ATTENTION

“The person who can capture and hold attention is the person who can effectively influence human behavior. Who is a failure? Obviously, it is the person without influence; one to whom no one attends: the inventor who can persuade no one of the value of his device; the merchant who cannot attract enough customers into his store; the teacher whose pupils whistle or stamp or play tricks while he tries to capture their attention; the poet who writes reams of verse which no one will accept.” H. A. Overstreet, Influencing Human Behavior, 1925

I have always observed the hard worker, who is intelligent and dedicated to her work and yet continues to get passed over for job promotions time and time again by the loud-talking showman in the office. We all know intelligent people who are not only ignored but sometimes avoided by those he works with. It is that X-factor or the illusive quality we call charm.

I have studied this characteristic for years as it applies to professional speakers and trainers. Many have extensive knowledge and expertise and yet they make little or no connection with the audience. There are marketers using social networking tools who are the same. They have an extensive knowledge base but do not connect and hold the attention of their audience.

I have noticed that it is not the person at a party who sits in the corner holding the book of knowledge they wrote that is interesting, nor is it the one talking about themselves that others find fascinating, but the person at the party who is listening to the stories of others and making them feel like they are the most interesting people in the world…they are interesting! There is never an unpopular listener, and if you leave the presence of another person and you feel more fabulous, well they will have your attention every day of the week.

How are you engaging others using social media and making them feel interesting. How can we all listen more effectively here and then apply our knowledge base as a desired ointment instead of a greasy snake oil of pushy sales tactics and unfulfilled promises? Here are a few tips:

Each day of the week, make a point to comment on or write a personal note to 10-20 people that you are connected with—whether it is on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or even email.
When you ask a question in one of your posts, be sure to scan that post each day to see if someone answered. Make a comment and thank them for their fabulous response. Nothing worse than someone asking you a question and then not listening when you answer.
If you find yourself puking your information or knowledge all over people, STOP! Nothing tunes people out and turns them off faster than someone who goes on and on and on about themselves. Turn the tables asking them some questions about their experience and comment on something that you find fascinating.
When you are posting information on your social sites, be sure you keep in mind the audience you invited in. Are you still proving information that they would find helpful or interesting?

If there is anything the team at Synapse can do to help you craft your message- tweak your strategy or just help you be quiet and learn to listen more…let us know! Find me on Twitter or you can email me at Gina (at) Synapse3Di.com

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