Just like all of the other content and assets we are drawn to make use of, it can be very compelling to add data, statistics and numbers to our presentations. When we are tempted to start stacking up lots of decimal places in our PowerPoint presentation we are – just like Prometheus drawn to the flame – playing with fire!
On one hand, numbers can ground our presentations, bringing gravity, credibility and the persuasive powers of numerous numbers to our pitch. While this kind of authoritative sway can be tempting, the siren song of statistics can leave you ruined, picking up the shattered remnants of a once-great presentation that buckled and broke beneath the weight of complex, confusing number-speak. The problem isn’t always the numbers themselves it’s their presentation.
The fact is, you are probably presenting to a room full of industry peers – not expert statisticians. This means that you’ve got to go the extra mile to translate your numbers, stats, data and percentages into meaningful messages your audience can actually understand.
Keep these tips in mind the next time you feel the need to go number crazy!
Visualize It
In order to get your numbers across to an audience, it’s important – like always – to avoid overwhelming their left-side-analyzing-brains by appealing to their wholistic-feeling-right-side brains. Of course, appealing to the senses is always a great strategy and presenting your numbers in compelling visualizations is a no-brainer in the context of a PowerPoint pitch. Take your time to create compelling, appropriate, clear graphs and charts for your data. A general rule: If you can’t make it visual, you probably shouldn’t use it.
Analogize It
Another way to dive directly into your audience’s right-brain is to use analogies to present your numbers. This gets right to the heart of the problem with using numbers in your presentation. Analogies allow you to recast your data-heavy information into something the audience is already familiar and comfortable with. For instance don’t say that something weighs 2.5 tons, say it’s as heavy as one-and-a-half full-size Dodge Rams.
Infograffitti
This is one of our favorites! Let’s say you are presenting statistics corresponding to America’s fast-food intake. You could make a pie chart or a bar graph, or you could use an infographic. Infographics pair familiar visual images with statistical information. For instance, why not use the image of a candy bar to represent unhealthy grocery store purchasing and a hamburger to represent fast-food restaurant patronage?
Less Mess
This – of course – is a great overall rule for presenting, but it’s especially true where numbers are concerned. It’s easy to overwhelm your audience with dumbfounding data. Don’t do it! Only use numbers when they are truly necessary and make sure to incorporate them into your PowerPoint presentation in a way your audience will understand.
