Speaking in Soundbites
You may have heard the media phrase “speaking in soundbites,” but what does it really mean? For journalists, when they find a source who knows how to speak in soundbites, they are often giddy. I always get excited when I’m talking with a potential interviewee and they don’t struggle to share their thoughts on a subject. Or they don’t ramble on or digress in the middle of an answer. Most TV producers and reporters are looking for a colorful quote or expert answer that runs about 10 to 15 seconds. That is the soundbite sweet spot.
Of course, very few people talk like that normally. Most people need 30-40 seconds (at least) to get their point across. It takes training and practice to be able to share your thoughts with tight precision and still say something useful. It doesn’t matter whether you’re doing an interview for a print or online article or speaking live on-air with a reporter – you still need to know your talking points and be able to share them succinctly.
When I work with a client, I start by having them tell me their story at length, whether it’s about their business, book or organization. We’ll record it and then watch it together. As we watch it, we’ll pick out the important and interesting details that make for a good story. Then we’ll craft soundbites from those details that can be shared easily with a reporter. An important lesson in all this is that if you want to become a go-to guest or source, you need to make a producer or reporter’s life easier. And by learning to talk in soundbites, you will be on their speed-dial.