Making Your Point... Quickly

This article, by Will Craig, is short and sweet and....well...to the point! With Facebook and Twitter and all of the other social media out there you only have a few key strokes in order to capture your audiences' attention before you run out of space. Time is valuable to everyone these days and if you can remember these 4 simple rules you will be able to say what you mean, speak in a language that will be comprehended and remembered and be successful in getting YOUR point a crossed!

Sharon LaMothe
Infertility Answers, Inc.
http://infertilityanswers.org/
LaMothe Services, LLC
http://lamotheservices.com/



Hubbard Glacier July 2009

Making Your Point... Quickly


by Will Craig

The media has changed the way we communicate. If you plan to hold an audience -even an audience of one- you must now think in terms of brevity, pacing, and distinctive language. Below is a formula used by television producers to write 30-second commercials. Keep in mind, this is the language of people who only have a half a minute to sell you something.

Hook
Something used to specifically gain attention, i.e.: headlines in a newspaper, TV and radio "teases," chapter titles in a book. What is the most fascinating, unusual, striking, or funny aspect of your message? That's your hook. Put it up front!

Build Up
Who, what, when, where, and how. Just like the news story that follows the dramatic headline. This is where you explain, reinforce, and prove your point.

Payoff
This is where you drive your point home, ask for the order, or close the deal. This is the reason for the message. The hook and the build up allow you to make your point with impact.

The Point (in thirty seconds)
We live in a headline society. If you can't bottom line your thinking, you won't be a top line success. Everyday your success is being determined by how well you communicate. Marshall McLuhan said, "The medium is the message." In this case, the medium is you. You telecast your own messages and the ratings you receive from your audience determine your success in life.