If you look up the definition of “memorable” in the dictionary it says: “Worth remembering, notable, interesting…”

Most people want their message to stand out and be memorable, notable and interesting, but few people know how to do that well.

So what makes something worth remembering? How can you ensure that your clients, your colleagues or your audience walk away truly remembering what you said?

Here are 4 rules to ensure your message makes an indelible mark!

We Remember What We Hear Most Often:  Repetition leads to recognition. The more we hear something, the more it sticks with us. For example, why is it that you can most likely remember lines to movies you haven’t seen in a decade, but you can’t remember what you ate for dinner two nights ago? That’s because by watching movies over and over again, the lines start to stick. We hear the dialogue enough that we remember them. The same thing goes for your messages. The more we hear a message, the more we’ll remember it. So repeat your message often, delivered in different ways, so that your audience will have a better chance of remembering what you want them to walk away with. 

We Remember What Affects Us: When something provokes an emotion, we’re more apt to remember that experience, that moment or those words. That’s why you can remember exactly where you were when you heard when a major rockstar died or an. Any event that provokes an emotion will also provoke a memory. So to increase retention, you need to spell out why your message will matter to your audience. How will your message affect them? Tapping into the emotion of your message will help make it more memorable.   

We Remember What We Have Use For: If I gave you a list of 10  random numbers to remember, and then I called you in a month and asked you to recite them back, chances are you wouldn’t be able to remember the right numbers in the right order. Remembering 10 numbers in the right order is a lot! But you can remember your phone number, the phone numbers of important people, maybe even your social security number. Those are all 10 numbers in a row! That’s because you have a use for those specific 10 numbers. Knowing those numbers is important to you, so you remember them. Another example; ever notice that when you’re a passenger in a car, you don’t really remember directions? However, when you’re the driver, you can more easily recognize and remember routes? Same reasoning! You don’t need to know directions as a passenger, they aren’t as important, so therefore you don’t remember them. In order to make your message resonate, make sure your audience understands the use of your message and why it will really matter to them! When your message is important to your audience, they’ll remember your main points.

We Remember What We Hear Last:  Unless something really resonates with us, chances are we won’t remember it. But there’s a caveat, we’re most likely to remember what we hear last. That’s due to what scientists call “the recency effect”, our brains remember the most recent thing we’ve heard. So make your message the most recent thing! When you’re done, reiterate your message again. Don’t just end with a “Thank you for coming” or a “Goodbye.” End with “So to wrap up” or “Just to make sure we’re on the same page.” That way, your message will be the last thing someone hears and that will make your message more memorable.

Effective communication takes work and effort. Otherwise you’re just talking at someone with no real purpose. If you want your message to be remembered, take the time to ensure your message is crafted and delivered in a more memorable manner.