In fact, it’s become my go-to way of communicating anything – particularly more abstract ideas.

So useful is this framework, I have it written on a Post-it note on the camera in my studio.

Whatever you communicate or teach in your business, this will help you deliver the message in a more compelling way that will ”land” and be remembered.

That means:

• more sales from customers
• more brand evangelists from fans
• more cooperation from partners
• more buy-in from staff

Let’s get into it…

A framework for great communication

A few years back, I was listening to legendary marketer Frank Kern on a podcast.

(Don’t remember which, unfortunately. Might have been his own.)

He was talking about how he’d studied some of the great stage speakers and marketers – the Zig Ziglars of the world – and realised they would often use the same formula to make their points when speaking.

It went like this:

Point > Story > Metaphor > Summary

For me, as a teacher and founder of a business that literally teaches with stories, I was intrigued.

So I went home, and wrote out that little formula on a Post-it note.

I stuck it on the camera in my office, so I would be reminded of it every time I made a video:

I loved the simplicity.

It works like this:

• Point: State your main point right up-front
• Story: Tell a story that demonstrates the point
• Metaphor: Give a metaphor that makes the point more relatable
• Summary: Re-state the main point

(When speaking, many people try to be clever by building suspense and leaving their actual point till the end… but that’s just needless suspense. Instead, just make your point clearly at the beginning, then spend the rest of your time elucidating it – it’ll sink in better that way because it gives the listener more opportunity to process it.)

Anyway…

Over the years, I practised this framework often.

Then, last year, I started my business personal brand, along with a brand new YouTube channel.

I didn’t have tonnes of time to make videos, so I needed a quick, straightforward way to get my ideas across effectively, without spending hours planning each one.

And then it came to me – Frank’s formula!

So, I started taking my camera along with me on my regular walks around the beautiful, rolling hills of Hobbitshire:

Whenever I needed to make a video, I would whip out my camera and press record.

All I needed was a few minutes to think through the framework:

• Point
• Story
• Metaphor
• Summary

After putting out these videos, the feedback came thick and fast.

I started getting messages saying: “I love how you explain things…”

But that wasn’t all:

Around the same time, I noticed my YouTube editor had started to make individual clips out of my videos - especially the Metaphor part:

It was obvious that what I was doing was landing.

And the best bit:

It was super easy!

As a result, I’ve been able to start growing a high-quality YouTube channel, without taking much of my time.

It feels like deciding to cook a fancy dinner for friends at home, walking into the kitchen to start cooking, and discovering that someone has already prepped all the veg.

I can just get on with the fun bit – the cooking. Not only that, but I finish in a quarter of the time, actually enjoy it, and all my guests are looking at me thinking: “How the hell is this guy so chilled and organised?”

Now…

Ain’t nobody gonna prep your veg for you.

But you can at least make your content easier and more memorable.

Just follow the formula:

• Point
• Story
• Metaphor
• Summary

Conclusion

In case you didn’t catch it…

Today’s newsletter was a bonafide example of “looped input”, as it’s called in the teaching profession.

I taught this framework… using the framework itself.

Did you spot it?

• Point: The framework
• Story: How I discovered it and used it for my YT channel
• Metaphor: Someone prepping your dinner
• Summary: Repeat the framework and benefits

I highly recommend you give this a try next time you’re teaching something.

To see specific examples of me doing this in my videos, check out:

Why Chasing ROI is Killing Your Business

The Fastest Way to Scale Your Online Business

But don’t thank me…

Thank Frank Kern.

I learnt this from him, after all.

(Cheers, Frank.)

Namaste,

Olly

P.S.

What do you think of this shorter, punchier format?

Real opinions, please!

Hit REPLY and lemme have it.