Most of the time in business, shorter is better. We all know this, but too often we forget it.

As an example, when someone sends you a long business email do you read it? Now, if it is your daughter in college by all means you read every word, but in business, we more often skim over and form an opinion by the skimming process. You do it and I do it, so why would we still attempt to pack a whole definitive argument into an email?

Let’s say you are introducing a product through letter or email or even PowerPoint. I believe (just my opinion) is you have about 15 seconds to make an impression. If it is an email, keep it almost painfully short because the recipient will read it all. When you put five paragraphs before the main point, the reader will skim and maybe have the wrong impression.

I have gone to Baptist churches all my life, and I am always amazed and amused at how educated preachers can’t get a point across in less than a 45min-1hr sermon. I am talking about the sermon time from when he steps to the podium. The amusing part is the congregation mentally left 20 minutes ago, but the preacher kept going until it actually began to reverse the good they talked about. Look at really prominent pastors that you really enjoy and ask yourself how long are their sermons. The ones that get to the point in 20-25 minutes are the ones with the most success.

Sermon lengths are like business. Keep it on point, simple, short and your percentage of success will increase. If you try to talk them through every potential angle, you usually lose them halfway. On a business call, a good indication when you are talking too much is when they first try to interrupt you. They are telling you by the first interruption that you are losing them. A smart person will step back and change the approach rather than pushing forward.

We have a term we use at Hotel AG called SIBKIS. It means “See It Big Keep It Simple.” KT