The Power of Your One Sentence

Consider these examples of a powerful one sentence.

That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.  – Neil Armstrong

If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.  – Martin Luther King, Jr.

CopyDoodles create great copywriting results, without having to be a great copywriter. – Mike Capuzzi

Each of the above three sentences illustrates a powerful concept which can help you create an important profit asset in your business, and if I may be so bold as to put myself on the same level as Neil Armstrong and Dr. King, I want to share a simple and effective marketing tip.

We, as business owners and marketers, often spend too long getting to the point, because we spend too little time determining what the main point is.

Yet, in our fast-paced, short-attention span world, we must be clear and concise to achieve our goals, which is to get attention of a specific type of person and get them to take action.

Yet in this day and age of mass digital media and instant distractions, people who tackle urgent, important issues, do not have time to waste.

As French author Blaise Pascal wrote in 1657, “I have made this letter longer than usual, only because I have not had the time to make it shorter.”

Re-read that quote again, because it’s powerful.

Developing a short, concise and powerful message is no easy task and it takes much more effort to create it, then to bloviate and spew everything you know about your product or service.

This is an important lesson I constantly preach to private clients: often less can be more.

Is a two hour webinar really necessary, if you can get your message across effectively in 45 minutes?

When you ramble or fail to give a clear sense of direction to your message, you turn people off and any money invested to get their initial attention is wasted.  Simplicity, if it is clear and compelling, is power.

Consider Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.  It lasted three minutes and 75% of Lincoln’s words were one syllable.  Interestingly, Lincoln delivered his famous, almost poetic speech, after Edward Everett, considered to be the country’s best orator at the time, had spoken for two hours.

No one remembers Everett’s speech.

What is Your One Sentence?

Recently I came across a book you may want to add to your library.  It’s Mimi Goss’s “What Is Your One Sentence?”

Goss does a good job of declaring the importance of having laser-focused, “one sentences” about you, your business, your products and your services.  While smart marketers understand the value of unique selling propositions and unique value propositions, I found this book offered a different slant on a topic I already understood.

My only “issue” with her book is that it doesn’t offer a lot of business-oriented one sentence examples, however if you struggle with being able to clearly and succinctly articulate your messages, I would recommend getting this book and using Goss’ exercises to create your own one sentences.

To offer you a quick glimpse, here are Mimi’s 12 Components of a Memorable One Sentence:

1. Defines the essence of your whole message
2. Inspires dialogue
3. Is about people and for people
4. Includes action or a new way of looking at a topic
5. Captures your message’s inherent drama, power or wit
6. Is directed towards achieving your goals
7. Takes into consideration your desired audience members’ goals
8. Enhances your message, because it helps you and your audience focus on your message’s key point
9. Highlights your message’s special, inspiring value
10. Has a style authentic to you or your organization
11. Uses concrete examples that people can visualize or is poetic and soaring
12. Is easy to understand and ideally, to remember

After reading the book, I immediately looked at some of my current marketing efforts and went back and wrapped a “one sentence” around them.  I think you will find it a profitable exercise for your business too.  You can find Mimi’s book on Amazon.com and I am giving away one copy this week.

To be eligible, simply post your ONE SENTENCE about your product, service or business below.  I will pick one winner and post the winner next Monday.  Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Mike Randall for his pithy one sentence.  Your copy of the book is in the mail!