There’s nothing worse than being stuck listening to a dead, dull, dry presentation on an important topic -— a topic that you need to learn about.
It’s hard to say who it’s worse for: the presenter who sees audiences members’ eyes glazing over, or the audience members who simply cannot absorb the material in the way it’s presented.
Either way, this is no party.
So if you have to make a technical presentation to a non-technical audience, what can you do to assure that your points will come across in a juicy and engaging way?
Invite your listeners into the party with the use of stories, and the shorter, more compact cousin of the story: the analogy. It’s long been understood that statistics, on their own, do not “stick” — but stories do. As humans, we love stories, and will remember them much more easily than dry data.
Probably one of the most famous analogies in recent history was uttered by that profound philosopher, Forrest Gump: “Life is like a box of chocolates … you never know what you’re gonna get.”
The meaning is clear, an image is formed, an important message is conveyed … and it’s remembered.
If you need to make a presentation that includes a lot of either scientific or technical information—and your audience are non-technical, the use of analogies can be very effective.
There are 7 benefits of using analogies. They …• Clarify new concepts
- Enliven dull material
- Simplify dense or overly technical information
- Give your audience an “aha” moment (or two)
- Relate your information to real life in a way that audiences can relate to
- Get your point across in a way that will make a real impact
- Enhance audience members’ retention rate
Put simply, an analogy is a comparison between two different things (such as life and a box of chocolates) that is used to make a point about their similarity (you never know what you’re gonna get).
Analogies, therefore, are a tool for thinking about a subject and explaining it in a different way. They can be much longer than one sentence; they can be short stories that highlight your point.
“Analogies prove nothing, that is true, but they can make one feel more at home.” — Sigmund Freud
For more information about helping your audiences feel at home, and creating dazzling and memorable presentations, we offer an in-person training program on “Business Storytelling” that also can be delivered as an online webinar. BRODY’s “Business Storytelling” will help participants discover how to tell stories effectively, ultimately improving their overall communication and leadership skills.