I like to turn that around and suggest that we explore the
question “how can I make my audience remember my point?” (Yes, I’m always
suggesting a subtle mindset shift from egocentric thinking and communicating to
audience-centric thinking and communicating.)
Enter the Message Sandwich!
First ingredient: the message. For every major idea you need
to get across – it may be a section of your presentation or the material you’re
sharing at a meeting – there’s an important statement to be made. That
statement is a message.
And here’s how to find it …
If you are engaged in some form of persuasion (selling,
motivating, influencing), the message will convey the significance or benefit
or value of what you’re putting out there. If you are engaged in some form of education
(informing, reviewing, updating), the message will be more of a capture
statement that summarizes the material.
A shortcut to finding the message is by going straight to your conclusion. Ask yourself, how would I
conclude? What would I say to wrap up? What is it about this chunk of material
that I would want them to take away? Interestingly, we usually save the best
for last.
Yet I’m saying, use the best for first and last.
Your message then becomes the top and the bottom slice of
bread – i.e. the statement you use to open and close your point.
What’s in the middle of your sandwich? Information.
Background, detail, supporting data and statistics, stories and anecdotes.
All too often we lead with information, tons of it. We build
a case and then conclude with the message. So forget about evidence first, conclusion last. Go for the sandwich: conclusion-evidence–conclusion;
message–info–message.
Reinforcement of your message is the only hope for your
audience’s retention of it. Good luck!
