In a world full of noise, a good line has the power to cut through. A single sentence with a clear message equals instant impact.

You know one when you hear one. It resonates.

A good line can capture attention, deliver insight, debunk myth, and simplify complexity in a few essential words.

Hell, a good one-liner can make history. Good lines are the stuff of legend, paraphrase and tattoos. Think of the philosophers and presidents, advertisers and stand-ups, whose quips have echoed through the ages.

“I think therefore I am,” (Descartes); “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself,” (Franklin D. Roosevelt); “Just Do It,” (Wieden+Kennedy) and – my personal favourite – “Life is like an ashtray; full of little doubts.” (Billy Connolly).

‘Dowt’, is Glasgow slang for a (cigarette) ‘butt.’ Good, eh?

Clients want short, catchy content. And what could be shorter and catchier than a humdinger of a line?

So, how d’you get one? How, in a 45–60-minute customer interview exploring the challenges, solutions and outcomes behind a particular tech solution for an 800-word case study do you come away with a pinch of gold dust? A single penetrating line to be writ large in pull quotes, headlines and across social media.

When it comes to technology and business, it boils down to two simple things: numbers and sentiment. In other words, what the metrics say, and how it makes your customer feel.

To find out, you need to keep it simple and get personal. Care less, for example, about the default behaviour of secondary nodes in a replicated database migration – and more about the person sitting in front of you.

What can they do now that they couldn’t previously? What are they proudest of? How has their day-to-day changed? What’s surprised them most about this project? What’s been their greatest take-away?

In my experience, these are the kind of questions most likely to elicit answers that amplify a story and give you your line.

“With solution X we’ve seen an 80% reduction in pay queries!” – “I’m spending less time fighting fires, and more time where I want to be – focusing on strategy.” – “Staff are happier and more engaged – it’s made work life better!” – “Finally, we’re excited about the future and what we can achieve.”

When you’re writing about tech solution application, complexity is inevitable. But for a message to truly resonate with audiences – simplicity speaks loudest.

Now, where d’you want that tattoo?