If They Can’t Repeat Your Message, They Can’t Spread It
The best measure of a speech isn’t the applause.
It’s what people are saying about it the next day.
I’ve heard wonderful speakers receive huge applause, only to have people walk out of the room unable to explain what they actually learned.
And I’ve watched one simple sentence from a speaker travel from person to person long after the event ended.
What’s the difference?
One gave a presentation. The other gave people an idea they could carry with them.
When I work with authors, speakers, and thought leaders, this is something I pay very close attention to.
Because if people can’t repeat your message, they can’t spread your message.
More Information Doesn’t Make a Better Talk
Experts often make the mistake of trying to give their audience everything they know.
You have 30 minutes, so you squeeze in five principles, seven strategies, three stories, your methodology, your book, and as many helpful tips as possible.
You’re trying to give value.
But your audience is trying to remember.
Those are two very different things.
Your audience doesn’t need everything you know. They need the idea you want to be known for.
That is the pillar of your talk.
Your stories, examples, research, lessons, and supporting points become the hooks that help people understand and remember it.
Find Your Repeatable Idea
Before I start thinking about slides or talking points, I like to get to something much more fundamental.
I ask:
“If someone could repeat only ONE sentence from your talk tomorrow, what would you want them to say?”
Try it.
Write down your sentence.
Now imagine someone from the audience having coffee with a friend the next morning.
Could they say:
“I heard this speaker yesterday, and she said…”
and finish that sentence with your idea?
If they can’t, keep working on it.
Your message may still be too broad.
The Best Ideas Create Another Conversation
Here’s another test I love:
Does your idea make someone want to ask a question?
That’s where a hook becomes powerful.
Imagine I say:
“Your book isn’t the finish line.”
You naturally want to know what I mean.
Or:
“Your audience doesn’t need more information. They need something worth repeating.”
Again, there’s somewhere for the conversation to go.
A strong idea creates curiosity.
And curiosity keeps your message moving.
Authors Already Have an Advantage
If you’ve written a book, your most powerful speaking idea may already be sitting somewhere inside those pages.
But here’s the mistake I see authors make:
They try to turn the entire book into a speech.
Your signature talk isn’t your book with fewer words.
Look for the one idea inside your book that could stand on its own.
Maybe it’s something you believe that challenges conventional thinking.
Maybe it’s a transformation you’ve witnessed hundreds of times.
Maybe it’s a sentence you wrote that makes readers stop.
Maybe it’s the idea underneath the entire reason you wrote the book.
That’s what I look for when I’m helping an author develop a signature talk, prepare for a TEDx opportunity, step in front of a television camera, or build greater thought leadership around their book.
We’re not looking for more things to say.
We’re looking for the thing worth remembering.
Before Your Next Speaking Opportunity
Don’t begin by asking:
“What am I going to talk about?”
Instead, ask:
“What do I want them repeating tomorrow?”
Find that sentence first.
Then build your stories around it.
Build your teaching around it.
Build your examples around it.
And come back to it before you leave the stage.
Because your speech may last 30 minutes.
Your idea could travel for years.
If people can repeat your message, they can help you spread it.
And that is where speaking begins becoming thought leadership.
A Gift for the HeartLink Community
Ready to make your message more memorable?
As a gift to the HeartLink community, I invite you to attend a complimentary session of my Monday Writer’s Group ($250 value), where we explore how to turn your ideas into a message that builds your visibility and thought leadership.
To claim your invitation, email me at rklein@ruthklein.com with HEARTLINK in the subject line, and my team will send you the details.
With heart,
Ruth Klein
Book Consultant & Thought Leadership Strategist
7X Bestselling Author
TV Host, The Book Club with Ruth Klein
