April, 2015
IS YOUR KEY MARKETING MESSAGE LOST IN A BARRAGE OF BULLET “BLAHS”?
Are you trying to make your point, by making more and more points? A long list of bulleted points can and does create a sea of “Blah”, making it almost impossible for your audience to realize or resonate to that one key point of value, the story you want to deliver.
For example: powerpoint presentations with frame after many frames of “bullets” marking most everything you are talking about in your presentation does not create clarity or learning. This is merely reciting a “script” that tries to sell in long visual form, a sea of words called out by bullets, rather than a provocative visual series that calls out and engages your audience in true story.
Watch out, bullets can kill!
Have you killed your story with a barrage of bullets? Multiple bullet pointed copy creates the “blahs” for your audience…permission to “check out” due to boredom. Have you also promised them a copy deck and not to worry about taking notes (bingo…permission to day dream)? Snooze time during your talk…great time to text, write their version of “War and Peace”, make a grocery list, or just plain leave the room for something of more importance…after all they will get your “talk” delivered in bullet points via pdf.
Change those bullets into visuals that provoke rather than “define”.
Your audience wants your story to captivate their interest. How can you provoke and create audience curiosity to be involved with your information? With visuals that pose a question, that provoke the imagination, that support by “adding to” your talk, will engage your audience. With thought provoking support visuals (rather than a barrage of bullets and words) you will cast your storytelling spell over your audience keeping them wanting to know what is next.
Creating just one “silver bullet”.
What is your main point? What is your ONE silver bullet…just one? Make your one key value the “mother” for your benefit babies that you weave in and about your story.
Create engagement! A few tips for killer presentations without a barrage of bullets (get out of “script” mode):
1. Visually : Create “known story links” to items and situations that you know your audience can quickly recognize and relate to. Example: Put a gorilla visual up on the screen and then tell a story about that big 800 pound gorilla that throws luggage from the cargo door to make your point about how your company does not employ such uncaring beasts to deliver, communicate, or transport, your valuable ideas, services or merchandise. Your audience will remember how “big you care” rather than you just being “big”.
2. Visually : Put your key value or purpose into “personality” mode. Example: Replace that frame full of long bullet points with a word like: FLEXIBLE…then talk and define your value as a warm and fuzzy being that has many awesome bendy yoga posses (your benefits and unique value proposition) that offer flexibility for your client’s needs. Use a drawing of an amazing bendy “thing” be it a person or a new innovative “being”. Make things real (or imaginary) world and personal for your audience.
3. Visually : “Dumb it down”: relate complex technology or new ideas to simple items into a layperson’s understanding level. Example: You have a powerful technological gizmo that can filter the microscopic foreign inhabitants from the bilges of tankers enabling safe flushing into foreign ports after off loading cargo (this one is for real!). Rather than listing the various filter features in microns and mill micron minutia, let folks see a visual of clean non-contaminated water, “safe” water…flowing through a giant strainer drawing. Show them the simple result, promise. You can always fulfill complex “specs” when necessary and appropriate.
To tell story well (for just about anything) use simple, unique, impactful visuals. Quick sketch visuals create a focused story that is fun, inviting, immediate, loose…so folks can engage their own creative juices and place themselves into the story you are telling. Give me a call to find out more about how quick sketch visual story telling can make your presentations, events; your stories unique and engaging!
Turn “bullet blahs” into story “ahs” with visuals that illustrate rather than “list”.
Thanks for your interest and sharing!
I’m Paula Brown; Visual Scribe / Feng Shui practitioner / Author / Animal Communicator. I am a visual storyteller showing you how to IGNITE YOUR STORY, YOUR ENERGY, YOUR WELL-BEING for both business and home. My site is: www.chilightful.com Connect on: LinkedIn, Twitter. and you can “like” my facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ChiLightful
