Credit: Charis Tsevis
The expression “A picture is worth a thousand words” was incidentally first used in a 1913 newspaper advertisement. And “Time is money” is a phrase first used by Benjamin Franklin in Advice to a Young Tradesman, Written by an Old One. With the origin of two of the most used phrases of all time, rooted in the world of business, it is hardly a surprise that adding visual aids to your business can take it to astounding new levels. So here are a few ways to go graphic and help save your words- and money:
- PowerPoint presentations – The very basic. Today, no business presentation can be made without it. You can even use alternatives like Prezi, emaze and SlideDog if you have a taste for something fancier. Carefully plan, design and deliver. Use smart, bold fonts and color schemes for an impactful presentation. Instead of tables and long sentences, simply use the wide variety of flow, pie, bar, area, line and even donut charts. Toss in some relevant and eye- catching images or fun illustrations and you’re good to go.
- Video presentations – What if you’re not there to charm your audience in person? Not to worry. Simply send across your most valuable data in a short video and let it do your job. You can add all the elements of a regular presentation to convey complex budgets, cash flow, survey data, sales etc. in a simple manner. You can even include interviews and a prerecorded narrative to help relay your message even better. One important component of any kind of digital presentation is equipment.
- Flip Charts – Remember how Marshall Erickson loved pulling out A2 sized pie charts of his favorite bars and bar charts of his favorite pies? Flip charts provide an old- school, inexpensive way of pictorial representation. Use it during your company’s brainstorming sessions and simply pull out a marker and scribble new ideas on the sheet or stick on post- it’s wherever necessary. You can even add a flip chart pad if you prefer keeping it neat. This provides a helpful solution to technophobes.
- Handouts – These reinforce oral and visual components and can give additional detail if desired. They can be given out before the presentation or after it, and allows participants to better follow your presentation, make notes, ask informed questions and refer to key points of the presentation in the future.
- Posters – Did you know that on an entire notice board, a poster placed on the top left corner is most effectively seen? When placed correctly, attractive posters can lure nearby people into a specific event and alert them of an upcoming product or service. Posters are cheaper than common forms of advertising such as print, radio and television. Posters can be a great tool for small- to medium-sized businesses to use to increase brand awareness.
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