“X” Marks the Spot:

A 400-Year-Old Tool for Staying on Message

By Lou Hampton

If the swashbuckling pirates of lore (no relation to the Somali pirates of today) had one thing in common – aside from eye patches, peg legs and a tendency to say “Arrgghh” – it was the treasure map.  After terrorizing the Carolina coasts or looting the Spanish Main, buccaneers like Blackbeard and Captain Kidd steered for isolated coves to bury their treasure – in chests stuffed with rubies, diamonds and pieces of eight.  Then these clever pirates created maps to guide them back to the booty.  On these maps, “X” marked the spot where the treasure was hidden.

Control the message – Control the result

He who controlled the map (message) possessed the keys to the treasure (result).  However obscure the clues, however intricate the directions, the X always marked the spot.  In other words, as long as you stayed on message, you would achieve the ultimate result, regardless of any dangers, detours and false leads.

Some history

As a boy, I was fascinated with pirates – both real and fictional.  Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island was a favorite.  The image of the blind stranger walking slowly toward the tavern, the sound of his tapping cane growing ever louder still sends shivers down my spine.  It was this love of pirate tales that inspired me (in part) to adopt the treasure map concept to help spokespeople stay on message during interviews, presentations and speeches.  I discovered that people are better able to focus when their result and supporting messages are displayed as a graphic – a “treasure map X.”

Message X gets interview results

Hampton’s Message X marks media interview treasure – the ability to disseminate three to four messages that will persuade audiences to your point of view.  At least 80% of those who have used the Message X believe the system is more effective than other visual or mnemonic aids.  Although my clients must still develop compelling messages, as well as supporting points, they tend to recall them more easily using the X format, versus studying a list.

In a nutshell, it works.

Constant reminder

The Message X serves as a constant mental reminder that helps cut through distractions.  At any moment during an interview, a spokesperson can ask, “Am I speaking to X?”  If not, she knows to return to the X to avoid getting lost.  In this way, she continues to actively communicate her messages instead of simply reacting to questions.  This is especially important during a difficult media interview or other “grilling” (Q&A session, Congressional hearing, analyst briefing).  In these cases, straying from the X is likely to land you in quicksand or the jaws of ravenous alligators.

How to use Hampton’s Message X

Start with result

First, notice the word “Result” in the center.  Everything points to this.  The result is the raison d’être for every interview you grant, for every speech or presentation you make.  The result is the goal of every message and every supporting argument for that message.

Add your messages

Surrounding the “Result oval” are the four quadrants of the X.  The bold top line in each quadrant offers space to write one of your messages.  The lines underneath allow you to list supporting points or anticipated questions and responses.  These are the memorable phrases or facts that help listeners recall your messages. The content reporters often quote or use as sound bites.

Note that the bottom quadrant has a finely dotted line connecting the lower “legs” of the X.  This reminds you to communicate a fourth message, but only if needed.  (Three messages are usually sufficient to drive home your points.)  The priority that you give each message, and where you list the message on the quadrant, is your call.  If your messages are sequential, you might list the first on the left, the second in the center, and the third on the right.  Or, if you’d prefer, list the first message in the center, and then move to the left and the right.

Two additional uses of the Message X

1. Taking control of meetings and Q&A Sessions.  A well-organized meeting facilitator or presenter asks, “What is the end point of this meeting?  Unfortunately, most answer by saying, “to get through the page to the bottom of the agenda.”  That’s a false goal.  When “reaching the bottom of the agenda” is replaced by the X, the end point becomes “producing a result.”  Using the three or four topics listed on the Message X keeps you focused on achieving a productive result.  The system also allows facilitators or presenters to control the Q&A.  When the facilitator is asked questions or hears comments that aren’t related to the X, that’s the signal to pull the questioner back to the result of the meeting or presentation.  The Message X helps meeting facilitators get focused and stay focused, and it also boosts their self-confidence.

2. Positioning products and services.  Create a Message X for each of your firm’s products and services.  One manufacturer has a Message X for each product, complete with approved customer case histories.  The X is posted on its intranet, so any salesperson or spokesperson can access it.  This has generated more consistency in positioning the organization’s products and services to customers.

Bottom line: To get results, use Hampton’s Message X.

If you have any questions or comments, please send me an e-mail at lou@hamptongroup.com or call my office at 202-686-2020.