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Speakers who get their points across in a short period of time and who know to concentrate less on what they want to say and more on what they want you to hear are the most successful.

When we're trying to get a point across to someone else we often think long and hard about what we want to say. That is the wrong way to go about it. Instead of focusing on what you want to say to get your point across, you should focus on what you want the other person to hear. This should be tied to brevity.

In our sound bite age, a message is most powerful when it delivers good material in a short amount of time

1. Getting the Message

What Do I Want to Say?

Whether you are giving instructions, ordering goods, or writing a memo explaining policy, you want to be sure to get your point across.

You want to say just the right thing so the other person understands your point.

Sometimes you practice what you are going to say. Often we write drafts of our memos and speeches to make sure we use the right words. All this is done to make sure we send the right message.

Be concise, precise, and specific in choosing your words, regardless of whether you write them or speak them. They tell you that this is the best way to get your point across to your audience.

Who Is My Audience?

We all know how important our audience is in deciding what we are going to say and how we are going to say it. Explaining the value of a new phone system is different if you are speaking to the finance department than if you are addressing the telesales staff.

The better you know your audience the easier it is for you to tailor your message to them.

The more your message is tailored to your audience the more likely it is that you will get your point across.

How Do I Reach Them?

While the message you send is important, the message the receiver hears is even more important.

If you know your audience you usually have an idea of how they will interpret or filter what you say. You can use this to your advantage to make sure they receive the message you are trying to send.

We all know, for instance, that if we are addressing a group of children we can't use "big words" because they won't understand our message. So we choose words they will understand.

Rather than using "big words" that convey the message we want to send, we use words we think they will understand. That way they will hear our message and understand it.

Don't try to explain technology concepts to accountants using technical terms.

Don't use a financial analogy to get a point across to the Creative Department.

If you want your telesales service to handle more calls per day, tell them that.

Don't tell them they need to "reduce the time interval between customer-interface opportunities."

Manage This Issue

To increase your chances of getting your point across, focus more on the receiver than on the sender. Tailor your message to your audience to improve their comprehension. Don't worry so much about what you want to say as about what you want them to hear and understand.

2. Keeping it Short.

Here are some guidelines to make brevity, clarity and sticking to the point a key part of your speeches.

Once upon. . . . . . The end.

Try to keep stories under two minutes in length. In preparing a story for a presentation, continue to ask the question, "How can I say this in less time and in fewer words?" Script out the story and then try to condense it. To ensure the story stays under two minutes, include only information that answers who, what, when, where and why. If the information doesn't address one of these questions, leave it out. Also make sure you have a sense of direction in the story. Each part should move toward the conclusion. The listener should always feel you are going somewhere in developing your story and that it will all make sense when you get there.

Start with Less

When possible, follow the time-honoured proverb, "Less is more." Leave out clichés, filler words, and verbal hiccups such as "You know," "OK" and "All right." Leave out phrases like "Let me be honest" (does this mean the rest has been dishonest?) and avoid transitions such as "In other words" or "To say it another way." Speak in short sentences, short phrases and short words. Word choice should be instantly clear to an audience. Make it a goal to make every word have impact in your speech.

Time Yourself

Know the length of your speech by practising it. Never be surprised by the length of a presentation. Never say to an audience, "I see I'm running out of time, so I must hurry along." You should already know as a result of your preparation and rehearsal. To go one step further, if you know the time limit on your speech is 20 minutes, stop a minute short; don't go overtime. Audiences will appreciate your respect of their time and will think more highly of you as a speaker.

The Power of Segment

Once you know the total amount of time needed to present, learn to divide parts of the speech into time segments. With a 20-minute speech, for example, the introduction should be no longer than two and a half minutes. You should be able to get the audience's attention and lay the groundwork for your message in that length of time. Avoid opening with generalisations about the weather or the audience. Let the audience know up front that every word you speak counts.

Then, spend the bulk of your time in the body of the speech. This is where you make your points and give support or evidence for each point. The final two minutes should be your summary and move-to-action statement. Some speakers have a hard time concluding. When you say you are going to conclude, do so, don't hang about at the finish line of the speech."

One way to keep a speech brief is to have no more than three points in the body. With a maximum of three points, you will have the self-discipline to condense rather than expand. When organising the material, accept the fact that there will always be more material than you can cover, and make sure you include only material that relates to the three points you plan to make.

When in doubt, follow the speaking axiom: Have a powerful, captivating opening and a strong, memorable close, and put the two of them as close together as possible.