Stand Up and – Toast! Let Me Show You What I Mean

Some of us remember transparencies in our classrooms, those clear, plastic sheets placed on an overhead projector, which our teachers often marked on the fly with bold markers.

Technology has come a long way.

Still, why use visual aids in the first place?  A study cited in the HP paper The Power of Visual Communication found that people remember 10% of what they hear, 20% of what they see – and 80% of the combination of seeing and doing.

Enter visual aids for our presentations. But not all compelling visual aids rely on technology. Let’s take a look at a few different types:

Handouts give you the opportunity to provide your audience with a take-away, which can help them remember your presentation and may include more in-depth information to supplement your talk. If you distribute handouts prior to your presentation, your audience can take notes on the pages you distribute – but they may also read ahead and become distracted.

Chalkboards, whiteboards and flip charts help you engage your audience in an interactive dialog. If you draw a complex diagram one step at a time, your audience has an easier time following your logic, and you have the freedom to respond to their suggestions. You can also keep track of action items and achieve consensus as you write out points. Use multiple color pens for different categories of information. Keep in mind that this only works in a venue small enough that everyone can see what you write.

Props can take many forms, from holding up a sign, to using a hand puppet, or illustrating a point with building blocks. Having a creative three-dimensional visual is often more memorable than using slides. The key to using a prop effectively is to practice; keep it hidden prior to unveiling it, to maintain an element of surprise and avoid it having a distracting effect; and to ensure that the prop is large enough to be visible to your entire audience.

Slide presentations are the mainstay of business presentations, and are even required at many educational conferences. Good slide design means using graphs, charts, and bullet points. Don’t overload your slides with too much text or detailed information, since that will often make your audience tune out. One of the most compelling ways to convey a message is a well-chosen photo or image, especially to highlight humor or a poignant story.

Videos can inject energy into a presentation. In effect, you are showing a mini-movie to your audience. The key to effectively using video is to keep it short – think MTV. It’s tempting to use video as filler; instead, use a clip to advance your message. The biggest technical challenge is to ensure that the audio portion is projected in a way that your entire audience can hear and enjoy it. 

Above all, do not choose your visual aid based on the technological “coolness factor” – instead, choose the method that best conveys your message.

Find out more about clubs in District 4 Toastmasters: http://www.d4tm.org