| A memorable speaker is someone who stands | | | | facts and figures. Even better is to then add |
| out. Their remarks carry weight and substance | | | | more clarity to the factual statement by relating |
| long after the meeting is over. Want to learn to | | | | the statistic to something that is familiar to the |
| add impact to your next presentation? Then | | | | audience. For example, a speaker on cancer might |
| work on incorporating the following three tips into | | | | talk about the high percentage of cases of skin |
| your upcoming presentations. These are | | | | cancer in the population who are aged 60 and |
| strategies that expert speakers use to add | | | | over. Step One is to quote a statistic such as |
| impact by: 1. Drawing Upon Imagery, 2. Conveying | | | | stating that 67% of all people over the age of 60 |
| Facts With Clarity, 3. Inserting Examples Into | | | | are at risk for skin cancer. Step Two is to make |
| Remarks. Let's work through each of these | | | | that statistic more relevant by saying "next time |
| techniques to see how they will highlight your | | | | you are at a family dinner look around the room |
| remarks for more compelling commentary! | | | | and imagine that two out of three people at the |
| 1. Drawing Upon Imagery | | | | table are stricken with the illness, and only one out |
| Images are powerful devices that are often used | | | | of three is free of cancer". That's what the |
| by speakers to add impact to their words. Since | | | | statistic really means. Or here is another example; |
| imagery engages the right side of the brain, a | | | | cutting the grass burns about 450 calories - that's |
| presentation filled with vivid imagery is much | | | | the same as playing racquetball for an hour. |
| more likely to stay with the audience long after | | | | 3. Inserting Examples Into Remarks |
| the speech is over. You may have heard the | | | | Another easy technique to help listeners bite their |
| expression "a picture is worth a thousand words"; | | | | teeth into your presentation is to continually drop |
| in the case of public speaking it is true. The | | | | examples into your commentary. Of course the |
| audience is much more likely to retain a mental | | | | examples must be relevant and on topic to really |
| picture if you can craft images as you speak. You | | | | be effective. They can be personal stories or |
| might try to create an analogy in your remarks | | | | impersonal examples of other people or situations |
| by likening the subject of discussion with | | | | that fit with your topic. One additional strategy is |
| something the audience already knows. For | | | | to insert an example early on in your remarks |
| example, a computer consultant once likened the | | | | then draw upon it many times as you add new |
| speed and bandwidth of a new computer system | | | | information in your presentation. A case in point |
| to a super-wide, super-fast mega-highway that | | | | would be for a speaker on historic architecture to |
| could quickly and easily transport many cars from | | | | provide examples of period buildings in the local |
| point A to B. Just the like the highway, the new | | | | area, then refer to them again as the talk moves |
| computer system would transport data quickly | | | | on to key elements of architecture such as |
| and efficiently for the organization! | | | | columns, terraces and steps. In this situation |
| 2. Conveying Facts With Clarity | | | | photographs of the buildings being discussed as |
| Another strategy to add impact is to help | | | | examples would add even greater visual impact! |
| listeners relate to your comments by including | | | | |