Member of
90% of all information transmitted to our brains is visual.
People remember 80% of what they see and 20% of what they read. And nothing from slides they can’t understand or read.
So why are they there?
While video remains that most engaging form of communication, it may not always be the most practical or convenient so the art of an effective presentation remain important. Communication needs to follow the context. The key to an engaging presentation is keep it FRESH and CONTEMPORARY. Vary your content and your visuals.
Some undervalue the power of aesthetics. However it is important that design is tailored to suit the different tastes of boardrooms, to grab and maintain their attention. As they may seem somewhat less tenuous, they usually have an extensive influence across various industries and essentially come down conscious consensus opinion.
Oversized and Interesting
Large, beautiful images, with minimal words drive a STATEMENT MESSAGE. Especially if animated. They do not only captivate attention, they also set the tone for your content and delivery. Keep the words on the slide to the minimum. The audience want to hear what you have to say not read it.
Playful and Personal
The over-use of Shutter Stock or Getty images is just as bad as stacking up bullet points. As you aim to remain unique and stand out, the last thing you want is to show up with images that have been seen before. But they are not yet dispensable. They can be used to communicate ideas in a fresh and appealing way. PLAY around, mix them with minimal text and fonts – keeping it relevant. More effectively, sending across powerful messages can be achieved through CUSTOMISED and ORIGINAL elements or hand drawn illustrations. This attracts the audience as they recognise the intimacy and warmth you are trying to convey. Effort is flattering and always pays off.
The Three Cs
As we all know, storytelling is one of the most powerful tools a communicator possesses, triggering both understanding and memory. Use slide-builds in order to trigger and maintain and help audiences absorb information. Presentations need to be COHESIVE and COHERENT. Every image need to perfectly COMPLEMENT each of the carefully chosen phrases and words, as invisible threads tie each slide with the other.
Bold and Minimalist
Use gradients that are daring, fresh, and that explore contrasts with the dark passive backgrounds. Make use of typography, spacing and colours rather than over congregated content to carry across messages with a lasting impression.
Conclusion
As communicators it is important not only to consider the message but the manner in which it is conveyed. Visual aspects are just part of this and will make the brain more receptive to the message. Therefore just stopping to consider the appearance of your presentation, including these points above and others, could make the difference in creating an effective presentation.