information. In researching this book, I spoke with Myka Carroll, editorial director of the For Dummies brand and author of New York City for Dummies.14 As she relates, the popular For Dummies franchise follows a very clear format that contains cues and guideposts for readers. The franchise’s objective is to assist readers with a process called “wa

stories. As neuroscientist David Eagleman relates, “[S]tories are crafted to plug into what matters to the brain.”

Now turbocharge your message by leveraging the Comparison–Contrast–Conclusion road map (reflect on how the events are similar, then on how they’re different, then come to some conclusion based on the analysis).

A third and final category of symptoms are cognitive. We become flustered, blanking out or forgetting what we want or need to say. We fixate on our awareness of others watching us and can’t focus on our audiences and their needs.

Some Classic, All-Purpose Structures18 What–So What–Now What Discuss the topic, why it matters, the practical implications. Prep (Point, Reason, Example, Point) Make a point, give the rationale behind it, offer some illustrations, wrap up by returning to the point. Problem–Solution–Benefit Evoke an issue, offer a solution, and end by discussing the

storytelling works in large part via the creation of mental images in our minds, which our brain processes more quickly than it does abstract ideas.

Research in cognitive neuroscience supports the importance of orienting audiences when communicating. Scholars like to talk about “processing fluency”—how easily and smoothly information gets encoded in our brains.

The best, most robust transitions tend to review what was said and then signpost what is coming next. And they do it in the context of a larger logical flow that we’ve established at the outset.

By sketching out a basic road map at the outset and by then executing on that plan, I made it easier for visitors not merely to stay with me but also to relax, pay attention, and absorb what I was saying. If visitors hadn’t known what to expect, a little voice in their minds might have continued to wonder about what they would later experience. Set