Visually Speaking

Virtual space lets you connect the audience to invisible objects. In essence, you use virtual space to show the audience how you visualize the concepts you’re explaining. Although you see the concepts in your mind, the audience has no idea how to distinguish among them. Virtual space helps. Read more… →

If you want your message to have the most impact on the greatest number of people then you must match your message to what is most basic to your audience. One way to achieve this is through the use of CONFLICT, because people have some type of “conflict” in everyday life. Read more… →

Once upon a time… a speaker claimed it was difficult to get an audience excited about information simply because the content was so boring. Content is never boring — people are boring. A boring presenter delivers boring details. While there are a number of ways to bring content to life, the most obvious method is to smile. You can choose from any of the three kinds of smiles: outside, inside, and in-depth. Read more… →

Using our research-based assessment tools, which measure the effectiveness of presenters, there appears to be a significant drop in quality when even highly rated “live” speakers deliver online content, specifically webinars, where the venue is limited to voice-over driven content. Read more… →

The DEPTH of your space is the most critical element to consider when positioning yourself in front of an audience. The only dimension that adds value is depth. Height and width are accepted instantly, but depth perception requires concentration and therefore creates an enduring effect. Read more… →

Certain color combinations may pose a problem for some people, particularly men. Some studies show that nearly 15% of men have a red/green deficiency. Other research suggests that close to 22% of men have some form of this deficiency. Read more… →

Having a typographical error, or typo, on a slide is not only embarrassing but distracting as well. Although some audiences may tolerate minor speaking blunders, very few, if any, will forgive spelling errors. Yes, we all make mistakes, but first impressions of printed errors leave many viewers unhappy. Read more… →

When you have related elements in the foreground of a chart, arrange them in a darker-to-lighter pattern from the bottom of the chart, upward. This “Earth-to-Sky” pattern is the way we view color naturally; that is, from the earth to the sky. Read more… →

The common belief is that when interacting with someone, you should always make as much eye contact as possible. This is true when you are LISTENING. You would like to appear 100% attentive, so making eye contact with the person is critical. But what about when you are SPEAKING? Read more… →

Some say the nervousness before a performance is both natural and necessary. While nature may create the feeling, it is certainly not necessary. If you can eliminate the jitters BEFORE a presentation, you will be able to deliver your message more effectively. Read more… →