Research shows that when an auditory message is enhanced with visuals, audiences interact better with the subject and process information more easily. Communications professor Paul Martin Lester says that we remember about 10% of what we heard, about 30% of what we read, and about 80% of what we saw. So, when we combine visual and audio channels, we can make presentations more impressive.
A visually better presentation is not sharing bulleted content or filling the slide page with irrelevant pictures. To reach that 80% part that will make you remember the audience, you have to make the words and visuals impressive. Relevant pictures, infographics, diagrams, etc.
Visual supporters enhance presentations, increase audience understanding, make key points more understandable and create enthusiasm. So what are visual supporters and how can you use them most effectively?
What Are Visual Supporters?
Visual supporters are items that have a visual form, such as graphics, photos, video clips, used in addition to verbal information. These are chosen based on their purpose. The most important of your visual use purposes in your presentation are listed below:
- To present the information in summary form to the audience.
- Using a graphic to facilitate reading by reducing words.
- To show an example to clarify the subject with the video clip or related image.
- Creating more impact and connecting viewers with the topic.
- Emphasizing what you say.
- Making an important point unforgettable.
- To attract the attention of the audience.
How to Prepare and Use Visual Supporters?
When you want to use visual supporters in your presentation, you should ensure that the viewer can quickly understand the image. You should try to use visual supporters only for key points, as it can be hard jumping for the viewer to move from one visual to another.
Things to Consider in the Visual Preparation Process
- Decide what you want the audience to do once audiences see the image.
- Make sure my images are relevant to what you say. If not, this image will only confuse the viewer.
- Images should be clear, concise, and of good quality.
- You have to be consistent to increase visual perception in the same subjects such as fonts, colors, positions.
- Use graphs or charts to present data.
- Use workflow diagrams when talking about a business process.
- As there will be a key point on each slide, a separate visual aid should be used for each message.
- Especially if you intend to use videos, you should make sure that the presentation works without the video in case of a technical problem.
- To make sure the visuals are good, ask your friends for feedback.
Things to Consider When Using Visuals During Presentation
- Make sure that visual supporters are visible to everyone.
- Look at the audience, not the image, and measure their reaction.
- Do not read visuals such as graphics or infographics, but tell them.
- The moment you show the image, the viewer's attention is drawn to it. That's why you should explain it right away. If you talk about other things, you will be ignored.
- When you no longer need visual supporters, make sure the audience doesn't see it.
Note: Adapt the images to your target audience.
Use images that your target audience will find relevant and familiar. Consider what style of visual supporter would be appropriate. If it is a serious presentation, you should use more formal visuals. While you can add liveliness to the environment by using humorous visuals in an informal presentation.
Types of Visual Supporters
PowerPoint
PowerPoint is a visual supporter that everyone often uses to create an attractive and professional presentation. In PowerPoint presentations, you can make the subject more noticeable by adding visual elements related the subject to the slides. You can also use elements such as graphics and infographics. Viewers can often see slide shows better than other visual supporters and stay more engaged. However, when this software is used badly, it becomes unprofessional.
Tips for Professional PowerPoint
- Be clear and simple.
- Avoid using many different fonts and font sizes.
- Use the presentation animations only to reveal the stages of the process. Otherwise, animations can be distracting.
- Use a large font size. For more information font selection during preparing the presentation, read this article.
- Use bullets to summarize key points. But keep in mind that using bullets constantly can also be a distraction.
- Avoid using too much text on the slide.
- Avoid using red and green colors in texts as they are difficult to read.
- For a professional look, you can work with a professional presentation agency that visualizes the subject for audiences.
Writing Boards
Whiteboards are a good help for showing the sequence of a process and for creating diagrams. Remember that in this supporter you should only write key points on the board. Don't get away from the audience. During the intense narration, the ability of audiences to look at the blackboard to recall it can increase the commitment in preparing the presentation.
Handouts
During the presentation, giving handouts containing important topic details and reports to the audience is beneficial, especially in PowerPoint presentations. However, using extensive texts in report papers can cause the audience to be distracted. Share important notes that will make your presentation more memorable in handouts.
Video Clips
Video clips are one of the best visual supporters to attract audience attention today. Brings motion, sound, and image to the presentation. Just make sure the video is relevant to the presentation content. A long clip is a distraction. Just use video for attention, not all presentations. Also, let viewers know how long the video will last before they start.
Posters
You can move posters created using a variety of visual devices, such as banner boards, graphics, and images, anywhere. You make presentations to market your topic. Posters, on the other hand, are one of the golden kids of marketing. It is possible to market it in a way that makes your messages more impressive with posters. But make sure there is only one message in a poster. Increase the emphasis by using color and block capital letters. However, avoid using posters in areas where audiences cannot see the content.
Prototypes or Demos
Objects can be useful to make an impact and provide a boring subject more fun. Showing a model or experimenting increases curiosity about the subject. However, you should make sure that everyone can see the product prototype or demo you are using. Don't show the prototypes to the audience until the right time. Otherwise, the audience's attention will shift to the object and they won't listen to what you are telling.
Highlights for Using Visual Supporters
Use Color.
His research suggests that using color increases people's reading motivation and presentation listening eagerness. Software like PowerPoint is a great way to produce color images. Using color palettes is an ideal way to get the right color match in your presentation. You can read this article for choosing a color palette in presentation design.
The Adobe color palette is an ideal way to choose colors:
- On the color wheel, opposite colors complete each other and create contrast. Complementary colors make the text more readable.
- Colors next to each other on the wheel are similar and harmonious. Similar colors make the presentation more holistic.
- We recommend that you avoid using too much color in the presentation. 3 colors are enough to make a presentation more interesting. Diverse and numerous color presentation makes it unprofessional.
- Some people have blue-green or red-green color blindness. Do not use these colors side by side in comparative visuals such as graphics.
Focus on Your Goal.
The purpose of the images is to reinforce the purpose of the presentation. If you are selling a product or service, you should make sure the images reinforce your sales message. If you are promoting a project, you should explain the main idea of the project with visuals. But never make images the focal point of a PowerPoint presentation. Focus on your goal. The pictures are just there for support.
Use Consistently.
If most of the slides create a different look feel, that will distract the viewers. Create a format that you will use in all of your slides. Use your company logo, website URL, and similar information on every slide in the same size and place. In this way, you can get a holistic view of all slides. Make a good impression on your audience by using similar images on every slide. The presentation will be more powerful if all images in the slide show have the same format and complement each other.
Leave White Spaces.
You don't need to fill every square in the slides. White spaces are relaxing. If you present a lot of words and pictures to the audience on a slide, they will examine the slides instead of listening to the oral presentation. Simple and minimalist design always wins in preparing the presentation.
Use Interactive Images.
In all visuals such as drawings, silhouettes, photographs, if there is a human figure, the audience focuses on the direction of that figure. Move the pictures with people facing towards the text on the slide. This also applies to human figures running or walking. Use figures that move into the slide rather than the outside, or make adjustments accordingly.
Contact us so that we can prepare impressive visuals for you all these things into consideration and to ensure that you present the presentations in the best way possible.
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