Get Right To The Point

You’ve said (or thought) it hundreds of times: “I just wish they would get to the point!”

It happens in a classroom. In a sales pitch. In a corporate meeting. Even in a personal conversation.

People struggle to get to the point.

And everyone else struggles to pay attention (a battle that is quickly lost when boredom, confusion, and irrelevance settle in).

Here’s why that matters: You may have a very important message, but if you do not secure attention - quickly - by letting your listeners know why they should care, then they just….won’t. Won’t care. Won’t listen. Won’t do, or buy, or change.

Ouch.

Who is guilty of this worst practice?

Trainers

Marketers

Sales Professionals

Executive Leaders

Pastors

Managers

Job seekers

Presenters

Writers

Clinical Professionals

OK, enough of the list….everyone!

Why does this happen?

We often operate under three delusions:

• It’s their job to figure out what we’re saying (pro tip: it’s not. That’s YOUR job)

• Getting there is half the fun (no, it’s not. We don’t have time to waste)

• I have a lot to say and I’m going to be sure to be thorough (bad idea. TMI - Too Much Information - is the enemy of clarity).

What’s the solution?

We have to be brain-friendly in the way we design our communications. Knowing that the human brain is looking for immediate relevance - something new, important, interesting - in the first seconds of any encounter means that we have to begin our message with a “hook.”

Earning attention means taking the quickest route to demonstrating relevance. We need to be direct, not meander around. The recipe for effectively earning attention by getting to the point is contained in my book, The Point.

Less is more

We are in a constant competition for attention. There are thousands of distractions surrounding us every moment of every day. Every professional needs to learn how to distill information and design communication in a way that wins. There is no more important skill to develop.

If you’re looking for a speaker/trainer/facilitator who will help your people get to the point with clarity, contact me.