One of the most “talked” about sessions at the 2016 Legal Marketing Conference was “TED Talks for Lawyers.” The format for TED Talks and TED techniques has become the norm for what now constitutes successful presentations.
One TED technique relates to the use of verbiage in PowerPoints. Gone are the days of text-heavy PowerPoint slides. These days, to break through the clutter and garner audience interest, presenters now use powerful visuals to convey their ideas. If you find it too difficult to go “cold turkey,” using one or two words to accompany each visual is acceptable as long as they are descriptive and useful in telling your story.
Easy to understand charts, graphs, cartoons and unusual visuals are always effective, and no matter how technical the subject matter, succinct presentations interspersed with something personal (i.e. childhood photos, etc.) are viewed as welcome surprises that will keep audiences paying attention.
When visuals are evocative, interesting or simply unusual, and are accompanied by a verbal presentation that pulls your story together, the power of your presentation can not only lead to more business but to providing a boost toward making you and your firm more memorable.