Crafting Messages That Stick

Did you know that it takes about seven exposures to a marketing message before it leaves a lasting impression?

That’s the average amount of time a potential customer needs to process your message and make a decision to buy. To make your message stick, you’ll want to craft something memorable that resonates long after it’s delivered.

The more you put your message out there - whether through interviews, speeches, or podcasts - the quicker it will gain traction.

I often notice this when listening to my favourite podcast guests. They repeat the same ideas - but each time with a new twist or slight reframe.

I come to associate certain ideas with them. It’s not just the repetition, but the way they continually evolve and refine their message that keeps it fresh and impactful.

This art of messaging isn’t new. Roman statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero was a master at crafting messages that resonated deeply with his audience.

Let’s dive into how you can apply Cicero’s timeless strategies to create your own memorable messages.

✍️Define a Strong Core Message

Cicero was a master of distilling complex issues into clear, persuasive arguments.

In his famous speech In Catilinam - or Against Catiline, he focused on one unambiguous message: Catiline was a traitor to Rome, and his actions threatened the Republic.

Cicero reinforced this core message throughout, ensuring the audience walked away with no doubt about the stakes.

💡Takeaway: Hone in on one key message and repeat it consistently across different platforms.

📖Structure Your Message for Clarity and Flow

One of Cicero’s key concepts - Dispositio - is the arrangement of ideas in an order that flows. He understood that how you structure your message is just as important as what you say.

While this might seem obvious, it’s often less intuitive when speaking compared to writing. The goal is to start with a strong introduction that grabs attention, then clearly outline your key points, building on them logically to support your main message.

Cicero also believed in reinforcing ideas through repetition and wrapping up with a memorable takeaway.

💡Takeaway: Create a flow that keeps people with you and makes your message stick.

💙Engage Your Audience Emotionally

Emotion plays a huge role in connecting with your audience. Cicero, like Aristotle, understood that persuasion isn’t just about logic - it's about making the audience feel something. In his speeches, Pathos was used to stir emotions, turning a simple argument into something deeply personal.

While facts and data are crucial, they only have impact when they’re framed within a story that connects with the audience’s emotions.

You can storytell, use real-world examples, or even humour to make your message come alive. When people feel emotionally invested, they’re more likely to remember you.

💡Takeaway: Emotional engagement is the key to truly connecting with your audience and creating a long-lasting effect.

🗣️Deliver with Authority and Confidence

Cicero was a master of delivery. He understood that how you say something is just as important as what you say.

The same is true when engaging with the media in the modern world. From interviews to presentations, your delivery should match the weight of your message.

This means paying attention to how you speak - tone, pacing, and body language all matter. When you speak with authority and confidence, your message becomes more compelling.

💡Takeaway: Effective delivery builds trust and makes your message more impactful and credible.

📣Keep It Simple, Repeat and Reinforce

Cicero knew that repetition in different forms strengthens a message’s effectiveness and memorability. Overcomplicating things can dilute impact. Focus on one or two core points and make them stick.

Repeating these points across different platforms helps them resonate. The goal is for people to associate you with a specific concept and be able to explain it simply to others.

💡Takeaway: Keep it simple and repeat key points across channels to ensure your message is remembered and acted upon.

🥜In a Nutshell

Cicero’s principles of persuasion are just as powerful today as they were in ancient Rome.

Clarity, structure, emotional engagement and effective delivery are the keys to ensuring your message cuts through the noise and resonates with your audience.

By applying these timeless strategies you can ensure your message stays in people’s minds and has a lasting influence.

Until next time,
Hannah🌟