Book Review: How to Get Your Point Across in 30 Seconds or Less
Book Author: Milo Frank
Milo breaks down concise communicado into these parts:
- the objective – what do you want from the conversation? why?
- the approach
- know who you are talking too – what do they want from you? what does he want to hear from you? what is he looking for?
- how do you align your objective with your audience to deliver your point?
- hook
- get attention! Drama, intrigue, humor… draw them in
- Milo recommends keeping a hook book – it’s an interesting idea but seems hard to index through
- subject – what are you going to talk about? it must reinforce and prove the point you are trying to make
- the close – ask for it, either a specific and concrete next action or an indirect suggested close
So, putting this together you decide on your objective before having the conversation (this can be hidden or not). Once you know your objective you consider who you are talking to in order to form an approach that is likely to have the most value. In order to support your approach you need to discuss the why, what, who, what, where, and how of the subject.
In filling out your subject you can ask yourself:
- how does this support my objective?
- does this align with my approach?
- does this relate to my listener
Now, determine your hook, your opener – you might have one from your approach. Then determine what your ask will be and how you will go about it in the close.
Notes on when you are speaking:
- use imagery and your partner’s imagination
It ain’t watcha say it’s the way howcha say it What a great quote from Louis Armstrong.
A man’s style is his mind’s voice.
Dress, movement, eye contact, facial expression… how you use yourself to express the message makes the notes of the message ring and resonate with others by adding extra information on top.
Notes on speeches:
- You should know how to exit and what your “punchline is”
- Leave the audience wanting more – if everyone is saturated, you’ve gone too long