Whether in blogging or in real life, the desire to get others to listen to our opinions is what motivates us to write and speak. We talk because we expect others to listen to us, and we write because we expect others to read us.

For bloggers, the importance of engaging their readers in a discussion by getting their attention can not be overemphasized. Bloggers are official speakers. Unlike an average Joe who would talk out of necessity whether he gets heard or not, bloggers speak to influence opinions and spark discussions. This can only be done if you, as a blogger, know how to get others to listen to you.

In real life, we talk to a lot of people everyday, yet we hardly leave an impression on a single person. This is because others do not listen to us, they don’t care what we say, and they pretend to listen because they don’t want to offend us. They know we are going to repeat what they have already heard hundreds of times. The only way to change this attitude is to convince them that what we have to say can have a positive affect on their lives.

In blogging, there is even less of an audience for us that is willing to give us a chance. People here are more savvy and take little heed of weak voices.

Here are a few tested and tried ways to make others give you their undivided attention, and become keen listeners.

• Translate their feelings – People always have vague ideas and half-baked thoughts popping in and out of their minds, but they don’t know how to express them. It’s your job to give those ideas and thoughts a solid shape. When you light a bulb in a reader’s mind and connect missing dots for him, he will exclaim, “Hey, this is exactly what I have been thinking!” Congratulations! This guy is always going to trust your words.
• Be strong but not forceful – A strong writing is convincing because it is based on facts and your unshakable conviction in its being right. Forceful writing is bullying, arrogant, and opinionated. Do you know of a person who has an ounce of respect for bullies?
• Be amicable and humorous – It’s so amazing that everybody loves to laugh and nobody likes to cry! Stop being too solemn and make others smile. This is one of the best ways to get others to notice your presence as a distinct blogger.
• Share stories and anecdotes – Many of us go through similar circumstances, experience similar emotions, and feel the same way about similar situations. Sharing your stories (or even others’) is a great way to establish an emotional connection with your audience. Storytelling has magical effects and it always inspires others to share their own stories and observations.
• Speak with authority – If you tend to get all humble and apologetic during writing, forget about getting other to take you seriously. This is one of the biggest reasons why the common people remain common. They don’t even believe in their own words and ideas.

  People like to be told what to do, they like to follow instructions, and they listen attentively to authority. Speak with authority, and don’t be afraid of being in charge. You’ll be amazed to see how people respond to strong opinions.

• Highlight your uniqueness – You thought this was wrong? Nope. Others want to emulate you and your skills. Tell them about your uniqueness and share your unique perspective with them. They’ll be happy to listen to you and follow along to get a glimpse of your minds’ workings.
• Lay forth the hard data – Hard stats are not out of business for bloggers. When proving a point, cite all credible sources that you know of related to your point, offer charts and numbers etc., This will make others believe that you know your stuff, and aren’t merely talking out of your arse.
• Be a good listener – Do I need say more? Let’s all take turns to speak. When you are done speaking, let others speak their heart out while you listen.

Although, my points were all aimed at bloggers, you can easily apply the same techniques to real life and see how easily you build an audience!