Creating effective business presentations/Survey of presentation contexts/Sound bites and quotables

“	Sound bites can be funny, frightening, hard-hitting, or emotional. Above all, they must be short, sharp, and relevant.	”
—Bill Penn

A sound bite (sometimes written as one word, soundbite) is a brief piece of recorded speech, perhaps 5 to 10 seconds in length, which is used in a news reporting context. Sound bites have become increasingly used by politicians, to try and ensure people remember key points from their speech. A good sound bite can be very effective. However, a sound bite can be taken out of context, and may give the wrong impression of what the speaker's full message was.

Readings

Read Section 15.1: Sound Bites and Quotables, in Saylor Academy (Ed.) 2012. Business Communication for Success. (See page(s) 575 - 576 in PDF version.)

This reading describes the four key characteristics of effective sound bites, which are a key part of business presentations, media communications, and marketing messages. A good sound bite

1. is clear and concise,
2. uses vivid, dynamic language,
3. is easy to repeat, and
4. is memorable

Media

Watch this video [2:07], which gives advice on preparing a message which includes effective sound bites.

How to speak in sound bites

Find an example of something you think is a good sound bite, and briefly explain why you think it is effective. Share your ideas with your fellow learners.

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