Quotable

Let’s play who said…

“We have nothing to fear, but fear itself.”

“My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your county.”

“I have a dream today.”

“Get in this house right now! How many times do I have to tell you to clean your room?!”

What do F.D.R, John F Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr. and mom have in common?

They all said stuff we remember. They all made a mark in history and in our lives with words (even if we were not on the planet on the date of the now famous phrase).

They all spoke millions of words. But at just the right moment, when attention was focused, they became… quotable.

Being quotable…

Makes you memorable.
Makes you linkable
Makes you promotable.

It draws people toward you and makes people want to be around you and learn from you.

Of course, it’s impossible to predict with complete accuracy if you’re going to pop a phrase that makes it into the annals of history. Until then here are seven ways to become more quotable when you speak and write…

01 Phrase with Purpose

Being intentional is a lost art.

We live in a day and culture that allows anyone to say whatever, whenever without thought. That may not be all bad. It definitely increases the ratings of reality shows and keeps the guy in charge of the “beep” editor cashing a check.

However, quotes that last beyond the water cooler possess purpose. They are planned and positioned for impact.

Every single word of your speech or article or post will not be perfect. But you can plan and should plan for a specific phrase to anchor in the hearts of your audience. A phrase that you know they can take with them to challenge or encourage.

When you phrase with purpose; you become heart quotable.

02 Phrase with Passion

Say it with passion or just leave me a note.

No one repeats the monotone or the mediocre. We’re drawn to LIFE. We’re drawn to the person whose passion puts them out on the edge away from the crowd.

From the movie Braveheart…

William Wallace: And if this is your army, why does it go?

Veteran: We didn’t come here to fight for them!

Young Soldier: Home! The English are too many!

William Wallace: Sons of Scotland! I am William Wallace.

Young Soldier: William Wallace is seven feet tall!

William Wallace: Yes, I’ve heard. Kills men by the hundreds. And if HE were here, he’d consume the English with fireballs from his eyes, and bolts of lightning from his arse.

[Scottish army laughs]

William Wallace: I *am* William Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen, here in defiance of tyranny. You’ve come to fight as free men… and free men you are. What will you do with that freedom? Will you fight?

Veteran: Fight? Against that? No! We will run. And we will live.

William Wallace: Aye, fight and you may die. Run, and you’ll live… at least a while. And dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willin’ to trade ALL the days, from this day to that, for one chance, just one chance, to come back here and tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they’ll never take… OUR FREEDOM!

[Scottish army cheers]

William Wallace: Alba gu bràth!
["Scotland forever!"]

Army: ALBA GU BRÀTH! ALBA GU BRÀTH! ALBA GU BRÀTH!

Speak with passion and you convert cowards into heroes!

03 Phrase with Proverbs

Who doesn’t like a fortune cookie?

Ah, those crunchy, slightly cardboardy sugary delights with a secret message inside. A message designed to make you feel like something special, something wise waits for you.

The flesh and blood American fortune cookie was Ben Franklin.

“If Jack’s in love, he’s no judge of Jill’s beauty”

“Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.”

“Diligence is the mother of good luck.”

Franklin wrote thousands of pithy little proverbs.

Why not create your own?

Write your own book of wisdom.

A few years back I wrote the 77 Keys to Speaking with Confidence. All in proverb form. It was a hit. Yours will be too. Because we all know…

One in the hand is worth two in the bush.

04 Phrase with Proof

People remember short, memorable phrases with 800% greater recall than longer sentences on the same topic.

Really?

Beats me.

But saying that with confidence and using a % sign sure sounded true, right?

Yep.

We remember things we believe are true. And we find truth in proof.

(Don’t make stuff up like I just did in a real presentation – that would be wrong. And it will tick people off when they find out. Trust me here or just ask Kevin Trudeau.)

How do you provide proof?

People tend to give more weight to…

Famous people they like.
Statistics.
Authors.
Mathematical formulas.
The newspaper.
Magazines.
News anchors that smile.
Basically any outside source that does not create a conflict with their morals and ethics.

05 Phrase with Predictability

For years I’ve signed my newsletters with “Success is NOT an Accident.”

Know what?

It’s quotable. People tweet it. Mention it in articles and reference my sites. OK, ok, it’s not famous like “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” But it does bring back links and traffic and connects person and phrase.

People know that’s my close. They know what it stands for and it separates my voice from the crowd within my market. It’s predictable.

Predictability is not about creativity as much as assurance. It forms a connection and gives folks a way to feel like they’ve returned home – or at least to a place they feel comfort. That’s mega-currency in these unstable days, right?

Use your signature as the place to display your most quotable phrase.

What do you want people to associate you with?

Your sign-off is your chance to embed the message.

That way people can link you and your motto together.

“Do you know Shirley Sharp? She’s the lady that always says _________”

“You know. That guy, Bob, who says _________________”

Your signature is prime real estate for phrase equity.

06 Phrase with Persistence

Quick quiz… Do you think Martin Luther King, Jr. only said, “I have a dream” at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963?

Sure, it’s the most remembered version, the most public version; but it’s not the only time he used those words.

Get known by saying the same thing over and over so it becomes ingrained.

That’s exactly what Scott Ginsberg did. For over 9 years Scott has worn a name tag everywhere. It says, “Hello. My Name Is Scott.” He’s known for his name! Pretty cool.

Scott’s blog,  uses a conversational writing style that makes you want to get to know him and hang out with him.

Click the Book Cover to Get It From Amazon

How?

He uses a lot of memorable phrases and he sticks with the simple, proven formula.

In fact, his latest book “-Able” takes becoming quotable to a higher level since every chapter title in the book ends with “able.”

07 Phrase with Pain

The birth of many memorable phrases throughout history came from pain.

Using Martin Luther King, Jr. once again as an example. His words were born out of the injustice of persecution and prejudice. They are more memorable because of the anguish associated with them.

When we think of civil rights we think of lives lost and freedoms gained.

Pain creates emotional words. It’s brings people together because we have all…

Suffered.
Been cheated.
Been hurt by life.

Instead of running from the ghosts of Christmas past, embrace them. Let them fuel your quotables.

“The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves.” George Washington

“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” Mother Teresa

Do those quotes sound trite? No way. They come from painful experiences. They are powerful without being condescending or desperate.

Well, there ya go. Seven ways to become quotable. And since we’re so far down the page let me remind you of #1 – phrase with purpose. Words become dangerous when used without thought.

Think about what you say, how you say it, and how you want it to be remembered and repeated.

Success is NOT an Accident!

Paul