One-Minute Communications Tips Archive
May 2008

Emphasizing an Idea

When you want to convey to your audience that something in your document or speech is important, you can do it in a number of ways. You can:

• Repeat the idea, in different ways in different places. You may want to remind people of the repetition. "As I said before, open communication is the key." But don't overdo it, or the assertion loses its punch.
   
• Say it is important.
   
• Describe it at greater length.
   
• Format it differently. Put it in graphics, boldface, italics or even — if it’s a word or two — capitals. In a presentation, try raising your voice slightly.
   
• Write the idea in a short sentence: "Sales grew 23% in the second quarter." For added emphasis, make it a one-sentence paragraph. When speaking, pause before and after the statement.
   

© Arun Sinha, Access Communications. Access Communications is a marketing communications and technical writing firm based in Stamford, Connecticut, USA. Sign up for Access Communications's One-Minute Communication Tip at http://www.AccessConsultingInc.com. Once a month, you'll receive an actionable idea or technique on an aspect of business communications, distilled into about 150 words.

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