Book Report: How To Say A Few Words - Effectively

I bought “How To Say A Few Words - Effectively” by David Guy Powers from a local used bookstore. I picked it up because it clearly was old, it was short, it had staples in the binding, and it was on a topic I thought would be interesting. As someone who has gotten more into public speaking over the past few years, I was curious what suggestions from the past may look like.

Unfortunately, I forgot that this would be a book from the past and I’d be subject to the culture of the time (1958). So fair warning, if you read this, you’ll find that this book is from a white, male perspective.

I thought this book was interesting because it broke its message down into a four-part magic formula:

1. State your idea
2. Accentuate your idea
3. For instance, your idea (multiple times)
4. Wind up with your idea

The book itself followed this formula. It doesn’t call it out, but it’s pretty obvious. It’s chock-full of examples (again, 1958, prepare yourself). Furthermore, it makes a good case, and frankly, it still resonates with today’s marketing.

There were a few key points that resonated with me.

Powers suggests to “Pack your opening with excitement. Dead men tell no tales. And dead tales make no point.”¹ This was a clever way to say an introduction should be interesting. Later he points out that the more intimate and affectionate you are as a speaker, the more intimate and affectionate your audience will be. It’s why he advocates for using personal stories.

As for accentuating ideas, Powers points out that speakers should dramatize statistics by relating them to the audience. Numbers alone aren’t going to convince a person to act. Making it known how it’s going to impact them will. “Remember, only pain drives people to the doctor.”²

Powers recommends when providing examples of your idea, you should use either humorous, famous, or family instances. These should identify who’s in the story, then provide details on the who, what, when, and where. His point here is to be human; the more intimate you can be, the better.

Wrapping up the book is the section on winding up with your idea. Powers says your closer should help the audience picture the gratifications of your idea, use slogans, and ask for action.

I thought the book had helpful information, but it was still annoying to be reminded how recently the world looked this way. I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it to someone, but I wouldn’t tell a person not to read it either.