Chunk It Up: Communicating With Influence
Ever sat through a presentation so overloaded with information that you forgot the point? Or read an email so dense that you couldn’t figure out what was even being asked?
We’ve all been there. And in a world where attention spans are shrinking and distractions are multiplying, clear communication isn’t just a skill—it’s an imperative to leadership and sales growth.
Why People Tune Out (and How to Fix It)
The problem isn’t that people don’t care what we have to say—it’s that they can’t process everything we throw at them. Research shows that the average person can only retain somewhere between five and nine pieces of information at any given time, with seven being the most common limit.
That means if you’re flooding your audience, customer, or team with too much information—whether in a conversation, an email, or a presentation—you’re forcing them to forget things just to keep up.
The solution? Chunking.
How Chunking Helps Your Message Stick
Chunking is a cognitive strategy that helps people retain and process information more effectively. A perfect example? Phone numbers.
You’re far more likely to remember a number formatted as (312) 467-8294 than 3124678294—because our brains naturally group information into manageable pieces.
The same principle applies to communication:
In Conversations: Instead of dumping information, break it into smaller, digestible parts. Speak in structured ideas, check in with, "Am I communicating this clearly?" or "What are your reactions to this?" and let the other person process before moving on.
In Presentations: Avoid overwhelming slides packed with details. Instead, organize content into three to five key points and guide your audience through them one at a time.
In Emails: Long, dense emails get ignored. Instead, chunk information with short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear takeaways. Make the key points impossible to miss.
Clarity = Influence
The best communicators don’t just get their point across—they make sure it’s received, understood, remembered, and acted upon.
If you want to lead, sell, or persuade, don’t focus on how much information you can deliver—focus on how to help others absorb it.
Because in today’s distracted world, the clearest message always wins.