saying, “In 2000, Pope John Paul II became the most famous honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters.” All four of these examples came from a great website for strange facts ( http://www.strangefacts.com ).

Although startling statements are fun, it is important to use them ethically. First, make sure that your startling statement is factual. The Internet is full of startling statements and claims that are simply not factual, so when you find a statement you’d like to use, you have an ethical duty to ascertain its truth before you use it. Second, make sure that your startling statement is relevant to your speech and not just thrown in for shock value. We’ve all heard startling claims made in the media that are clearly made for purposes of shock or fear mongering. As speakers, we have an ethical obligation to avoid playing on people’s emotions in this way.

Another strategy for getting your audience’s attention is to ask them a question. There are two types of questions commonly used as attention-getters: response questions and rhetorical questions. A response question is a question that the audience is expected to answer in some manner. For example, you could ask your audience, “Please raise your hand if you have ever thought about backpacking in Europe” or “Have you ever voted for the Electoral College? If so, stand up.” In both of these cases, the speaker wants her or his audience to respond. A rhetorical question , on the other hand, is a question to which no actual reply is expected. For example, a speaker talking about the importance of HIV testing could start by asking the audience, “I have two questions that I’d like you to think about. How many students on this campus have had sexual intercourse? Of those who have had sex, how many have been tested for HIV?” In this case, the speaker does not expect the audience to give an estimate of the numbers of students that fit into each category but rather to think about the questions as the speech goes on.

Humor is another effective method for gaining an audience’s attention. Humor is an amazing tool when used properly. We cannot begin to explain all the amazing facets of humor within this text, but we can say that humor is a great way of focusing an audience on what you are saying. However, humor is a double-edged sword. If you do not wield the sword carefully, you can turn your audience against you very quickly. When using humor, you really need to know your audience and understand what they will find humorous. One of the biggest mistakes a speaker can make is to use some form of humor that the audience either doesn’t find funny or finds offensive. Think about how incompetent the character of Michael Scott seems on the television program The Office , in large part because of his ineffective use of humor. We always recommend that you test out humor of any kind on a sample of potential audience members prior to actually using it during a speech.

Thinkmedialabs – Audience laughing – CC BY-NC 2.0.

Now that we’ve warned you about the perils of using humor, let’s talk about how to use humor as an attention-getter. Humor can be incorporated into several of the attention-getting devices mentioned. You could use a humorous anecdote, quotation, or current event. As with other attention-getting devices, you need to make sure your humor is relevant to your topic, as one of the biggest mistakes some novices make when using humor is to add humor that really doesn’t support the overall goal of the speech. So when looking for humorous attention-getters you want to make sure that the humor is nonoffensive to your audiences and relevant to your speech. For example, here’s a humorous quotation from Nicolas Chamfort, a French author during the sixteenth century, “The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.” While this quotation could be great for some audiences, other audiences may find this humorous quotation offensive (e.g., religious audiences). The Chamfort quotation could be great for a speech on the ills of modern society, but probably not for a speech on the state of modern religious conflict. You want to make sure that the leap from your attention-getter to your topic isn’t too complicated for your audience, or the attention-getter will backfire.

Personal Reference

The tenth device you may consider to start a speech is to refer to a story about yourself that is relevant for your topic. Some of the best speeches are ones that come from personal knowledge and experience. If you are an expert or have firsthand experience related to your topic, sharing this information with the audience is a great way to show that you are credible during your attention-getter. For example, if you had a gastric bypass surgery and you wanted to give an informative speech about the procedure, you could introduce your speech in this way:

In the fall of 2008, I decided that it was time that I took my life into my own hands. After suffering for years with the disease of obesity, I decided to take a leap of faith and get a gastric bypass in an attempt to finally beat the disease.

If you use a personal example, don’t get carried away with the focus on yourself and your own life. Your speech topic is the purpose of the attention-getter, not the other way around. Another pitfall in using a personal example is that it may be too personal for you to maintain your composure. For example, a student once started a speech about her grandmother by stating, “My grandmother died of cancer at 3:30 this morning.” The student then proceeded to cry nonstop for ten minutes. While this is an extreme example, we strongly recommend that you avoid any material that could get you overly choked up while speaking. When speakers have an emotional breakdown during their speech, audience members stop listening to the message and become very uncomfortable.

Reference to Occasion

The last device we mention for starting a speech is to refer directly to the speaking occasion. This attention-getter is only useful if the speech is being delivered for a specific occasion. Many toasts, for example, start with the following statement: “Today we are here to honor X.” In this case, the “X” could be a retirement, a marriage, a graduation, or any number of other special occasions. Because of its specific nature, this attention-getter is the least likely to be used for speeches being delivered for college courses.

Key Takeaways

• In developing the introduction to your speech, begin by deciding upon a statement to capture the audience’s attention.
• Attention-getters can include references to the audience, quotations, references to current events, historical references, anecdotes, startling statements, questions, humor, personal references, and references to the occasion.
• Make a list of the attention-getting devices you might use to give a speech on the importance of recycling. Which do you think would be most effective? Why?
• You’ve been asked to deliver a speech on the use of advertising in children’s media. Out of the list of ten different possible attention-getting devices discussed in the chapter, how could you use four of them to start your speech?

Aesop (1881). Aesop’s fables . New York, NY: Wm. L. Allison. Retrieved from http://www.litscape.com/author/Aesop/The_Boy_and_the_Filberts.html

Leung, R. (2004, September 5). Porn in the U.S.A.: Steve Kroft reports on a $10 billion industry. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com .

Miller, E. (1946). Speech introductions and conclusions. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 32 , 181–183.

Whitney, L. (2009, July 13). Don’t text while walking? Girl learns the hard way. CNET News Wireless . Retrieved from http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10285466-94.html

Stand up, Speak out Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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8.3: The Attention-Getter- The First Step of an Introduction

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Learning Objectives

• Understand the different tools speakers can use to gain their audience’s attention.
• Name some common mistakes speakers make in trying to gain attention.

Figure 8.3.1: Stephen Velasco – IMG_1422 – CC BY-NC 2.0.

As we now know, a good introduction will capture an audience’s attention, while a bad introduction can turn an audience against a speaker. An attention-getter is the device a speaker uses at the beginning of a speech to capture an audience’s interest and make them interested in the speech’s topic. Typically, there are four things to consider in choosing a specific attention-getting device:

• Appropriateness or relevance to audience
• Purpose of speech

First, when selecting an attention-getting device, make sure that the strategy is actually appropriate and relevant to the specific audience. Different audiences will have different backgrounds and knowledge, so use audience analysis to determine whether specific information would be appropriate for a specific audience. For example, if giving a speech on family units to a group of individuals over the age of sixty-five, starting a speech with a reference to the television show Gossip Girl may not be the best idea because the television show may not be relevant to that audience.

Second, consider the basic purpose of the speech. As discussed earlier in this text, there are three basic purposes for giving a speech: to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. When selecting an attention-getter, make sure to select one that corresponds with the basic purpose. If the goal is to entertain an audience, then starting a speech with a quotation about how many people are dying in Africa each day from malnutrition may not be the best way to get the audience’s attention. Remember, one of the basic goals of an introduction is to prepare the audience for the speech. If the attention-getter differs drastically in tone from the rest of the speech, the disjointedness may cause the audience to become confused or tuned out.

The third consideration when picking an attention-getting device is the speech topic. Ideally, an attention-getting device should have a relevant connection to the speech. Imagine if a speaker pulled condoms out of his pocket, yelled “Free sex!” and threw the condoms at the audience in the beginning of a speech about the economy. While this may clearly get the audience’s attention, this isn’t really a good way to prepare an audience for a speech about bull and bear markets. Not every attention-getter is appropriate for a given topic. Instead, a speaker could start this speech by explaining that “according to a 2004 episode of 60 Minutes , adults in the United States spend approximately $10 billion annually on adult entertainment, which is roughly the equivalent to the amounts they spend attending professional sporting events, buying music, or going out to the movies” (Leung, 2004). Notice how effective the shocking statistic is in clearly introducing the monetary value of the adult entertainment industry.

The last consideration when picking an attention-getting device involves the speech occasion. Different occasions will necessitate different tones, or particular styles or manners of speaking. For example, a persuasive speech about death and dying shouldn’t be happy and hilarious. An informative speech on the benefits of laughing shouldn’t be dull, dreary, and depressing. When selecting an attention-getter, make sure that the attention-getter sets the tone for the speech.

Now that we’ve explored the four major considerations for selecting an attention-getter, let’s look at a range of different attention-getters to employ. Miller (1946) discovered that speakers tend to use one of eleven attention-getting devices when starting a speech. The rest of this section is going to examine some of these eleven attention-getting devices.

Another way to capture an audience's attention is to use the words of another person that relate directly to the speech topic. When researching for the speech, books and articles can provide those compelling quotations to begin a speech with. There are also a number of sources that compile useful quotations from noted individuals. Probably the most famous quotation book of all time is Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations ( http://www.bartleby.com/100 ), now in its seventeenth edition. Here are some other websites that contain useful databases of quotations for almost any topic:

• http://www.quotationspage.com
• http://www.bartleby.com/quotations
• http://www.moviequotes.com
• www.quotesandsayings.com
• http://www.quoteland.com

Quotations are a great way to start a speech, so let’s look at an example that could be used for a speech on deception:

Oliver Goldsmith, a sixteenth-century writer, poet, and physician, once noted that “the true use of speech is not so much to express our wants as to conceal them.”

Figure 8.3.2: Tulane University – Students in Class  – CC BY-2.0

Reference to Current Events

Referring to a current news event that relates to the speech topic is often an effective way to capture attention, as it immediately makes the audience aware of how relevant the topic is in today’s world. For example, consider this attention-getter for a persuasive speech on frivolous lawsuits:

On January 10, 2007, Scott Anthony Gomez Jr. and a fellow inmate escaped from a Pueblo, Colorado, jail. During their escape the duo attempted to rappel from the roof of the jail using a makeshift ladder of bed sheets. During Gomez’s attempt to scale the building, he slipped, fell forty feet, and injured his back. After being quickly apprehended, Gomez filed a lawsuit against the jail for making it too easy for him to escape.

In this case, the speaker is highlighting a news event that illustrates what a frivolous lawsuit is, setting up the speech topic of a need for change in how such lawsuits are handled.

Historical Reference

We can also capture our listeners’ attention by referring to a historical event related to our topics. Obviously, this strategy is closely related to the previous one, except that instead of a recent news event we are reaching further back in history to find a relevant reference. For example, if we are giving a speech on the Iraq War that began in 2003, we could refer back to the Vietnam War as way of making a comparison:

During the 1960s and 1970s, the United States intervened in the civil strife between North and South Vietnam. The result was a long-running war of attrition in which many American lives were lost and the country of Vietnam suffered tremendous damage and destruction. Today, we see a similar war being waged in Iraq. American lives are being lost, and stability has not yet returned to the region.

In this example, the speaker is evoking the audience’s memories of the Vietnam War to raise awareness of similarities to the war in Iraq.

Another device we can use to start a speech is to tell an anecdote related to the speech’s topic. An anecdote is a brief account or story of an interesting or humorous event. Notice the emphasis here is on the word “brief.” A common mistake speakers make when telling an anecdote is to make the anecdote too long. Remember, the entire introduction should only be 10 to 15 percent of a speech, so an attention-getter must be very short.

One type of anecdote is a real story that emphasizes a speech’s basic message. For example, here is an anecdote a speaker could use to begin a speech on how disconnected people are from the real world because of technology:

In July 2009, a high school girl named Alexa Longueira was walking along a main boulevard near her home on Staten Island, New York, typing in a message on her cell phone. Not paying attention to the world around her, she took a step and fell right into an open manhole (Whitney, 2009).

A second type of anecdote is a parable or fable. A parable or fable is an allegorical anecdote designed to teach general life lessons. The most widely known parables for most Americans are those given in the Bible and the best-known fables are Aesop’s Fables ( http://www.aesopfables.com ). For the same speech on how disconnected people are with the real world because of technology, the speaker could have used the Fable of The Boy and the Filberts:

The ancient Greek writer Aesop told a fable about a boy who put his hand into a pitcher of filberts. The boy grabbed as many of the delicious nuts as he possibly could. But when he tried to pull them out, his hand wouldn’t fit through the neck of the pitcher because he was grasping so many filberts. Instead of dropping some of them so that his hand would fit, he burst into tears and cried about his predicament. The moral of the story? “Don’t try to do too much at once” (Aesop, 1881).

After recounting this anecdote, the speaker could easily relate the fable to the notion that the technology in our society leads us to try to do too many things at once.

While parables and fables are short and entertaining, their application to any speech topic should be clear. We’ll talk about this idea in more detail later in this chapter when we discuss how to link an attention-getter explicitly to a topic.

Startling Statement

The next strategy we can use to start a speech is to surprise our audience with startling information about our topic. Often, startling statements come in the form of statistics and strange facts. The goal of a good startling statistic is that it surprises the audience and gets them engaged in the topic. For example, if we are giving a speech about oil conservation, we could start by saying, “A Boeing 747 airliner holds 57,285 gallons of fuel.” We could start a speech on the psychology of dreams by noting, “The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year.” A strange fact, on the other hand, is a statement that does not involve numbers but is equally surprising to most audiences. For example, we could start a speech on the gambling industry by saying, “There are no clocks in any casinos in Las Vegas.” We could start a speech on the Harlem Globetrotters by saying, “In 2000, Pope John Paul II became the most famous honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters.” All four of these examples came from a great website for strange facts ( http://www.strangefacts.com ).

Although startling statements are fun, it is important to use them ethically. First, make sure that the startling statement is factual. The Internet is full of startling statements and claims that are simply not factual, so we have an ethical duty to ascertain its truth before we use it. Second, make sure that the startling statement is relevant to the speech and not just thrown in for shock value. We’ve all heard startling claims made in the media that are clearly made for purposes of shock or fear mongering. As speakers, we have an ethical obligation to avoid playing on people’s emotions in this way.

Another strategy for getting our audience’s attention is to ask them a question. There are two types of questions commonly used as attention-getters: response questions and rhetorical questions. A response question is a question that the audience is expected to answer in some manner. For example, we could ask our audience, “Please raise your hand if you have ever thought about backpacking in Europe” or “Have you ever voted for the Electoral College? If so, stand up.” In both of these cases, we are asking our audience to respond. A rhetorical question, on the other hand, is a question to which no actual reply is expected. For example, a speaker talking about the importance of HIV testing could start by asking the audience, “I have two questions that I’d like you to think about. How many students on this campus have had sexual intercourse? Of those who have had sex, how many have been tested for HIV?” In this case, the speaker does not expect the audience to give an estimate of the numbers of students that fit into each category but rather to think about the questions as the speech goes on.

Humor is another effective method for gaining an audience’s attention. Humor is an amazing tool when used properly. We cannot begin to explain all the amazing facets of humor within this text, but we can say that humor is a great way of focusing an audience on what we are saying. However, humor is a double-edged sword. If we do not wield the sword carefully, we can turn our audiences against us very quickly. When using humor, we really need to know our audience and understand what they will find humorous. One of the biggest mistakes a speaker can make is to use some form of humor that the audience either doesn’t find funny or finds offensive. Think about how incompetent the character of Michael Scott seems on the television program The Office , in large part because of his ineffective use of humor. We always recommend testing out humor of any kind on a sample of potential audience members prior to actually using it during a speech.

Figure 8.3.3: Thinkmedialabs – Audience laughing – CC BY-NC 2.0.

Now that we’ve offered warnings about the perils of using humor, let’s talk about how to use humor as an attention-getter. Humor can be incorporated into several of the attention-getting devices already mentioned. We could use a humorous anecdote, quotation, or current event. As with other attention-getting devices, we need to make sure our humor is relevant to our topic, as one of the biggest mistakes some novices make when using humor is to add humor that really doesn’t support the overall goal of the speech. So when looking for humorous attention-getters, we want to make sure that the humor is non-offensive to our audiences and relevant to our speeches. For example, here’s a humorous quotation from Nicolas Chamfort, a French author during the sixteenth century, “The only thing that stops God from sending another flood is that the first one was useless.” While this quotation could be great for some audiences, other audiences may find this humorous quotation offensive (e.g., religious audiences). The Chamfort quotation could be great for a speech on the ills of modern society, but probably not for a speech on the state of modern religious conflict. We want to make sure that the leap from our attention-getters to our topics isn’t too complicated for our audiences, or the attention-getter will backfire.

Personal Reference

Another attention getting device to consider is referencing a relevant personal story. Some of the best speeches are ones that come from personal knowledge and experience.

When using a personal example, don’t get carried away with the focus on other aspects of life. The speech topic is the purpose of the attention-getter, not the other way around. Another pitfall in using a personal example is that it may be too personal for a speaker to maintain composure. For example, a student once started a speech about her grandmother by stating, “My grandmother died of cancer at 3:30 this morning.” The student then proceeded to cry nonstop for ten minutes. While this is an extreme example, we strongly recommend that you avoid any material that could get you overly choked up while speaking. When speakers have an emotional breakdown during their speech, audience members stop listening to the message and become very uncomfortable.

Reference to Occasion

The last device we mention for starting a speech is to refer directly to the speaking occasion. This attention-getter is only useful if the speech is being delivered for a specific occasion. Many toasts, for example, start with the following statement: “Today we are here to honor X.” In this case, the “X” could be a retirement, a marriage, a graduation, or any number of other special occasions. Because of its specific nature, this attention-getter is the least likely to be used for speeches being delivered for college courses.

Key Takeaways

• In developing a speech introduction, begin by deciding upon a statement to capture the audience’s attention.
• Attention-getters can include references to the audience, quotations, references to current events, historical references, anecdotes, startling statements, questions, humor, personal references, and references to the occasion.
• Make a list of the attention-getting devices you might use to give a speech on the importance of recycling. Which do you think would be most effective? Why?
• You’ve been asked to deliver a speech on the use of advertising in children’s media. Out of the list of ten different possible attention-getting devices discussed in the chapter, how could you use four of them to start your speech?

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