POP! A Phrase That Pays – The Better Newsletter #104

ANECDOTE

Garry Marshall, director of the movie Pretty Woman, is one of my favorite keynoters from the Maui Writers Conference.  

He told our audience, “Hollywood directors can predict when their movies will make money based on one thing: Do people walk out of the theater repeating something they heard… word for word?”

If they can, they become brand ambassadors who take that movie viral.

If someone asks, “Seen any good movies lately?” and they repeat a catchy tagline like “Make my day,” “I’ll be back,” “Show me the money,” from a movie they just saw, they become a word-of-mouth advertiser for it – all because it had a phrase-that-pays that stuck in their mind.

So, here’s my question… When people walk out of your meeting (or watch your video, or read your blog, website, or marketing material), can they repeat anything they heard… word-for-word?

If so, good for you!

If not, use these 5-quick tips (or listen to them herefor crafting a memorable phrase-that-pays to ensure YOUR MESSAGE is the one people repeat and retweet.

  1. Distill: Condense your premise or promise into eight words or less

  2. Rhythm: Put it in a beat to make it easy to repeat

  3. Alliteration: Use words that start with the same sound

  4. Rhyme:  Use rhyme to be remembered over time

  5. Pause & Punch:  POP! your phrase-that-pays with distinctive inflection

ACTION

  • What is a high-stakes communication you have coming up? Are you writing a blog, building a new website, or launching a new program or product?

  • Follow the tips above to craft a phrase-that-pays so people can repeat and retweet it after hearing/reading it once.

P.S. Want my help to POP! a phrase-that-pays and make your presentation, brand, business, or book break out? That’s what I’ll be speaking on at Speaker BizCon in Vegas, Dec 18-19. See you there? Details here.

Leave A Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Want to Share Your Story/Suggestion With Sam Horn?

    Do you have a real-life example you'd like to share of how you deal with difficult people - without becoming one yourself? A story of how you've learned to think on your feet and handle challenging situations in the moment? I'd love to hear it, along with any other sensitive, stressful situations you suggest I include in my work on Talking on Eggshells? With your permission, we may share it with readers and audiences so they can benefit from your insights and lessons-learned.
  • Clear
  • Should be Empty:

sign up for email reminders about upcoming Masterclasses with sam horn

* indicates required