The Value of Extraordinary Visuals in Presentations

If you knew that spending just one additional hour to work on your PowerPoint presentation would help you win a $1M account, would you invest the time to make it shine?

Everyone loves good visuals. Extraordinary visuals get noticed…and remembered. Presentation software has made it easier than ever to tell a story and communicate key concepts…but far too often people still saddle their slides with text-heavy bullet points, and flat boring backgrounds.

The next time you’re called on to present, consider these 4 Tips on The Value of Extraordinary Visuals.

1. Graphics Get Noticed and Remembered

Presentations with extraordinary visuals help audiences to understand and comprehend your message. Comprehension leads to connection…which leads to success. Whether it’s a brief company overview, a training presentation, or a quarterly update to company shareholders, the presentation with the extraordinary graphics will stand out and get noticed. Presentations with extraordinary visuals can have a direct and measurable impact on sales and revenue. Boring bullets and technical diagrams create a barrier between presenters and their audiences. Slides with images help presenters get noticed and remembered. By investing the time to make a presentation shine, you’ll gain a greater connection with your audience, delivering a greater meaning in your message. Some ideas:

• An inspirational graphics from a stock photo library.
• One thematic concept image that supports the key message.
• A cartoon to add humor or levity to the topic
• A quotation or introspective insight to support your message.

The graphic can be full screen, or off to the side, with your bullet points balanced to the other sie. When creating your presentation, stay focused on your core message and aim to find a graphic or example that’s simple, concise, and memorable…that supports and enhances the core message.

2. Graphics Build your Brand and Help You Look Your Best

Most companies spend millions of dollars on their marketing and branding. But when it comes to “the presentation”, executives often fail to acknowledge the vital link that the presentation plays in supporting the company brand. All too often I’ve seen company executives spend millions of dollars on marketing and advertising…but then tackle the presentation themselves or let an unskilled amateur tackle it.

Crazy and creative templates, wild animation, fonts and messages that distract and detract, reinventing and distorting the company brand. The next time you have to give a presentation, make sure the presentation supports your company brand…it should all tie-together and look seamless, consistent and professional. Indeed, looking good is what most presentation visuals are all about! Consciously or subconsciously, good graphics send a message of prestige and professionalism, helping to bolster brands, drive revenue, and build great companies.

3. Connect and Retain

People remember 20% of what they hear, and 30% of what they see, but 50% of what they hear and see. Good visuals get noticed…and remembered. The bullets and specific talking points may fade from your audiences’ memory, but visuals stick. If your presentation is beautiful, people will remember. And if it’s ugly …it’ll also be remembered, but not in the way you want! If you want people to remember you, make a great visual. Take the time…look at it from the eyes of the audience, and aim to make it clean, consistent, and with quality.

4. Getting Your Ovation

Presenters strive for recognition, praise and ovation. Getting an ovation requires a delicate balance ofmessage, delivery, and presentation. When these three elements are in harmony, the accolades and ovations will shine upon us. The goal of a finding graphics for your presentation should be more than just making it look good or finding a “good looking graphic.” In the larger picture, investing the time to find the perfect picture or creating extraordinary visuals can translate to a major return…

• An illustration that simply and succinctly explains your business process- rather than a diffused and messy text-heavy graphic- can help a client or business partner gain more confidence in you, and help close a deal.
• One photo to stir the souls of your audience and support your core message, helping to gain confidence in you as business leader or speaker, creating additional revenue opportunities.
• Or one stunning template that supports your company brand and make you look like a million dollar speaker, and translate to greater marketability and professionalism.

Extraordinary visuals can translate to extraordinary results…and investing the time and money in creating a powerful presentation can translate to significant gains and successes.

So the next time you’re called on to create a presentation, consider the value of an extraordinary visual. Turn to a colleague for insights, search online for graphics/examples, or connect with a presentation professional for insights and strategies. Your time, efforts, and recognition of the value of visuals is certain to generate a maximum return on your Return On Presentation Investment (ROPI), in new business, revenue, and recognition.