Editor's note: This article appeared in the December 20, 2010, edition of Quirk's e-newsletter.

Technology has transformed the research industry and most other professional industries alike. From remote focus groups, online communities and digital ethnography to videoconferencing, Webinars and even 100 percent-virtual research conferences, researchers are becoming more and more accustomed to engaging with their colleagues, clients and respondents from behind the cyber curtain. In this age of infinite technological opportunity, it's important for business professionals not to lose the art of in-person conversations and presentations.

So how can you make sure you present information in a way that truly resonates? Nancy Duarte, CEO of Duarte Design and author of Slide:ology and Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform Audiences, offers six tips.

Create crisp messages. Imagine each person you speak to as a little radio tower empowered to repeat your key concepts over and over. "Some of the most innocent-looking people have 50,000 followers in their social networks," says Duarte. "When one sound bite is sent to their followers, it can get re-sent hundreds of thousands of times."

Craft a rally cry. Your rally cry will be a small, repeatable phrase that can become the slogan to promote your idea.

Coordinate key phrases with the same language in your press materials. Be sure to repeat critical messages verbatim from your press materials. Doing so ensures that listeners will pick up the right nuggets.

Use catchy words. Take time to carefully craft a few messages with catchy words. "For example, Neil Armstrong used the six hours and 40 minutes between his moon landing and first step to craft his historic statement," says Duarte. "Phrases that have historical significance or become headlines don't just magically appear in the moment. They are mindfully planned."

Make them remember. Once you've crafted the message, there are three ways to ensure the audience remembers it: First, repeating the phrase. Second, punctuating it with a pause that gives the audience time to write down exactly what you said. And finally, projecting the words on a slide so they receive the message visually as well as aurally.
 
Imitate a famous phrase. "Everyone knows the Golden Rule," says Duarte. "'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' Well, an imitation of that famous phrase might be 'Never give a presentation you wouldn't want to sit through yourself.'"