Quick answer
Best attention getters for speeches
The best attention getters for speeches are short, relevant hooks that make the audience want the next sentence. Use a surprising fact, direct question, vivid story, quote, statistic, prop, or bold statement, then connect it to your main point immediately.
- Use one hook, not several competing openings.
- Keep the hook under 20 seconds before explaining why it matters.
- Rehearse the opening until it sounds natural, not memorized.
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.
Attention-getter examples with a transition to your topic
An opening needs to do more than sound interesting. The next sentence should explain what the hook has to do with your speech. These are original sample lines: change the details to match your topic and do not present an invented experience as your own.
| Hook | Opening line | Bridge to the topic |
|---|---|---|
| Question | "Have you ever finished a meeting without knowing what you were supposed to do next?" | "Today I will show you a simple way to end meetings with a clear owner and next step." |
| Brief story | "I reached the final slide and realized nobody knew what I was asking them to decide." | "That is why this presentation starts with the decision, not the background." Use only if the experience is true for you. |
| Demonstration | "Take a look at these two versions of the same slide." | "The numbers are identical. The difference is how quickly you can see the main point." Show the actual slides. |
| Contrast | "Being busy and making progress are not always the same thing." | "Let's compare a full task list with a plan organized around one outcome." |
| Imagined situation | "Imagine you have thirty seconds to explain your idea to someone who has never heard of it." | "That is the challenge we will use to practice a clear opening today." |
| Audience connection | "Everyone in this room has had to learn something before feeling ready." | "Our question today is how to make that first attempt easier for new colleagues." Check that the premise fits your audience. |
For an informative speech, move from curiosity to the thing you will explain. For a persuasive speech, move to the problem or decision. Use speech transitions to connect the opening to your first supporting point.
If you choose a statistic or quotation instead, check its original source, date, and context. Do not invent a surprising number just to make the opening stronger. Toastmasters' introduction guidance explains why an opening should also establish the topic and its relevance.
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:
| Key Points | Examples |
| Appropriateness or relevance to the audience | Talk about a recent trend that is appropriate for your type of speech. |
| Purpose of speech | Telling a joke if your purpose is to entertain. |
| Topic | Ask your audience questions related to your topic. |
| Occasion | Your tone and manner of speaking should match the speech occasion. |
Watch this tutorial on attention-getters for speeches:
Humor
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)
References
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:
| Type of Reference | What to do |
| Subject | Talk about the importance of understanding your topic. |
| Personal | Talk about your personal experiences that are related to your topic. |
| Current Events | Talk about relevant news that can grab your audience’s attention. |
| Historical | You can make a historical comparison or the aftermath of a historical event. |
| Audience | Make your audience feel included in your speech. Talk about something unique about your audience. |
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.
Questions
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.
Analogy
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:
1. Jokes
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?
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is an attention getter in a speech?
An attention getter is the opening line or moment that makes listeners focus on your speech. It should connect directly to your topic and audience.
What is the easiest attention getter to use?
A direct question is often the easiest because it immediately involves the audience and can lead naturally into your main idea.
How long should an attention getter be?
Most attention getters should be under 20 seconds. The goal is to earn attention quickly, then move into the speech.
