5 Tips For Visual Impact In Marketing Presentations

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Big presentation coming up? Are you confident that you visual message is clear and compelling?

 

Visual impact is a key factor in whether your presentation will be a winner. Take a moment right now and ask a single question...

 

Is your message instantly clear?

 

If you have to think too long - more than a couple seconds - the answer is: no.

 

The visual message of your presentation should be immediately obvious. If you are in doubt and think maybe there's something you don't know that you should - use these 5 tips to give your presentation a quick visual tune up.

 

Tip 1: Are The Visuals Attractive?

 

People don't love looking at ugly icky stuff. They want to see pretty pictures and bright colors. If your pictures are drab, ugly or visually disgusting, you are shooting yourself in the foot.

 

Don't risk this. It's not worth it -- unless you are marketing and selling something extremely ugly. If you aren't, then make sure your pictures, charts and diagrams are aesthetic and visually pleasing.

 

Tip 2: Are The Pictures Simple?

 

Complicated charts and diagrams are, well...complicated. Maybe they tell an important story. But most viewers are too busy to wade through the mud and quagmire to find out what you are trying to say.

 

It's not that your research or story is at fault. It's just that the depiction is too complicated. If you want to have the most impact, keep the pictures extremely simple.

 

Recently, I coached a client who was preparing a presentation for his public speaking class. I told him about this principle. Here's how he said it back to me, "Oh - you mean I should over-simplify everything?"

 

Yes. That's exactly what I mean.

 

Don't overload your audience with details. Provide a simple and easy to understand picture. You can always show more levels of detail in a handout or follow-up presentation.

 

Tip 3: Show Pictures of What You Provide

 

If you provide a service, show a picture of the service you provide. If you sell a product, show photos of people using the product, or photos of the product itself.

 

Keep in mind that your audience is preoccupied, distracted, and focused on many urgent business matters. It's up to you to refocus their attention towards your important presentation. Spell it out. Make it profoundly obvious what you are offering. Use pictures to show your viewers what you are talking about.

 

Tip 4: Show Emotion With Pictures

 

While you deliver your presentation, use pictures to add a dimension of emotion. Most participants make emotional decisions to buy - whether they are buying a product, service, or strategy. When your pictures show emotion, you are building a powerful connection to your audience.

 

Speak the language of emotion -- in pictures.

 

Tip 5: Use Visuals To Show Process Steps

 

In addition to showing pictures of your product or service, show a visual step-by-step view of the process. This may be the buying process or a project process.

 

The most powerful process steps are short and simple. Think of one-two-three as the most effective picture to show step one, step two and step three of any process.

 

When you use pictures, icons and color to emphasize steps in a process, it's easier for people to understand your message.

 

To make information more accessible to your audience, use these 5 visual impact tips. If you are in doubt, look around. Look at websites, advertising, and printed material. You will see that people spend a fortune defining their visual message.

 

Shouldn't you do the same in your presentation? With these 5 tips, you have a dynamic starter kit for successful presenting.

 

Develop visual impact to connect directly with your audience. Show and tell visual stories, so you can reach more customers and grow your business.