Why soundbites are your worst enemy (and greatest weapon?)

We hear a lot these days about ‘soundbites’.

In fact, I’ve had clients who, when you sit down with them to prepare a speech, the first question they ask is:

“What’s my soundbite?”

They want to know what will be picked up, how it will sound.

And this is natural.

It’s understandable.

It’s also not new – the soundbite has been around for decades.

Some would say centuries.

‘We shall fight them on the beaches…’ is one example.

‘Ask not what your country can do for you…’ is another.

In Australia, ‘It’s time’ is an obvious one.

So the power of a slogan or soundbite is undeniable.

In fact – it can be your greatest weapon in any presentation or speech you give.

BUT…

That’s not the whole story.

Yes, a good soundbite can summarise your entire message into a pithy, memorable, quotable statement.

Yes, a soundbite can get picked up and take on a life of its own, that can make or break your message – like Hilary Clinton’s ill-thought ‘basket of deplorables’ line.

But focusing on the soundbite first is the absolute WORST thing any speaker or speechwriter can do.

The worst – period.

This is because thinking about the soundbite before you write is like trying to cut a cake before you’ve even started mixing the ingredients.

Not just silly – it’s impossible.

To understand this, we have to understand what a soundbite actually is.

It’s not just a short excerpt that sound snappy.

A good soundbite is something that seems to stand for the entire message.

Whether it’s ‘we’ll fight them on the beaches’ or a ‘basket of deplorables’ doesn’t matter.

It defines your message.

But it can only do that if your message is first defined in full in longer passages.

Those great phrases and images that make up some of the most famous lines in history don’t come from trying to be catchy first – they come from trying to be meaningful first.

Catchy then comes as a natural consequence.

One reason for this is the soundbite has to exist inside a larger context.

Something that leads up to it, and gives it its meaning.

That way it stands out.

If, on the other hand, you try to do what some modern speakers do – pepper their speeches with as many hopeful soundbites as possible – you end up sounding like someone reading their lines.

Someone making a bunch of aimless statements.

Not a leader.

A good soundbite is good precisely because it says something. And because the words around it say something, too.

Ideally – they all aim towards saying the SAME something.

The one message of the speech.

This leads to the second reason you don’t look for a soundbite until after you’ve written.

Because if your speech or presentation is tightly woven around a single message, and you do your utmost to make it clear and vivid, soundbites often arise unconsciously.

Even if one doesn’t – you’ll be in a much better place to create one from the tightly focused speech than from thin air.

The third and final reason your soundbite should be out of mind until after your first draft is this:

Try as you might to write a soundbite, the reality is the soundbite gets chosen by your audience (or the media).

I used the ‘basket of deplorables’ from Clinton for this reason – that wasn’t her intended soundbite.

Nor was it her intended message.

But it became both.

Which brings us back to the point:

The message reign supreme.

If your entire speech says just one thing – then no matter what your audience takes as the soundbite will be ‘on message’.

So ask not ‘What’s my soundbite?’…

…ask ‘What’s my message?’

Talk soon,

Alexander

P.S.

Need speechwriting, corporate training, or coaching? Hit ‘reply’ or email me directly at [email protected] and let’s talk.