The Three Simplest Sound Bite Patterns Are...

I just touched on this in the very first lecture in this entire course.

Forgive me if this seems repetitive but the sound bite thing is so critically important.

I wanted to simplify your life even more and remind you that beyond the two that I mentioned in the first lecture there are three sound bite elements that are much much easier for most people to come up with than the other seven.

Humor can be really tough even in an ideal situation but when you’re factoring in being quoted and whether you’re offending someone that’s a tough one but of the 10 sound bite elements I’ve listed here for you three are much easier and safer than the other seven the first one emotion.

Just say how you feel about it make sure it’s a positive emotion.

If it’s something you’re trying to put a positive spotlight on.

The second one that’s really easy.

Absolutes always must never have to gotta makes it easy and doesn’t require any great literary flair.

It’s a formula so you don’t get off the hook if you tell yourself well I’m not some great writer I can’t do this.

Yes you can.

It’s a simple formula.

The third one that’s really easy rhetorical questions just put a question mark at the end.

So this requires zero literary flair zero creativity.

If you have those things great use them but it doesn’t require that you don’t have to.

Ultimately you’re not being judged on how quick you are thinking on your feet.

In fact I don’t want you to do any thinking on your feet.

I want you to think of these in advance.

Have them written out and memorized but more or less stuck up here unless it’s a phone interview in which case I want you staring at a piece of paper or a computer screen with your soundbites.

And this way it just makes life so much easier for you.

So remember emotion absolutes rhetorical questions when in doubt do that.

And if you’re horrible at that just realize get someone else to do it.

You’re not being judged by whether you create them yourself you’re being judged by whether they come out of your mouth and you get the exact quote you want in the story.

So you may have an assistant in your office and outside PR person you may want to put in the question and answer session right here and see what suggestions you get.

I’ll certainly be happy to give you suggestions.

You don’t get credit for thinking of them any more than you get credit for building the car.

You can drive the car and get to where you want to be on time.

That’s what people are judging you by not whether you built the car you need to make sure you have what you need to get you to where you’re going and what you need.

Are these sound bite elements on message.

Good luck.