Say no more
Write a message statement in 23 words or less
My friends at TELLABS write brisk, interesting message statements — in 23 words or less.
Using message map guidelines from Tripp Frohlichstein, president of MediaMasters, they write one key message and three supporting points, like this:
“Tellabs innovates to help customers succeed — by cutting costs, generating revenue and improving the user experience.”
The resulting 23-words-or-less message translates into about seven seconds when spoken, says George Stenitzer, vice president of Corporate Communications for TELLABS. That’s the length of an average sound bite in the news media.
I thought of this formula when I read an airline’s 27-word strategy and core business message:
“AIR FRANCE KLM’s strategy can be expressed as: one Group, two Airlines, and three Core Businesses. KLM’s core businesses are passenger transport, cargo shipment, and aircraft maintenance.”
Short. Sweet. Neat.
How could you improve your message statements by adhering to a tight word count?
Cut Through the Clutter resources
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About Ann Wylie
Ann Wylie is president of Wylie Communications Inc., a training, writing and consulting firm. She works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out. Wylie is the author of RevUpReadership.com, a toolbox for writers, and Wylie’s Writing Tips, a free e-zine. She has earned more than 60 awards, including two IABC Gold Quills, for her work.
Copyright © 2010 Ann Wylie. All rights reserved.
