Sound bites are ubiquitous. We hear them daily on television, radio, the Internet. But what moves a piece of sound beyond the ordinary to one that is really great? And how can you create sound bites that stand out from the crowd?

There are three factors here, all of which must be present for greatness.

First of all, a sound bite must instantly grab attention.

It has to be a statement that, when we hear it, we immediately recognize stands out from all the things being said around it. It jumps out of the speaker’s mouth and hits us “on the head.” We will often recognize when listening to it that it will be a key point of the talk or interview.

Second, it must be memorable.

That’s not just for a few minutes, not just for the length of the talk, but for days, weeks, and months afterward. Many of the most powerful sound bites last for decades. While most of a conversation, speech, media interview, or press conference is lost within hours (well, seconds) of listening to it, the sound bite lives on. And with it, a topic of initial communication.

One of the reasons the sound bite is remembered is that it is repeated frequently. This is certainly the case for radio and television news. But it also happens in conversations when we repeat it to others, or just think about it ourselves.

While catchy and memorable are two keys to a good sound bite, a third element is needed for greatness. And that element is:

Third, it must produce a desired result.

Sometimes that result is of a longer-term and more general (ie less measurable) nature.

of President Franklin D. Roosevelt”We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” it’s an example Delivered by Roosevelt during his first inaugural address, that sound bite uplifted the American people during the Great Depression.

In other cases the result is much more immediate and specific.

Defense attorney Johnnie Cochran’s presentation of evidence to the jury during the murder trial of football great OJ Simpson included this sound bite: “If it doesn’t fit, you must acquit.” The glove he was referring to did not fit Simpson, and the jury acquitted him.

So, if you want to create great sound bites, make sure they grab attention, are memorable, and get results.