How to make people read, watch, and listen to you (hooks)
In social media marketing and video content there is a common (and very important) word - Hook.
First moments of the video. First lines of text in a post. Headline in a publication.
The idea is to “hook” the viewer/reader/listener right away.
But I’d argue this idea should go far beyond social posts and short videos.
Everything you say, write, present in public - start with something captivating whenever possible.
That’s why I never understood channel trailers and intros before the main video. Or long unnecessary introductions before the main speech. Or walls of random sections before the main email.
If you aren’t sure that hooks matter as much as everyone says - I’ve been thinking the same... until we ran a gigantic series of tests and the data was clear as day: video hook has significantly more effect on results than any other part of the video (about 5x on average in these particular tests)
Start emails with something captivating
Subject line is just one piece of the puzzle.
Develop its idea in your FIRST sentences.
Don’t write long intros.
Don’t add other distracting things and sections before the meat of the email.
Make it personal, not one-to-many (”Hi first_name” is not enough)
Start conversations with resonating ideas
When you’re in a big room with different groups of people it’s easy to test multiple angles - ways to start the conversation and the actual words you use to describe what you want to describe.
Notice people’s reactions. Neutral? Excited? REALLY EXCITED? Or bored?
Change approaches on the fly. See what resonates.
Start presentations with big ideas
Show the audience why they should care.
This usually means focusing on big problems or opportunities.
Don’t make it boring. Don’t make it look like lazy homework slides.
Use your company as snappy proof, not as a story filler with minutes talking “About us”
Give novel ideas, easy to remember soundbites, useful frameworks.
Be like a musician
In music, hook means something a bit different.
It’s not necessarily the beginning of a song.
Instead, it’s a memorable catchy part: melodic line of notes, rhythm, lyric, riff...
Whenever you’re writing a post or giving a speech or making a video - sure, first moments matter a ton. But for maximum effect - add even more memorable soundbites throughout.
The more you practice it, the more you will master the art and process of holding people’s attention until the end (and long after it)
Want help with your hooks? Let’s talk