May I have your attention, please!

"Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." – Simone Weil

Let’s cut to the chase. Your ability to grab attention determines your success in sales. Period.

According to BBC News, the average human attention span has dropped to 9 seconds. That’s the same as a goldfish. That means by the time you finish reading that sentence, your prospect has already checked their phone, zoned out, or started thinking about what’s for lunch. You’ve got 9 SECONDS to make an impact. Blink, and you’re toast.

I see it all the time. Salespeople waltz into a business, thinking their charm, good looks, or "nice-guy" attitude will win them a meeting. Wrong. That might’ve worked in the ‘80s, but today, you’re up against overflowing inboxes, non-stop notifications, and decision-makers who would rather wrestle an alligator than talk to another salesperson.

So, how do you snap them out of their trance and lock in their attention? Like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, you hit them with something unexpected, intriguing, and impossible to ignore.

Here are seven bulletproof tactics to grab attention and never let go:

1️⃣ The Shoe-In Strategy:

Tired of hearing “I’m busy” from a prospect you’ve been chasing? Try this: Send them a shoe.

Yeah, you heard me. Buy a cheap shoe, fill it with candy, and attach a note:

"Hey [Prospect’s Name], I’ve been trying to get my foot in the door, so I figured I’d start with my shoe. Let’s chat for five minutes—I’ll make it worth your time!"

Sounds crazy? I got a callback EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

2️⃣ The ‘Give to Get’ Play

Want their attention? Give them something FIRST. It's not a bribe but a value bomb.

Bring an industry white paper, a killer market insight, or, better yet, a referral for THEIR business. When you help them first, you trigger the Law of Reciprocity. People feel compelled to return the favor.

And when they do? BOOM! The door’s open.

3️⃣ The ‘Big A$$ Business Card’ Tactic

Everyone’s got a stack of business cards collecting dust. Do you want yours to stand out? Make it HUGE.

I printed 8.5x11-inch business cards (yes, the size of a full sheet of paper). When someone asked for my card, I handed them this massive thing. Every time, they’d laugh and say, “Are you serious?”

Damn right, I am. And guess what? They never lost it.

4️⃣ The ‘5 Riesens’ Close

Candy makes people happy. Play into that.

I’d walk into a prospect’s office with a little bag containing five Riesen chocolates and say:

"I’ve got five Riesens (reasons) for a quick chat. Give me five minutes, and I’ll earn every second after that."

People would smile, take the candy, and give me those five minutes more often than not.

5️⃣ The ‘Smartphone Power Move’

Your phone isn’t just for selfies and scrolling. It’s your secret weapon for getting meetings.

Here’s the move: When a prospect says, “Call me later,” pull out your phone right in front of them, open your calendar, and say, “Great! Let’s lock that in now. What time works best?”

Better yet, send them a calendar invite titled:
“Give me 5 minutes, and I’ll earn the rest!”

When the reminder pops up, they’ll see that bold promise staring them in the face. And trust me, if you wrote that, you better bring your A-game when you call.

6️⃣ The ‘WTF Holiday’ Card Strategy

You ever get a Happy 4th of July card?

No? Exactly.

Everyone expects cards on Christmas and birthdays. Nobody expects them on random holidays—and that’s why they work.

Send greeting cards for:

✅ Valentine’s Day 💘
✅ St. Patrick’s Day 🍀
✅ Cinco de Mayo 🌮
✅ Flag Day 🇺🇸
✅ First Day of School 📚
✅ Columbus Day ⛵
✅ Thanksgiving 🦃

When they get that card, they’ll think, “Who the hell sent me this?” Now they’re thinking about YOU. That’s half the battle.

7️⃣ The ‘Shock & Awe’ Opener

Do you want to stop someone in their tracks? Hit them with something they’ve never heard before.

Try these opening lines:
🔥 “If I can show you how to double your leads without spending a dime more, would you give me 10 minutes?”

🔥 “How much money are you losing to your competitors every day? Let’s fix that.”

🔥 “Imagine your business growing so fast you have to turn customers away. I help companies do exactly that.”

Sales is a street fight for attention. You either make them look up, or you fade into the background.

Final Word: Don’t Waste Their Time

Getting attention is just the first battle. You still have to deliver the goods. If you grab a prospect’s attention and then bore them with fluff, you will NEVER get another shot.

So, be prepared. Have a rock-solid reason for them to keep talking to you. Make your message clear, valuable, and impossible to ignore. Because in sales, attention isn’t given. It’s TAKEN. Now, go out there and grab it.