Visuals are So Powerful
Words do not really exist … in our brains, in any case. We do not see the word as a series of letters. We see them as pictures.
When we read the words, we do see it as a whole bunch of tiny pictures. We seek functions, such as horizontal or vertical lines, rounded corners, etc., and then we remember our library of letters and pictures to compare it to what we keep from the past.
Over time, we get a darn good in the process, and this leads us milliseconds to make all calculations and to read the verdict. But reading text is very taxing on the brain. As a result, the presentations that consist of screens and screens of text with your story just is not very effective for communicating information.
Knowing what needs to change how we look at supporting images for presentations.
Try this simple little test. Imagine yourself in a dark, hot desert. It’s just about noon. You were in the hot sun all day long. Now, chocolate ice cream cone would be great right now, is not it?
When you read “chocolate ice cream cone, you do not think about words. Subconsciously, your brain recognized the forms of words, and you own an ice cream. In fact, you imagine the whole scene of the desert. We believe that in photography. Words just tell us that the image in itself. Would not it be much more powerful (and take much less time) if I put up a picture an ice cream cone?
Maybe not. Ice cream is pretty versatile and just say those words conjures up the image. But when the subject is difficult to describe, or the people involved or the relationship of elements (diagrams) are complex, nothing beats a picture. Words do not come in a distant second.
Listen to this fact: if the information is presented verbally, we remember, about 10% in three days. However, if the picture is added, it reaches 65%. We do not remember the words. What was the last series of screens, the word you remember from your presentation?
Exactly.
Powerpoint and are mostly text. This is a problem. Do not fall into the trap of using screens and screens of text. You will simply transfer thousands and thousands of small pictures … and we remember very few of them. But our brains would work much harder. And for what? Not so much.
Tests have shown that people can remember more than 2500 images, at least 90 percent within a few days after initial exposure. Now, it’s a blow!
Would you like to be remembered? Carefully select the visual effects that will cause your audience’s imagination that will appeal to them, then begin a dialogue. You will not be forgotten any time soon.
Words do not exist. Why use them if there is a much more powerful alternative?