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How to Write a Talking Point

How to Write a Talking Point

Of all the documents in the realm of business writing, this one is the most ambiguous.

Jonathan Rick
PRO

April 14, 2020
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  1. how to write a
    talking point

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  2. “When somebody asks for key messages, there’s
    a whole range of things he might have in mind. Some
    people want a half-dozen words scribbled on page,
    others want key phrases and messaging, and a few
    imagine talking points to be about two adjectives short
    of a full speech. Of all the documents in the realm
    of business writing, this one is the most ambiguous.”
    —Mike Long

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  3. what is a
    “talking point”?

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  4. Also known as a “key message”
    or “takeaway.”
    Identifies a “leitmotif,”
    or a “recurring theme.”
    Must be essential.

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  5. how should
    you format a
    talking point?

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  6. not this way
    Email Coach.
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    verear phaedrum. Vis erant dolore
    mnesarchum ea.

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  7. not this way
    Email Coach.
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, an
    evertitur rationibus his, ut vix veri
    facer, at has scaevola hendrerit. Pri
    et euripidis temporibus, ut eum
    verear phaedrum. Vis erant dolore
    mnesarchum ea.
    this way
    Think of SEND As Your
    Email Coach.
    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, an
    evertitur rationibus his, ut vix veri
    facer, at has scaevola hendrerit. Pri
    et euripidis temporibus, ut eum
    verear phaedrum. Vis erant dolore
    mnesarchum ea.

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  8. what should a
    talking point
    consist of?

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  9. a point about
    the book
    This Is an Important Book.
    You should read it because its subject
    — email — is something you likely do
    dozens of times every day.

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  10. a point from
    the book
    Email Etiquette Is More
    Important Than You Think.
    If you’re like most people, you likely send
    and receive dozens of emails every day.
    Yet rarely do we pause to consider our
    tone and style — or etiquette — in these
    messages. SEND will help you to grasp
    and master these seemingly small
    nuances, which can make you look like
    a pro or a fool.
    a point about
    the book
    This Is an Important Book.
    You should read it because its subject
    — email — is something you likely do
    dozens of times every day.

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  11. don’t cram multiple
    messages into
    a single point.

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  12. multiple messages
    Email Lacks Tone; You Must
    Create It.
    With email, there’s no universal default
    tone; if you don’t consciously create
    tone, the reader will project his own
    prejudices and anxieties onto your
    message. How do you create tone? The
    exclamation point may be lazy, but it’s
    effective. Indeed, because of email’s
    inherent affectlessness, a little flattery
    never hurts, and it’s sometimes
    necessary to be extravagantly polite.

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  13. multiple messages
    Email Lacks Tone; You Must
    Create It.
    With email, there’s no universal default
    tone; if you don’t consciously create
    tone, the reader will project his own
    prejudices and anxieties onto your
    message. How do you create tone? The
    exclamation point may be lazy, but it’s
    effective. Indeed, because of email’s
    inherent affectlessness, a little flattery
    never hurts, and it’s sometimes
    necessary to be extravagantly polite.
    one message
    Email Lacks Tone; You Must
    Create It.
    If you want an email to be read a certain
    way, it’s your job to make sure this
    happens. Never assume a recipient will
    interpret your message the way it
    sounded in your head. Instead, strip your
    tone of all ambiguity.

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  14. separate specifics
    (or examples) from
    the general point.

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  15. general + specific
    A Good Subject Line Can Make
    or Break an Email.
    Most people waste their subject lines,
    by treating them as an afterthought.
    If, instead, you treat them as an
    opportunity, your emails will draw more
    responses, faster. The best subject lines
    are like ESP: They’re engaging, specific,
    and personal. Strive for at least two
    of these qualities every time you click
    “Send.”

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  16. general + specific
    A Good Subject Line Can Make
    or Break an Email.
    Most people waste their subject lines,
    by treating them as an afterthought.
    If, instead, you treat them as an
    opportunity, your emails will draw more
    responses, faster. The best subject lines
    are like ESP: They’re engaging, specific,
    and personal. Strive for at least two
    of these qualities every time you click
    “Send.”
    specific
    Make Your Subject Line
    “ESP.”
    Do you want your emails to be over-
    looked? Then use generic subject lines
    such as “Meeting.” Want your messages
    to get read? Then write something like
    this: “We’re meeting today at 4 PM.”
    The difference? The latter follows the
    “ESP” trick: It’s engaging, it’s specific,
    and it’s personal.

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