“Sound bites?” Why do I need to know this?

You may already be familiar with the term, “sound bite:”

A sound bite is a phrase that can be pulled intact from an original broadcast and re-used in another venue. So what is the value of a good sound bite? Let’s assume that a good sound bite is about 30 seconds long. We know that 30 seconds can still give you time to get your message across, or at least peak curiosity; think of the best “elevator speech” or mini commercial that you may use in a networking atmosphere. Learning to speak with attention to sound bites in an interview can provide many more opportunities to spread your words to other that the original audience. Sound bites can be used on your own website, on websites of others, in news broadcasts, in trailers for your upcoming event… you get the picture. It is understandable then, that an interview with an abundance of clean sound bites can be a wonderful source of promotion for yourself, or your business. Get your “moneys worth” out of your next interview by preparing with sound bites in mind!

Here’s an idea. Think of what you do, why you do it, and who you help. Come up with a variety of 30 second “commercials.” I am sure you have at least one already, but add on as many as possible. Suppose you are a family lawyer; Then one “commercial” could be: “I find it so rewarding to help financially challenged single mothers get their lives back in order by aiding in the collection of past-due child support.” That’s only one aspect of the practice, so then go through every aspect you can think of, and write a “commercial” for each. It’s great to look at what you do from all angles like this, and the 30-second commercials should flow. Sometimes it seems possible to come up with one for nearly every week of the year! Each of those “commercial” can be a sound bite! Familiarize yourself with about 20 of your favorites (and I mean really get to know them by heart) and before you know it, you’ll be in an interview, and there is the perfect opportunity for that sound bite. Don’t let anyone overlap your words, and you will be able to pull that little gem for usage elsewhere.

Another big bonus, knowing about twenty 30-second commercials for your business builds confidence before hitting the interview circuit. You will always have something valuable to say.