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You Only Get One Chance to Make a First Impression

May 07, 2010 | by Diane Copeland

What kind of a first impression do learners have of your training programs? Whether learning is presented in person or self-directed, you need to motivate your audience to mentally engage in the content. Otherwise, their lack of interest leads to a lack of motivation, which will result in no learning.

In many ways, it’s similar to a job interview where you have to “sell yourself” to the interviewer in order to get the job. For learners, you have to “sell your training” in order to get them to learn something.

Selling your training must happen in the first few minutes of your program. It’s all about first impressions. Back to our job interview analogy for a minute—research has shown that it takes as little as 30 seconds for an interviewer to form a first impression of the interviewee.¹ And if that seems too “person” oriented for all the technology we use in training these days, then consider this:  Web users form first impressions of web pages in as little as 50 milliseconds.² 

So, developing an introduction that motivates your learners is as important as the rest of the content. Unfortunately, most training programs start with a title slide or screen, followed by the objectives, then the content. Not a dynamic first impression.

What can you do to create interest for the learner in the first few minutes? Many years ago I started using the Purpose-Process-Payoff³ introduction. It was originally developed as a model for a salesperson beginning a sales call. The model also works well for learners:

Purpose
This part answers the question “Why am I here?” for the learner. The general goal of the program should be described. For example, “This training is designed to teach you how to use X, a new medical device that prevents heart attacks.”

Process
This describes the training process and answers the question “What’s going to happen?” For example, “We will first describe the device, then look at a video that will show you five different clinical scenarios. At the end of the program, you can use a simulator to test yourself on the device use.” You can also include the training objectives here, but only after an overview of the process. 

Payoff
This last, but most important, part of the introduction answers the very important question “What’s the benefit for me as the learner?” For example, “You will be able to effectively use this device to help save the lives of patients.”
By answering these three questions up front, especially clarifying the payoff, you are creating interest and motivating the learner to engage in the learning. Now that’s a great first impression!

1. Willis J, Todorov A. “First Impressions: Making Up Your Mind.”  Psychological Science. 2006;7:77-79.
2. Lindgaard G, Fernandes GJ, Dudek C, Brown J. “Attention web designers: You have 50 milliseconds to make a good first impression!” Behaviour and Information Technology. 2006;25:115-126.
3. Wilson L, Johnson S. The One Minute Sales Person. 2002.