CCM Coaching Tip #81 - Leave Half Of It Out

Okay, you've got a story you want to tell. Great. Tell me the story...but leave half of it OUT.

Yes, I'm serious. Too much detail, unneeded side roads, too many words to express a thought, too much setup, more than one "punch line", or "backing and filling" because you're not very well-organized...those things make even the best story tedious...and inevitably, not worth the listener's time.

To be a great talent, especially in this format, you have to develop discipline and get concise. Great storytellers hold people's attention every step of the way, from beginning to end. Remember, you're not paid by the word; you're paid by the CONNECTION.

The world is already getting used to 140 characters being all they have time to read. Listening habits will soon get like that, too.

Oh, and this is a great tip to remember when you head into a pledge drive. Briefer breaks are actually more powerful, and the stations that know this have already proven it.