I See What You’re Saying.

You know the expression “Do you see what I’m saying?” When you’re talking to someone and the ideas are complex, it’s a good idea to make sure they’re following you. If you’re presenting to a group however, you don’t want to stop your talk and

constantly ask this question. What’s better is to make things clear from the outset. And the way to do that is to show them what you’re talking about. Here’s an example from a recent investor presentation Power Point. The PowerPoint slide on the left has the basic facts, but there’s nothing memorable about it. It’s basically the same copy as what the presenter is saying, plus there’s an extra point in there that would be better served on a slide all by itself.  The slide on the right, in contrast, allows you to see what’s being said.  It provides a visual to give punch to the words. Not only is the 24/7, a unique selling point, featured larger than life, but you can now identify with the woman, sprawled out on her floor at home, getting that online support. It could be 3 in the morning, or any other time. You get the point that online access is round the clock.  And because it’s been presented in this more visual way, you’re less likely to forget it. This is one of the techniques I use in the Power Point design presentations that I create, that is, find out what the key message is, then reinforce the idea with a strong visual. Then your audience can see what you are saying.