Quotable Quotes
Wouldn’t you like to be the person who is ‘quoted’?
How cool would it be to have other people repeating your words to others, and crediting you!
Well, coming up with that memorable line that people are repeating is not as hard as it might at first seem.
Here are some tips to accomplishing this:
- Google ‘quotable quotes’ and Read a bunch of them so you have a benchmark of something to aim at.
- Be clear and brief.
- It must be easily understood and easy to repeat.
- Say it a little bit differently than it’s been said before.
- Different will be memorable.
- Use metaphors
- A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.
- Examples: See if you can ‘picture’ them in your mind’s eye!
- The sun was smiling on her.
- It’s raining cats and dogs.
- He’s rolling in dough!
- Examples: See if you can ‘picture’ them in your mind’s eye!
- A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them.
- Rhymingfeels good to say, and can be memorable.
- Examples:
- Use these tools to gain and retainclients.
- In this example, the word tools is a metaphor. Gain and retain rhyme.
- “We’ll discuss the components, parts, and elements of a speech. I’ll name them, explain them, and give some examples.”
- Use these tools to gain and retainclients.
- Examples:
- Alliterationis repeating the initial sounds in neighboring words or syllables.
- A great example is Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech at the Lincoln Memorial, August 28, 1963. He looked to a day when people “will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of the character.
- One I use in concluding one of my talks is, “Do that and my prediction is this!”
- Contrastscan make lines memorable.
- Fat – thin
- Black – white
- Full – empty
- Examples
- John Kennedy, in his inaugural address on January 20, 1961, said, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich,”
- “During the break at my first Toastmasters Meeting, Paul and Mitch came over and introduced themselves. Instantly, these new people in my life were like old friends.”
- Set upthe Quotable Quote! If your quote is not set up it will not have the desired impact.
- Examples:
- “Let me leave you with this final thought . . .”
- “And as you go to your warm home this evening, I’d like you to think about . . . “
- PA– — USE before delivering the ‘Quotable Quote’
- Examples:
Use these tips in crafting your ‘Quotable Quote’ and my prediction is this:
Your quote will be: Absolutely – Positively – There’s no doubt in my mind!
That quote will be – Quotable!
About the Author:
Fred E. Miller coaches, speaks and writes about Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
314-517-8772
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
https://nosweatpublicspeaking.com
4 Comments
Awesome post Fred! I actually quoted you the other day. 🙂 Love your “tips” videos at the top… you certainly practice what you preach.
Fred:
An excellent post, except that John Kennedy said that in his inagural speech back on January 20, 1961. Where did your October 20, 2006 date come from? John Kennedy died on November 22, 1963 and his son died on July 16, 1999.
Richard
Thanks for catching that error, Richard.
I’ve fixed it and appreciate your help!