“Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Posted on November 30, 2010 at 5:40 pm

If it takes more than 4 minutes, then you just got boring! I’m not talking about my prowess in bed; but about the power of communication.

Some people think they need half an hour to get their ideas across, however everybody accepts less is more – I think the question to any communicator is, how low do you dare go?

When your message is short, sharp and succinct it’s memorable, so why is it such a challenge to persuade presenters and communicators to divide their message into 4 minute chunks. Every 4 minutes, change tact – simple! Introduce someone new or something new. Start a discussion or an idea with some questions and answers.

Pity your poor audience, you don’t want them drowning in unnecessary nonsense. This may mean eliminating your comfort blanket, but if your message hits home and is remembered, enjoyed and appreciated, it has to be worth the intellectual investment surely.

I suppose the question is; can you really build up a full day’s programme that consists of 4 minute episodes? This may sound like of a challenge but of course you can – and it’s worth the work!

Author: Simon King-Cline