I was driving on the Mass Pike (never a place where you want to take your eyes off the road, even for a itsy bitsy nanosecond) but couldn’t help being temporarily distracted by a funny new JetBlue billboard. ”Knees have rights, too.” Four little words. A big idea. Gets you thinking. Jet Blue has decided that torturing passengers is in fact not a good business practice.

If their ad campaigns haven’t won every award in the world, I’d be shocked. They’ve cleverly built their brand around being irreverent. They invent their own language - “jetting” instead of “flying.” They’ve taken a position opposite the nickel-and-dimers now rumored to be considering a user fee for onboard restrooms. Their current TV campaign features a roving band of Jetblue baggage handlers cruising the tarmack busting other airlines for charging $25 bag-check fees. It isn’t fall-off-your-chair funny, but you can’t help but smile.

I used “Knees have rights, too” as an example of a “Big Idea” at our Speak Like a CEO Boot Camp last week. This group of CEOs and executives was discussing how hard it is to say a lot with a little. And it is. Yet, if you want to stand out, the big idea is the key. Think of a few words that will have a big punch.

The big idea is about being memorable. It isn’t the title of your presentation - it’s the key concept. For example, the president of a company that sells corporate branding items (pens, cups, flash drives with your company logo) was developing a sales presentation. Hers is a cut throat business where half a half a penny price differential means winning or losing. Her big idea? Solve the prospect’s problem. Don’t sell them stuff, help them choose items that burnish their brand. We came up with ” a three step strategy for choosing what your customers will want to have, keep and share,” Have, keep and share. A few words. A big impact. Create your own magic.

You don’t have to be an ad agency to create the magic. Just think about your audience. What’s do they want? Capture it in a few words. Think of your presentation as a present for your audience. Make them stop, look and listen.

The test of a big idea is imple. When people walk out the door, what do they say when asked, “what was it about?” Don’t make them work so hard. Give themn a few little words to remember.