"Tell the audience what you're going to say, say it; then tell them what you've said"
About this Quote
The intent is practical: reduce cognitive load. When you “tell them what you’re going to say,” you give the audience a map. When you “say it,” you deliver the goods without detours. When you “tell them what you’ve said,” you lock the takeaways into memory, ensuring the point survives distractions and time. The subtext is more calculating: audiences don’t experience your argument as a linear essay; they experience it as impressions. Carnegie’s structure engineers those impressions, making your message feel inevitable, even when it’s simple or contentious.
Context matters. Carnegie’s America was an age of clubs, boardrooms, civic organizations, and upward mobility - spaces where eloquence functioned as social currency. This quote belongs to the self-help tradition at its most utilitarian: communication as a tool for advancement. It’s a democratic promise with a salesman’s edge, teaching that credibility can be built, almost mechanically, if you respect how people actually listen.
Quote Details
| Topic | Teaching |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Carnegie, Dale. (2026, January 15). Tell the audience what you're going to say, say it; then tell them what you've said. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/tell-the-audience-what-youre-going-to-say-say-it-35504/
Chicago Style
Carnegie, Dale. "Tell the audience what you're going to say, say it; then tell them what you've said." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/tell-the-audience-what-youre-going-to-say-say-it-35504/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Tell the audience what you're going to say, say it; then tell them what you've said." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/tell-the-audience-what-youre-going-to-say-say-it-35504/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
