This question landed in my inbox recently from a fellow coach and creator:
Hi Stephanie,
As I was reading this it occurred to me to want to explore more about using social media (ie, Facebook, Instagram, X, or whatever service is out there, as well as sending emails.
What are effective ways to capture someone’s attention in the midst of the barrage of so many other people wanting to catch your attention?
I had been talking to a colleague and he was commenting on the challenge of having someone even open an email or other communications online when in all likelihood you only have 2 seconds before they move on to the next thing.
It’s that initial statement, subject line, etc. that disrupts people’s browsing behavior to pause and look that I am wondering more about!
Jeff Kelton, coaching people to feel more alive, productive, and at home in the Universe!
Global Walkabouts, EarthJams
Thanks for this great question, Jeff!
There’s a plethora of advice on this topic about the best practices when it comes to getting people’s attention, and plenty of courses you can buy to teach you how to do it.
So I’ll share the principles of what works, and then give it a twist for soulful entrepreneurs who care about authenticity.
The First Thing to Consider: What do people see?
For social media, this will be:
- The first line of text
- The image (or lack of it)
- Your name and photo
For email, this means:
- The subject line
- The “from” name and email
- The preview text (first line of your email)
You’ll want to consider the following principles in these elements because the provide the first impression that determines whether someone stops or keeps scrolling.
7 Principles to Cut Through the Noise
#1 – Benefit-driven and specific
People pay attention to what they care about.Your job is to show them right away that your message is for them.
Do this by calling out:
- What they want (or want to avoid)
- A passionate interest
- A pressing problem, pain or dream
Example:
“Why you still can’t understand fast Portugese” jumped out of my inbox at me, for obvious reasons. 😅
#2 – Curiosity
Humans are curious creatures. Bizarre or curiosity-arousing phrases or images may compel people to open an email or click to read more.
“Death by indecision” and “Amputees needed” were emails that got my click. Because I needed to know.
#3 – Outrage and emotion
We love some good drama!
You can deliberately grab attention by highlighting a polarizing topic, expressing raw emotion or making a strong statement designed to rile up the haters and attract like-minded souls.
#4 – Psychological triggers.
Novelty – “Wait, I’ve never heard that before…”
Relevance – “This is exactly what I’m going through.”
Emotion – “That made me laugh / gasp / feel seen.”
Belonging – “People like me read this.”
Status – “This will make me look smart/in-the-know.”
#5 – Real human voice
If a hypey headline is also about something relevant to a reader, they may stop, but the urgency of typical marketing-speak is a turn off.
Instead, be weirdly specific, quirky and authentically you.
Example:
Instead of “Download Your Free Lead Magnet,” try…
“I made you a weird workbook about running a business that doesn’t suck.”
#6 – Easy to read
Start with a strong opening. Use lots of line breaks to make reading easy on the eyes.
Long paragraphs of many sentences, ambiguous images and intimidating jargon make it more likely people will scroll past.
#7 – Earn trust over time
Once people come to know and appreciate your message, they will open your emails and read your posts, even with a boring subject line.
Why? Simply because they value what you create.
I open emails from some creators who write notoriously boring email subjects, just because I’m a true fan.
How to Practice and Get Better
You can follow best practices as a start, but that will only take you so far. You won’t learn this by thinking about it. You’ll learn by creating, sharing and noticing what happens.
A few tips:
- Notice what makes you stop or click. What pulled you in?
- Write 2-3 different openings or email subject lines for each piece. Test them in different mediums.
- Play with formats: stories, how to, images, short, long, questions, rants, memes.
- Let your inspiration lead. Follow your creative spark.
You’ll get a feel for it by doing it and seeing what happens. Your voice and message will emerge as you express them. There’s no replacement for good old-fashioned experience.
The Secret Ingredient Marketers Don’t Talk About
I’d argue that the most impactful aspect of your communication, the thing that makes the biggest difference when it comes to attracting attention online, is one you won’t find people talking about.
Probably because it isn’t quantifiable or reducable to a reproducible tactic or clickbait headline.
ALIVENESS.
When you come alive in your expression, it infuses your words and images. Your creation carries the vibration, and people feel it.
They find themselves paying attention without really knowing why.
There’s a quality of you that draws them in.
Being yourself, lit up and inspired, makes for the best marketing, no matter what you’re doing. In fact, it can override inexperience and low quality content.
You just never know the adventure of where one random post may take you. Sometimes, your quirky little idea takes off unexpectedly.
Like this viral post that became the song, “Mum Does the Washing.”
It began as a clever Twitter post using the example of “Mum does the washing” to explain various ideologies and worldviews. It got such powerful reactions, the artist turned it into a song in one day. People shared it with others, like my friend who sent it to me, and eventually it got played on BBC Radio.
My Personal Preference
I have an intention to get results (opens, clicks, replies), but aliveness wins.
If it tickles me, amuses me, or otherwise makes me feel it’s worth doing in a particular way, I go with it. That’s the source of many “surprise” client inquiries and the unpredictable results (visibility, inquiries, clients) from writing and sharing a story.
So the final word when it comes to attracting attention:
Come alive, create something, share it…and see what happens.
Want Support to Practice This with Others?
If you’re a heart-centered entrepreneur who wants to play, experiment, and grow your voice without resorting to gross marketing strategies, come check out the IMPACT Membership.
It’s where soulful creators practice authentic expression, attract aligned clients, and support each other in growing thriving businesses by being more of themselves.
🌀 Learn more about IMPACT and join us here » https://www.theawakenedbusiness.com/impactinvite/
PS: Got your own burning marketing question or story? Hit reply—I might feature it in a future post.
