Say It in Seven Words or Less

It is one of marketing's cardinal rules...

It's what captures the attention of readers...

It's what all advertising slogans should be...

There's a reason why headlines are retained.

Making it memorable enhances your marketing efforts.

Seven words are very easy to remember.

Why use seven when two will do?

Why use two when you need seven?

Always make your message succinct and meaningful.

Say it in seven words or less.

You may have noticed this Marketing Matter was first published in 2006 - but it still has relevance today...especially when there are more and more messages bombarding us through the Internet, television, cellphones and tablets!  About six months ago, Tim Bete, a member of LinkedIn (LinkedIn.com) and a moderator of a group that deals with non-profit marketing and fundraising, posted a thread called "Describe What You Do In Seven Words."  That's a great exercise (and notice the title has seven words).  Many sales professionals practice their 2 minute "elevator" speech and craft a 30 second introduction speech, because one never knows how much time someone will offer them in a sales presentation.  If the sales professional can condense their presentation down to its most vital elements, they have the ability to make a significant impact on the person that's either on the other side of the desk, or at a networking event.

I think it's a great exercise to cut such speeches down to just seven words...seven well-chosen, perfectly placed words.  Think of the seven last words of Christ.  It's the perfect prayer for all of us - "Into Your hands I commend My Spirit."  If we can pray that prayer every day, it's an incredible exercise in faith.  It makes us realize that all we do is for the good of the Kingdom, and that we are completely open to the will of God in our lives.

A seven-word soliloquy is also a great conversation starter.  Rather than going on about what you do when someone asks you, provide them with just enough information to pique their interest.  If it's a well-crafted statement, they'll ask for more information about what you said.  For instance, when someone asks me what I do, I say, confidently, "Help schools form a firm financial foundation."  Their response is usually, "How do you do that?"  And the conversation begins.

© Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2011 (Original Publication Date: 20060417)

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