Most marketing messages go unnoticed because customers are on autopilot, filtering out repetitive content. Pattern interrupt breaks these habits by using surprise, humor, or unexpected tactics to grab attention and boost engagement and conversions. This guide explores how to use pattern interrupt effectively in sales and marketing to double your results.
Pattern interrupt is a marketing and sales technique that breaks a person’s habitual thinking pattern to create a moment of surprise, curiosity, or intrigue. It forces the brain to pay attention and process new information, making your message more engaging and memorable.
👉 Example: A LinkedIn message that starts with “This is NOT another boring sales pitch.” instantly grabs attention because it breaks the reader’s expectation of a typical outreach message.
Your first impression matters, and people decide whether to open an email or watch an ad based on the headline or first few seconds. A pattern-interrupting subject line stands out in crowded inboxes and feeds.
👉 Action Tip: Test different unexpected headlines, questions, or emojis to see what increases open rates.
Most ads follow the same formula, making them easy to ignore. A pattern-interrupting ad catches attention by being funny, shocking, or visually unexpected.
👉 Action Tip: Use unexpected visuals, humor, or exaggerated comparisons to make ads more engaging.
Prospects expect salespeople to be pushy or follow the same script. Using reverse psychology or breaking the script makes them more receptive.
👉 Action Tip: Try understating your offer, acknowledging common objections upfront, or using self-aware humor.
Customers expect a linear, standard sales process. Breaking that pattern makes the buying journey more memorable and engaging.
👉 Action Tip: Add gamification, surprise elements, or interactive steps in your sales funnel.
Most websites follow the same format: headline, bullet points, CTA button. Breaking this pattern makes visitors stay longer and take action.
👉 Action Tip: Test different CTA wordings, layouts, or pop-ups to keep users engaged.
The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text. An unexpected image, meme, or GIF can stop people from scrolling past your content.
👉 Action Tip: Experiment with color psychology, humor, and visually unexpected elements in marketing materials.
Martin Lunendonk
Martin Lunendonk is a senior tech writer specializing in website builders, web hosting, and ecommerce platforms. With a background in finance, accounting, and philosophy, he has founded multiple tech startups and worked in medium to large tech companies and investment banking, bringing deep expertise and reliable insights to his software reviews.