Practical Sales Training™ > How People Work > The Verbatim Effect
What is it?
The Verbatim Effect is all about the fact that people will often forget the specifics of your communication, but will remember the general theme or “gist” of what you are saying.
Why does it work?
This comes down to the fact that most of the time we are simply guessing and seeking to fill in the gaps. We often skim information we read so it’s no different for the information we hear or see. The main consideration here is that the theme or action point from your communication is made obvious so it doesn’t degrade as your message travels.
What can you do about it?
Remember that the theme and direction of your communication can often be more important than the details. Think about how you can theme your communication to ensure everything is focussed on a high level, simple concept that can be easily recalled.
Hypothetical Example:
A financial advisor delivers a 30-minute presentation on retirement planning. The presentation includes detailed stats, percentages, and tax regulations. A week later, the audience doesn’t remember the numbers or technical terms – but they do recall the main theme:
“Start saving early to have financial freedom later.”
By ensuring the key message was repeated and framed as the core takeaway, the advisor made sure the “gist” of the talk stuck—even if all the finer details were forgotten.
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