6 Tips for Communicating in a Way That Truly Resonates

By Nancy Duarte

Use catchy words
Take time to carefully craft a few messages with catchy words. For example, Neil Armstrong used the six hours and 40 minutes between his moon landing and first step to craft his historic statement. Phrases that have historical significance or become headlines don't just magically appear in the moment. They are mindfully planned.

Make them remember
Once you've crafted the message, there are three ways to ensure the audience remembers it: First, repeating the phrase more than once. Second, punctuating it with a pause that gives the audience time to write down exactly what you said. And finally, projecting the words on a slide so they receive the message visually as well as aurally.

Imitate a famous phrase
Everyone knows the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Well, an imitation of that famous phrase might be "Never give a presentation you wouldn't want to sit through yourself."

The future isn't just a place you'll go. It's a place you will invent. Your ability to shape your future depends on how well you communicate where you want to be when you get there. When ideas are communicated effectively, people follow and change. Words that are carefully framed and spoken are the most powerful means of communication there is.

Nancy Duarte is author of "Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences" and CEO of in-person, online and mobile presentation agency Duarte Design.