In Praise of the Sound Bite

Our communications columnist explains why business owners should use this oft-criticized public speaking device to capture customers' attention and make a lasting impression

by Carmine Gallo

The sound bite gets a bad rap. Some observers of the 2008 Presidential election race lament the state of political discourse on TV today, referring to it as "sound-bite politics." But sound bites were part of effective political communications long before 24-hour cable news and MTV. That's because sound bites work in situations where persuasion is the goal. Used effectively, speakers both inside and outside of politics know that a short, clear, memorable quote can aid listeners by capturing the essence of an argument.

Judging by the results on Super Tuesday, some sound bites obviously worked in favor of certain candidates, while others did not. But they were memorable—and that's what often counts. When appealing to customers as a business owner, you face a challenge not unlike appealing to voters as a politician: quickly capturing their attention and convincing them. Your listeners are starved for time. They want to understand the theme of your pitch or presentation and they want it fast.

"Give me liberty or give me death." With those words Patrick Henry stirred the passions of Virginia delegates in 1775, persuading our largest colony to join the American Revolution. The actual speech in which that quote appeared contains more than 1,200 words. Most certainly, Patrick Henry saved the best line for last, knowing that it would be the phrase everyone would remember. It's one of the most memorable sound bites in American politics.

Learn from the Maestros

One of the great orators of all time, Winston Churchill, understood the power of sound bites to strengthen the resolve of the British people during World War II. As Prime Minister he carefully crafted sentences that would make an emotional connection with his listeners and raise their spirits. During the Battle of Britain, Churchill said: "Never before in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Historians say this line, or sound bite, was so powerful that the Allied fighter pilots were nicknamed "The Few." And just as critics do today, some dismissed Churchill's rhetoric as "glittering phrases" that fell short on facts. But those glittering phrases kept hope alive.

Then there are countless examples from Mr. Sound Bite himself, John F. Kennedy. His inaugural address had several notable lines, including "Ask Not…… You know the rest. Kennedy, who is credited with creating the line even though speechwriter Ted Sorenson crafted most of the speech, edited and revised his speeches to place the focus on those lines most likely to be repeated. Ronald Reagan is remembered for: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" Reagan was a master of painting a comprehensive picture with a simple turn of phrase.

In the weeks leading up to the Super Tuesday primaries, the Presidential candidates had clearly honed their sound bites. If you listen to their quotes, they tell you a great deal about the candidate's main theme. Whether or not you agree with them, a one-sentence sound bite can reveal how candidates differentiate themselves. Senator Barack Obama took a swipe at Senator Hillary Clinton for her vote on the Iraq war by saying: "It's not just saying you're ready for Day One. The question is, are you right on Day One?" One pundit on NBC's Meet the Press said Obama's quote was the highlight of his last debate with Clinton before Super Tuesday. Obama felt this sound bite so clearly highlighted the difference between him and his opponent that he repeated the quote in nearly every debate, interview, and speech leading up to Tuesday's primary.

The Simplest Phrase is the Most Profound

In the same debate, Hillary Clinton introduced her own sound bite: "It did take a Clinton to clean up after the first Bush and it might take another one to clean up after the second one." Democratic strategist James Carville said that one quote helped Clinton shift the focus to current economic problems and her policies to solve them. If sound bite politics has destroyed political discourse in America, then why did every media organization from the Associated Press to NPR repeat those quotes? Because they tell us a lot about the candidates, and sometimes the simplest phrase is the most profound.

In a Republican debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Senator John McCain tried to differentiate himself from rival Mitt Romney by saying: "Ronald Reagan would not approve of someone who changes their position depending on what the year is." In this case, the image of Air Force One sitting majestically in the background gave McCain a sure thing, a quote backed by a visual guaranteed to be carried in the news. In one sentence, McCain tried to link himself with Reagan as well as plant a seed of doubt about his opponent. Romney, for his part, was trying to capture the majority of conservative voters by painting a picture of McCain as "outside the mainstream of conservative Republican thought."

Today, when a politician enters a debate or a great corporate leader delivers a presentation, their sound bites are committed to memory. Through media training, they rehearse answers to questions that will give them the opening to deliver it. As a business owner, you probably don't need media training but you should go through the same exercise. Create at least one line, or sound bite, that remains consistent in every presentation. Keep it concise and memorable. A carefully crafted quote will improve your chances of winning over your listeners.

Carmine Gallo, a business communications coach and Emmy-Award winning former TV journalist, is the author of Fire Them Up! and 10 Simple Secrets of the World's Greatest Business Communicators. He writes his communications column every week.