PRESENTERS FORUM

Here is an article which we hope you will enjoy and find helpful:

Visual Aid Virtuosity

By Anne Miller 

Einstein said, If I cant see it, I dont understand it. When visuals are used, you are more persuasive, you can cover more ground in less time, retention and comprehension are greater and, your presentation is more interesting and involving.

What Distinguishes an Effective Visual?

1. Good visuals are clear, simple, have few words and are easy to grasp. 
2. There are few words, bullet points, graphs, charts, or pictures (rule of thumb for bullets: a maximum of six lines and no more than five to six words per line). 
3. Each visual makes only one point. 
4. Color is used to attract, highlight, contrast, or create a feeling or mood. (Clear Xeroxes of a printed page are poor excuses for visual aids) 
5. Props and products are strong visuals as well. 
6. Neatness counts. No smudges, misspellings, or frayed edges on hand-outs. 
7. Remember that you are a visual as well. Good grooming, appropriate dress (no clanky jewelry, no extreme fashion, no excessive make-up) life in the eyes, and a smile on your face are the most important visuals in your presentation.

Whats the Right Visual Format? 

Tailor your choice of medium to the situation. A sales presentation to a corporate Board is probably better done with slides, overheads, or a computer rather than with flip charts. A sales presentation to a group of educators could use overheads or flip charts. A presentation to any high tech group is best done with a laptop. In all cases, you may also choose to mix your formats, e.g., a laptop for the core presentation, a flip chart or whiteboard available for some spontaneous interaction, and a video to show examples. 

Flip charts and whiteboards

• Effective for small groups
• Inexpensive
• Color easily added with magic markers
• Allows spontaneous drawing

Desktop Booklets

• Work best with small groups as the basis for a discussion
• Portable and easily tailored to an audience
• Potential Danger: Falling into the trap of giving a canned presentation and becoming a page-turner and reader. and the next page shows...and the next page shows...

Overhead Transparencies

• Effective with groups up to several hundred
• Easy to use or change
• Take up little space when you travel
• Tip: If you use overheads regularly, always carry an extra bulb with you.

Slides

• Work well for large groups of any size
• Project color brilliantly
• Easy to travel with
• Tip: Make sure you load your slide tray properly and that you test the projector with your slides before the presentation.

Videos

Videos can be very effective when you set them up properly. Prior to showing, give the audience a task to do as they watch it. Otherwise, they may just doze for a few minutes. Instead of saying, Take a look at how the plant operates on this video., say, As you look at how our new plant operates, see how many advantages it has over your current operation. Immediately after the video is finished ask, So, what advantages appealed to you? 

Electronic Presentations 

Electronic presentations are rapidly becoming the medium of choice in the business world and for very good reason They have many advantages.

• Versatile: good for presenting to one, or with projector, to hundreds
• Dynamic: easily changed in real time
• Marvelous in bringing messages to life with color, pictures, and a variety of effects: animation, sound, and video.
• Potential Danger: Dont go overboard with technology. Keep it simple. Youre there to make a point, not to win an Oscar for special effects.

Match Your Information to the Right Visual

• Straight text? Use bullet points with as few words as possible per bullet.
• Trend? Use line or area graphs.
• Showing relationships? Use pie charts.
• Comparing different quantities or variables? Use bar graphs.
• Showing categories and activities or criteria arranged in an organized way? Use tables or charts
• Time-table, or process flows? Use diagrams.

The Power of Pictures 

Adding pictures or cartoons to any of the above makes the information more appealing and easier to grasp by readers. Think of the business visuals that appear in USA TODAY every day and you get the idea. 

Final Tips

1. ALWAYS carry your visuals with you. Otherwise, you can wind up in Portland Maine while your visuals find themselves with your luggage in Portland, Oregon. 
2. Get to your meeting early and check out all the logistics. Whatever medium you are using, from simple flyers to sophisticated multi-media extravaganzas, preparation, rehearsal, checklists, and back-up are critical to ensure that your message plays successfully with your listeners.

CREDITS Anne Miller STRATEGY & SKILLS THAT WIN BUSINESS. Seminar Leader, Presentation Advisor, Exec Coach Box 624 NYC NY 10163 212 876 1875 www.annemiller.com.